St Ethelbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

Bolton · BL3 5RL

General information Primary School · 3-11 years Who goes here 207 pupils, 33.2% FSM

Educational attainment Ofsted and results

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 8.7% on SEN support Behaviour 6.3% absence rate Staff 5.9% turnover Financials £5,498 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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St Ethelbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

General Information

Address: Melbourne Road, Deane, Bolton, BL3 5RL – View on map
Phone: 01204333036
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Mandy Messham
Age range: 3-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 17 families put it first for 20 places – 9 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. No places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2024 10 · 2025 9 · 2026 9
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

207 pupils out of 210 places At or near capacity

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 63
% eligible for free school meals: 33.2%
Pupil mix: 8 in 10 (more mixed than the Bolton average)
English as an additional language: 49% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 5.9% a year (Bolton 13.3%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 0% moved to another school, 100% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (one year, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house. This is a small staff, so one or two teachers leaving moves the figure a lot.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Bolton: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 2 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 6 (0.2 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 0 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Bolton, not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 6.3%
Persistently absent pupils: 21.1%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 8.7%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 3.4%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 8 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 7 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 1 pupil
Autistic spectrum disorder: 1 pupil
Other difficulty or disability: 1 pupil

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Speech, language and communications needs: 6 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 1 pupil

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

An Ofsted rating for this school hasn't been added yet.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 62% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 0% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 3 percentage points below the Bolton average (65%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Well below (3-year average 48% against an expected 62%)
3-year average (expected standard): 48%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 88% · Writing 65% · Maths 73% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 73%
Average test scores: reading 107, maths 104
Based on: 26 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolBolton averageEngland↗ Improving Up 14 percentage points since 2022/23. In 2024/25 this school was 3 percentage points below the Bolton average (65%).

Year 6 SATs: joint 51st of 88 junior and primary schools in the area

=51Ss Simon & Jude CofE Primary School, Bolton62%
=51St Catherine's CofE Primary School62%
=51St Ethelbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy62%
=56Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School61%
=56High Lawn Primary School61%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1The Olive School, Bolton95%
#2St Andrew's CofE Primary School, Over Hulton90%
#3Bowness Primary School86%
=4Beaumont Primary School84%
=4Masefield Primary School84%
=4St William of York Roman Catholic Primary School84%
=4The Gates Primary School84%
#8The Valley Community Primary School83%
#9St Gregory's RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy82%
#10Kearsley West Primary School81%
#11Oxford Grove Primary School80%
=12Gaskell Community Primary School79%
=12Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School79%
=12St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge79%
=12The Oaks Primary School79%
=16Blackrod Primary School78%
=16St Thomas CofE Primary School78%
=18Markland Hill Primary School77%
=18Prestolee Primary School77%
#20The Ferns Primary Academy76%
=21Heathfield Primary School75%
=21The Olive Tree Primary School Bolton75%
=23Haslam Park Primary School74%
=23Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School74%
=23Spindle Point Primary School74%
=23Sunning Hill Primary School74%
#27Horwich Parish CofE Primary School73%
#28St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton72%
=29Eagley Junior School70%
=29Eatock Primary School70%
=31Blackshaw Primary School69%
=31Hardy Mill Primary School69%
=31Ladybridge Community Primary School69%
=31St Columba's RC Primary School69%
#35Devonshire Road Primary School68%
=36Castle Hill Primary School67%
=36Moorgate Primary School67%
=36St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth67%
=36St Saviour CofE Primary School, Ringley67%
=40All Saints CofE Primary School66%
=40Essa Primary Academy66%
=40Highfield Primary School66%
=40Sharples Primary School66%
=40St Mary's CofE Primary School, Deane66%
=45St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill65%
=45St Stephen and All Martyrs' CofE School, Lever Bridge65%
=47Clarendon Primary School63%
=47Lever Edge Primary Academy63%
=47Red Lane Primary School63%
=47St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School63%
=51Church Road Primary School62%
=51Harwood Meadows Primary School62%
=51Ss Simon & Jude CofE Primary School, Bolton62%
=51St Catherine's CofE Primary School62%
=51St Ethelbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy62%
=56Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School61%
=56High Lawn Primary School61%
=56St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton61%
=56St Maxentius CofE Primary School61%
=60Chorley New Road Primary Academy60%
=60St George's CofE Primary School60%
=62St Michael's CofE Primary School, Great Lever59%
=62St Peter's Smithills Dean Church of England Primary School59%
=64Queensbridge Primary School58%
=64St John the Evangelist RC Primary School, Bromley Cross, Bolton58%
=64St Peter's CofE Primary School58%
#67SS Osmund and Andrew's R.C. Primary School57%
=68Blackrod Anglican/Methodist Primary School56%
=68Brandwood Primary School56%
=68Mytham Primary School56%
=68St Mary's RC Primary School56%
#72St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton55%
#73Pikes Lane Primary School54%
=74Brownlow Fold Primary School53%
=74Gilnow Primary School53%
=74St Stephen's CofE Primary School53%
=77Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School52%
=77St Thomas of Canterbury RC School52%
#79St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell50%
#80St Bede Academy49%
#81St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Bolton47%
#82Leverhulme Community Primary School45%
=83Cherry Tree Primary School44%
=83Tonge Moor Primary Academy44%
#85St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever42%
#86Beacon Primary School36%
=87Bolton St Catherine's Academy34%
=87Claypool Primary School34%

