Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School

This is a one-form-entry Catholic primary (ages 5 to 11) serving families in Astley Bridge and the wider parish community. The current head teacher is Mrs Diane Furlong, who also acts as Designated Safeguarding Lead and SENDCo, supported by a deputy head and assistant head.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (14 to 15 July 2021) confirmed the school continued to be Good, highlighting a warm staff pupil bond, calm behaviour, and a curriculum designed to build knowledge over time. Safeguarding was found to be effective.

In published primary outcomes for 2024, the combined reading, writing and mathematics picture sits above the England average, while the school’s overall FindMySchool ranking places it below England average on the national distribution. That mix tends to suit families who want a settled, values-led school with solid attainment, without expecting a results profile that dominates the local market.

The school’s Catholic identity is not a bolt-on. It is a Voluntary Aided Catholic school in the Diocese of Salford and the admissions arrangements explicitly prioritise Catholic looked-after children, baptised Catholic children, and parish connection before wider criteria. That shapes day-to-day life in predictable ways, such as worship, service, and leadership roles that connect school and parish.

Pupils’ day-to-day experience, as described in the latest Ofsted report, is strongly relationship-led. Pupils were described as happy and proud of their school, with staff knowing pupils well and using that knowledge to make learning engaging and meaningful. Behaviour expectations are clear and consistently applied, with rewards and responsibilities reinforcing positive conduct.

Leadership opportunities are an evident thread. The Ofsted report referenced roles such as head girl or head boy and school council membership as responsibilities pupils actively work towards. The Catholic inspection material also points to multiple pupil leadership initiatives, with pupils able to explain the mission of the school and the impact of roles including school council, Faith in Action, ECO, and a Growing in Faith Together team.

A practical nuance for parents is that the head teacher also holds the SENDCo role, as set out on the school’s published staff information. That can mean quicker decision-making and a cohesive approach for families navigating additional needs, although it also means a lot sits with one senior leader, so parents of pupils with complex or evolving needs may want to understand how the wider team supports that work.

Primary outcomes are best read in layers: attainment against England averages, plus relative positioning via FindMySchool rankings.

Attainment against England averages (2024)

In the 2025 dataset, 50% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined. At the higher standard, 0% reached the higher threshold in reading, writing and mathematics.

Scaled scores add useful texture. Reading averaged 104 and grammar, punctuation and spelling averaged 104, with mathematics at 102. These are modestly above the national scaled score baseline and usually indicate that many pupils are secure at expected standard, with a smaller proportion pushing into the top end.

FindMySchool rankings (based on official data)

Ranked 12,516th out of 14,978 primary schools in England for academic performance and 88th in Bolton overall (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), the school sits in the lower national band on that measure. Parents comparing options should treat this as a prompt to look carefully at the underlying attainment split: the combined expected standard is lower in the 2025 dataset, while subject-level scores still give a fuller picture than any single rank.

A sensible way to use this section is comparison, not judgement. The FindMySchool Local Hub page and Comparison Tool are useful for checking how nearby schools’ attainment and ranking profiles differ, especially if you are balancing faith ethos, travel practicality, and results.

The latest Ofsted evidence points to an ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum in most subjects, with subject plans designed to build from the early stages through the school. Staff use assessment to check what pupils remember, and adapt learning effectively for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities with input from the SEND lead.

Reading is a standout strength in the inspection narrative. Phonics begins as soon as children start Reception, with trained staff supporting early readers and books matched closely to the sounds pupils know, plus additional catch-up support for those who need it. Older pupils benefit from high-quality texts read aloud by teachers, with deliberate vocabulary development.

Mathematics is described as logically ordered, with pupils building cumulatively from early number knowledge. One specific improvement area was mathematical fluency, particularly times tables and number bonds, which inspectors linked to reduced practice opportunities during the pandemic disruption. For families, the implication is simple: if your child benefits from rehearsal and quick recall, ask how times-tables practice is structured now and how home practice is supported without it becoming burdensome.

For many families, the immediate question is transition at 11. The school’s prospectus states that most pupils transfer to Thornleigh Salesian College for secondary education. That does not exclude other pathways, but it signals an established relationship and a common destination pattern, which can reduce uncertainty for pupils who thrive on continuity and a familiar peer group.

If you are considering alternative secondaries, it is worth treating Year 5 and Year 6 as a structured preparation period for independence and transition rather than a last-minute scramble. Ask about transition links with receiving schools, and what support is offered for pupils with additional needs or anxiety around change.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. The admissions reality, however, is that places are limited and demand can outstrip supply. In the most recent published admissions demand figures provided here, there were 33 applications for 22 offers, a ratio of 1.5 applications per place, and the entry route is recorded as oversubscribed. That indicates competition, though not at the extreme levels seen in some urban hotspots.

