Bolton Primary School
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Bolton Primary School is a council school in Appleby-in-Westmorland for boys and girls aged 3 to 11. It has 56 pupils and room for 60. About 12 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 34 out of 100. That puts it below schools like it, ahead of 38% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.
Bolton, Appleby-in-Westmorland, CA16 6AW01768 361511bolton.cumbria.sch.ukMrs Debbie Tinkler headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
Ofsted's last full inspection was on 27 June 2023, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall.
Earlier inspections (1)
| Date | Type | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 22 January 2020 | Ungraded | School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next |
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
9 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England. With a year group this small, a couple of children can move the percentages a long way.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | Westmorland and Furness | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 9 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 6 | 4 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 67% | 80% | 54% | 71% | 33% | – | 58% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 11% | 10% | 0% | 14% | 0% | – | 7% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 104.0 | 109.0 | 104.0 | 107.0 | 104.0 | – | 105.2 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 103.0 | 106.0 | 102.0 | 104.0 | 97.0 | – | 104.1 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 105.0 | 105.0 | 106.0 | 104.0 | 99.0 | – | 104.5 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 78% | 90% | 69% | 79% | 83% | – | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 89% | 90% | 62% | 71% | 50% | – | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 78% | 80% | 92% | 79% | 33% | – | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +0.5 | +1.5 | -0.5 | – | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +0.0 | -2.4 | -5.0 | – | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published.
The school is full, with 4 more pupils than it has places for. More families apply than can get in, so things like how close you live and whether an older brother or sister is already here decide who gets a place. Pupil numbers have grown by 5% since 2021/22, so places are getting harder to come by.
In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.
We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.
How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (4 offers for 8 places).
| Entry | Places | Applied at all | Got a place | How far the last child lived | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Primary | 8 | 20 | 4 | – all offered | LA |
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: emotional and mental health (8), Moderate learning difficulty (3), language and communications needs (3), Physical disability (1), Specific learning difficulty (1).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 56 | 59 | 64 | 65 | 57 | 59 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 13% | 12% | 11% | 15% | 5% | 10% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 22% | 13% | 15% | 14% | 20% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 2% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.8% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24 | 2022/23 | 2021/22 | 2020/21 | 2018/19 | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 4.2% | 5.1% | 7.9% | 6.8% | 2.2% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 2.7% | 3.2% | 6.1% | 5.6% | 1.8% | 1.8% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.5% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.2% | 0.4% | 1.2% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 11.1% | 5.9% | 34.5% | 20.8% | 2.0% | 1.8% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Marton School | Council | 1.9 miles | 81 | Good 2024 | 15 | Compare |
| Kirkby Thore School | Academy | 1.9 miles | 33 | Inadequate 2023 | 0 | Compare |
| Morland Area CofE Primary School | Church of England | 2.6 miles | 119 | No overall grade 2024 | 81 | Compare |
| Temple Sowerby CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.0 miles | 49 | Good 2023 | 46 | Compare |
| Appleby Primary School | Foundation | 3.3 miles | 163 | Good 2024 | 48 | Compare |
| Milburn School | Council | 4.2 miles | 19 | Not inspected | – | Compare |
| Culgaith CofE School | Church of England | 4.7 miles | 56 | Good 2023 | 61 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares Bolton Primary School with the 48 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 48 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 34 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 34% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 9 to 75. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | in line | -0.09 | 2023 results; 13 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 20% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 3.2 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | in line | -0.05 | DfE progress measure; 13 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 10% | in line | -0.03 | results and attendance falling year on year |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.04 | 2024/25; 54 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | below | -0.09 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 13 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is Bolton Primary School a good school?
The figures are weak. Bolton Primary School scores 34 out of 100. That is below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 38% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 9 to 75, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is Bolton Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated Bolton Primary School good at its last full inspection on 27 June 2023.
How good are Bolton Primary School's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 67% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 11% went further and reached the higher level. The year group was small, so the percentages jump around a lot from year to year.
How many pupils does Bolton Primary School have?
56 pupils aged 3 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 60 places, so it is 93% full.
Is Bolton Primary School oversubscribed?
Probably. The school was full in 2024/25, with 4 more pupils than places. How close you live, and the school's other admissions rules, decide who gets in.
What is attendance like at Bolton Primary School?
Pupils were in school 95.8% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 11% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at Bolton Primary School?
The average class had 15.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Bolton, Appleby-in-Westmorland, CA16 6AW
- Telephone
- 01768 361511
- Website
- www.bolton.cumbria.sch.uk
- Headteacher
- Mrs Debbie Tinkler
- Type of school
- Council school (Community school, local authority maintained schools)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 3-11, with nursery
- Gender
- Mixed
- Local authority
- Westmorland and Furness
- Ward
- Eden and Lyvennet Vale
- Constituency
- Westmorland and Lonsdale
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- URN
- 112176 · LAESTAB 9432301 · UKPRN 10079809
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, consistent financial reporting 2024/25.
- Admissions outcomes: Westmorland and Furness council's published allocation statistics (source), entry years 2026.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.