The Ferns Primary Academy

Bolton · BL4 0DA

General information Primary School · 3-11 years Who goes here 445 pupils, 32% FSM

Educational attainment Ofsted report card

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 14.4% on SEN support Behaviour 5.5% absence rate Staff 20.3% turnover Financials £5,948 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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The Ferns Primary Academy

General Information

Address: Plodder Lane, Farnworth, Bolton, BL4 0DA – View on map
Phone: 01204471277
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mrs Sarah Hambley
Age range: 3-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 39 families put it first for 46 places – 8 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: 2023 9 · 2024 10 · 2025 10 · 2026 8
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Does not apply
Nursery provision: Yes

Who goes here

445 pupils out of 420 places At or near capacity

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 135
% eligible for free school meals: 32.0%
Pupil mix: 7 in 10 (more mixed than the Bolton average)
English as an additional language: 29% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 20.3% a year (Bolton 13.3%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 83% moved to another school, 17% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 2 years, 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: 5.5%
Persistently absent pupils: 15.3%
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: 14.4%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 2.2%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 43 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 7 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 6 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 4 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 2 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Autistic spectrum disorder: 6 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 3 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 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

Ofsted report card January 2026

Ofsted's new report cards grade each part of school life separately, instead of giving one overall word.

Safeguarding Met
Inclusion Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching Strong standard
Achievement Strong standard
Attendance and behaviour Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard
Early years Strong standard
Leadership and governance Strong standard

Before this, under the old system, Ofsted rated the school Good (2021). The report card above replaces that grade.

How Ofsted report cards work

Since November 2025, Ofsted grades each area of a school on its own five-point scale, and no longer gives a single word like “Good” or “Outstanding”. Safeguarding (keeping children safe) is simply met or not met.

Exceptional The very best practice nationally
Strong standard Above what Ofsted expects
Expected standard What Ofsted expects of every school
Needs attention Some weaknesses the school needs to fix
Urgent improvement Serious weaknesses needing urgent action

“Expected standard” is a sound result – it's what Ofsted expects a good school to do. Report cards aren't directly comparable with the old single grades, which is why we don't turn them into one.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 76% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 12% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 11 percentage points above the Bolton average (65%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Well above (3-year average 79% against an expected 62%)
3-year average (expected standard): 79%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 85% · Writing 81% · Maths 85% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 83%
Average test scores: reading 108, maths 108
Based on: 59 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→ Broadly steady No clear rise or fall since 2022/23 (changes this small are normal from one year group to the next). In 2024/25 this school was 11 percentage points above the Bolton average (65%).

Year 6 SATs: 20th of 88 junior and primary schools in the area

=18Markland Hill Primary School77%
=18Prestolee Primary School77%
#20The Ferns Primary Academy76%
=21Heathfield Primary School75%
=21The Olive Tree Primary School Bolton75%

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: £5,948 (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.

81st of 92 primary schools in Bolton for spending per pupil

#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

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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