The Ferns Primary AcademySt James CofE Primary School, Farnworth
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Bolton.
Summary of the comparison
The Ferns Primary Academy and St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth are primary schools in Bolton.
The Ferns Primary Academy scores 68 out of 100 (grade C, average) and St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth scores 47 out of 100 (grade D, below average). The Ferns Primary Academy is ahead on our composite score.
The Ferns Primary Academy was judged strong and St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth was judged the expected standard.
On the share of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2, the latest published figures are 76.0% for The Ferns Primary Academy and 67.0% for St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth.
The share of pupils meeting the expected standard at Key Stage 2 has held broadly level at The Ferns Primary Academy (75.0% in 2022-23, 76.0% in 2024-25) and has risen at St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth (57.0% in 2022-23, 67.0% in 2024-25).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | BoltonThe Ferns Primary Academy | BoltonSt James CofE Primary School, Farnworth | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C68/100Stronger figure | D47/100 | |
| Local ranking | 31st of 92 in Bolton Stronger figure | 83rd of 92 in Bolton | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: StrongStronger figure | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Academy sponsor led | Academy converter | |
| Phase | Primary | Primary | |
| Age range | 3-11 | 2-11 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 445 | 357 | |
| Capacity | 420 | 362 | |
| Location | Bolton, BL4 0DA | Bolton, BL4 9QB | |
| Key Stage 2 (SATs) | |||
| Reading, writing & maths at expected standard | 76.0% Stronger figure | 67.0% | 62.0% |
| At higher standard | 12.0% Stronger figure | 8.0% | 8.0% |
| Reading average scaled score | 108.0 Stronger figure | 106.0 | 106.0 |
| Maths average scaled score | 108.0 Stronger figure | 106.0 | 105.0 |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 450 | 359 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 38.3% | 52.9% | |
| English as an additional language | 28.7% | 26.7% | |
| SEN support | 15.1% | 13.9% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 1.8% | 5.0% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 5.5% Stronger figure | 7.5% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 15.3% Stronger figure | 21.5% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
KS2: expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
The Ferns Primary Academy
St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth
Full profiles: The Ferns Primary Academy · St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth