Brandwood Primary School
Bolton, BL3 4BG · Bolton · primary school
Check the area around this school
58th of 88 primary schools in Bolton we can score, 97 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 5.0/10 against 1,558 of them, against 4.0/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 56.0 · 30 | 40% | 1.18 |
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.82 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 8.0 · 57 | 25% | 1.43 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Brandwood Primary School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 56.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. For the higher standard, 8.0% achieved it against a national median of 7%. Ofsted rated the school Good in March 2023. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (5.0 out of 10 against similar schools, 4.0 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 463 pupils against a stated capacity of 472. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils who are below the expected standard in literacy? What does the daily timetable look like for a Year 6 student? How does the school engage parents in monitoring progress between termly reports?
What Ofsted said about Brandwood Primary School
Overview
Brandwood Primary School is rated as ‘Good’ across all inspection categories, including overall effectiveness, the quality of education, and leadership. The report describes a welcoming community where pupils feel safe, behave well, and benefit from positive relationships with staff. Leaders have established ambitious curricula in most subjects, ensuring pupils build knowledge effectively and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.
Strengths
- Pupils enjoy ‘encouraging and positive relationships with staff’ and feel happy and safe at school.
- Leaders have created ‘suitably ambitious’ curricula in most subjects, allowing pupils to ‘build successfully on earlier learning’.
- There is a strong focus on reading, with a ‘carefully constructed phonics programme’ helping children become ‘fluent and confident readers’.
- Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) ‘achieve well’ and follow the same curriculum as their classmates.
- Governors ‘support and challenge leaders effectively’ while being considerate of staff workload and well-being.
Areas to improve
- In one or two subjects, leaders have not clearly identified key knowledge or teaching sequences, preventing teachers from designing learning that builds on prior knowledge.
- In a very small number of subjects, teachers do not sufficiently check if pupils have remembered and understood taught content, leading to insecure knowledge foundations.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are ‘effective’, with staff receiving regular training and working well with external agencies to ensure pupils access timely support.
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 62% |
| 2023/24 | 56% |
| 2024/25 | 56% |
| England | 64% |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 14,326 state schools in England we hold a 2024/25 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2027
- Primary National Offer Day16 Apr 2027
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2028
- Primary National Offer Day17 Apr 2028
Saved schools live on this device only — no account, no tracking. Visit the school's website
Loading full school details…
Similar schools nearby
Same area, prioritising the same phase — useful for shortlisting alternatives.
Every school within 2.5 miles of BL3 4BG, with results, demand and deadlines — area report →
Have a specific question about admissions, scores or dates?
Ask SchoolsGPT