Because the school is Voluntary Aided, it has its own oversubscription criteria and the local authority coordinates the process. The school’s published admissions arrangements prioritise baptised Catholic looked-after children and previously looked-after children, then exceptional need, then Catholic siblings, then Catholic children resident in the parish, followed by other categories such as looked-after children of other faiths, staff children, other siblings, other baptised Catholic children, and finally remaining applicants.

For September 2027 Reception entry in Bolton, the verified local authority timetable has applications available from 1 September 2026 and a closing date of 15 January 2027. If you are applying from outside Bolton, the school advises you to apply through your home local authority.

Open events are typically scheduled in the autumn term for Reception intake. The school advertised a Reception 2026 open day in October 2025, which is a common pattern for future years even when exact dates shift, so it is wise to watch for autumn announcements and book early if required.

Safeguarding is a clear baseline strength. The latest Ofsted report states safeguarding arrangements were effective, with staff training, prompt reporting procedures, governor oversight, and curriculum work that reflects local contextual risks, including online safety.

Beyond safeguarding, wellbeing is supported through predictable structures. Behaviour is described as polite and well-mannered across the school day, with cooperative play at break and lunch and minimal disruption in class. For many children, that consistency is calming and helps learning stick. For children who struggle with regulation or impulsivity, it is worth asking how the school balances high expectations with graduated support, and how parents are involved early when patterns begin to emerge.

The Catholic inspection material also suggests pupils feel heard through leadership roles and initiatives, which is often an effective route to building belonging and responsibility, particularly for pupils who respond well to purposeful roles.

This is an area where the school’s published evidence provides several concrete examples rather than generic claims.

From the Ofsted report, pupils’ experiences are widened through clubs, trips and other opportunities. Examples referenced include a meditation club, author visits, and trips to The Anderton Centre, plus thoughtful adaptation of enrichment during pandemic restrictions. Year 6 also had adventure activity days, and pupils performed an end-of-year production themed around Sister Act.

Music is positioned as a regular feature of school life in the prospectus, including weekly hymn practice and assemblies, with music delivery supported by Bolton Music Service and additional brass instrument opportunities in Year 4. For parents, this matters because it suggests a routine pipeline for singing and instrumental learning rather than a one-off club that depends on a single staff member.

Faith-related extracurricular and pupil leadership also appears more developed than at many similarly sized schools. The Catholic inspection material references structured teams such as Faith in Action, ECO, and Growing in Faith Together, alongside school council, with pupils able to explain the impact of their work on school improvement, environmental care, and charity support.

The school day runs 9:00am to 3:30pm, totalling 32.5 hours per week.

Wraparound care is available via an out-of-school provision that operates in term time, with morning sessions from 7:30am to 8:45am and after-school sessions from 3:30pm to 6:00pm. Places can be limited, so families who rely on wraparound as a core part of the working week should check availability early.

For travel, most families will treat this as a walking-distance or short-drive school given the admissions structure and faith community footprint. Drop-off and pick-up logistics matter in any residential area with school traffic, so it is worth visiting at peak times to understand flow and parking realities.

• Catholic admissions priority. Oversubscription criteria explicitly prioritise baptised Catholic children and parish connection, so non-Catholic families should read the criteria carefully and weigh whether their realistic chances align with their shortlist strategy.

• Demand exceeds places. Admissions demand data indicates the entry route is oversubscribed, with more applications than offers. That can mean less flexibility for mid-year moves and fewer places for families applying late.

• Maths fluency focus. The latest Ofsted report highlighted times-tables recall as an improvement area after pandemic disruption. Parents of pupils who need rehearsal and confidence-building in maths should ask what practice looks like now.

• Leadership concentration. The head teacher also holds the SENDCo role, which can be efficient, but parents may want clarity on how SEND processes are supported day-to-day across the wider team.

Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School is best understood as a values-led Catholic primary with a calm culture, strong early reading practice, and clear expectations for behaviour and respect. Published attainment in 2024 sits above the England average at expected standard, while the FindMySchool national ranking suggests the overall results profile is not among the strongest nationally, so it suits families who prioritise ethos, consistency, and a settled school experience as much as headline performance.

Who it suits: Catholic families in or connected to the parish community, and families who want a structured, orderly environment with wraparound options and broad enrichment. The key question is admissions fit, particularly if you are outside the priority criteria.