View full Ofsted inspection report

Financials

Spending per pupil: £5,498 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

88th of 92 primary schools in Bolton for spending per pupil

#86St Maxentius CofE Primary School£5,717
#87St Peter's Smithills Dean Church of England Primary School£5,712
#88St Ethelbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy£5,498
#89St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth£5,234
#90Bolton Parish Church, Church of England Primary School£4,619

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Castle Hill Primary School£9,622
#2Woodland Primary Academy£9,348
#3St Teresa's RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy£9,085
#4Moorgate Primary School£8,980
#5Queensbridge Primary School£8,251
#6St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Bolton£7,732
#7Haslam Park Primary School£7,656
#8Cherry Tree Primary School£7,635
#9St Columba's RC Primary School£7,450
#10Claypool Primary School£7,448
#11Leverhulme Community Primary School£7,414
#12Blackrod Anglican/Methodist Primary School£7,376
#13All Saints CofE Primary School£7,333
#14Brownlow Fold Primary School£7,331
#15Mytham Primary School£7,323
#16Kearsley West Primary School£7,318
#17St Stephen and All Martyrs' CofE School, Lever Bridge£7,301
#18Tonge Moor Primary Academy£7,296
#19Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School£7,276
#20St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth£7,219
#21St William of York Roman Catholic Primary School£7,151
#22Brandwood Primary School£7,144
#23St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton£7,131
#24Bowness Primary School£7,105
#25Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School£6,900
#26Pikes Lane Primary School£6,899
#27Beacon Primary School£6,898
#28High Lawn Primary School£6,898
#29St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell£6,868
#30Clarendon Primary School£6,849
#31St Gregory's RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy£6,848
#32Gaskell Community Primary School£6,841
#33Heathfield Primary School£6,837
#34St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever£6,828
#35St Peter's CofE Primary School£6,827
#36Red Lane Primary School£6,777
#37The Valley Community Primary School£6,768
#38Eatock Primary School£6,753
#39St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton£6,752
#40Lever Edge Primary Academy£6,746
#41St Stephen's CofE Primary School£6,734
#42St Mary's RC Primary School£6,685
#43Ss Simon & Jude CofE Primary School, Bolton£6,676
#44Blackshaw Primary School£6,672
#45St Michael's CofE Primary School, Great Lever£6,660
#46Harwood Meadows Primary School£6,657
#47Masefield Primary School£6,644
#48St John the Evangelist RC Primary School, Bromley Cross, Bolton£6,595
#49St George's CofE Primary School£6,582
#50Gilnow Primary School£6,554
#51Prestolee Primary School£6,549
#52Highfield Primary School£6,545
#53Sunning Hill Primary School£6,522
#54The Olive Tree Primary School Bolton£6,504
#55Essa Primary Academy£6,502
#56Devonshire Road Primary School£6,491
#57St Mary's CofE Primary School, Deane£6,470
#58St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge£6,438
#59Blackrod Primary School£6,433
#60Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School£6,392
#61The Gates Primary School£6,364
#62Ladybridge Community Primary School£6,353
#63The Olive School, Bolton£6,344
#64St Catherine's CofE Primary School£6,289
#65St Andrew's CofE Primary School, Over Hulton£6,273
#66St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill£6,244
#67St Bede Academy£6,238
#68St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton£6,235
#69Markland Hill Primary School£6,209
#70Chorley New Road Primary Academy£6,182
#71SS Osmund and Andrew's R.C. Primary School£6,174
#72Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School£6,154
#73Oxford Grove Primary School£6,142
#74St Saviour CofE Primary School, Ringley£6,120
#75Hardy Mill Primary School£6,053
#76St Thomas CofE Primary School£6,044
#77St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School£6,037
#78The Oaks Primary School£6,005
#79Spindle Point Primary School£5,999
#80Church Road Primary School£5,992
#81The Ferns Primary Academy£5,948
#82Beaumont Primary School£5,920
#83Sharples Primary School£5,897
#84Horwich Parish CofE Primary School£5,825
#85St Thomas of Canterbury RC School£5,756
#86St Maxentius CofE Primary School£5,717
#87St Peter's Smithills Dean Church of England Primary School£5,712
#88St Ethelbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy£5,498
#89St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth£5,234
#90Bolton Parish Church, Church of England Primary School£4,619
#91Lostock Primary School£2,948
#92St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy£2,921

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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