St John the Evangelist RC Primary School, Bromley Cross, Bolton

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 5 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, Bolton, BL7 9HTOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

St John the Evangelist RC Primary School, Bromley Cross, Bolton is a primary school in Bolton for ages 5 to 11. It is one of the 142 schools in Bolton. It ranks 73rd of 86 primary schools in Bolton. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2014.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 14 October 2014, report published 10 November 2014

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 24 January 2024

Pupils are quickly welcomed into a warm and caring school community. They treat each other with kindness. For example, at breaktimes, pupils are quick to spot if someone is alone and to ask them to join in. This helps pupils to feel happy. The school wants the best for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most pupils enjoy their learning. They typically rise to the school's high expectations and achieve well. Pupils are polite and respectful towards adults and to each other. Well-established routines help to ensure that they behave sensibly. The atmosphere around the school is calm and purposeful. Pupils blossom as they take on positions of responsibility. For example, the 'seeds and gardeners' programme matches Year 6 pupils with children in the early years. The older pupils take seriously their responsibility of helping their 'seed' to grow. They beamed with pride as they described the ways in which they help and encourage their younger partners. Pupils develop a varied range of hobbies and interests. For instance, they enjoy taking part in gardening club and playing 'glow in the dark' dodgeball. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about showcasing their talents at an annual 'St John's Got Talent' event.

What the school should improve

  • In some subjects, the school has not ensured that teachers are clear enough about the knowledge that pupils should remember to help them with subsequent learning. This makes it difficult for teachers to help pupils to remember important content. The school should clarify the essential knowledge that pupils should acquire so that they build a deep and interconnected body of knowledge in these subjects.
  • When delivering the phonics programme, some staff do not ensure that pupils consistently use pure letter sounds. This hinders some pupils from developing their phonics knowledge as rapidly as they should. The school should ensure that staff receive the training that they need to identify and address any misconceptions in pupils' phonics knowledge swiftly.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

31 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths58%

58%, 4 percentage points below the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths3%

3%, 5 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score104

104, 2 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score102

102, 3 below the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score101

101, 4 below the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

162 pupils on roll, with places for 210

Eligible for free school meals10.5%

10.5%, 16 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language9.9%

9.9%, 11.7 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support11.7%

11.7%, 3.1 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan3.7%

3.7%, 2.3 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near St John the Evangelist RC Primary School, Bromley Cross, Bolton

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Eagley Infant School0.3 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Eagley Junior School0.5 milesOfsted judgements: Good70% met the expected standard
The Oaks Primary School0.5 milesOfsted: Good79% met the expected standard
High Lawn Primary School0.7 milesOfsted judgements: Good61% met the expected standard
Walmsley CofE Primary School0.7 milesOfsted: Requires improvementNot published

School details

School type
Voluntary aided school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
5 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Nursery classes
No
Headteacher
Mrs Lesley Jackson
Address
Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, Bolton, BL7 9HT
Local authority
Bolton
URN
105249

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.