The Ferns Primary Academy

State-Funded School

the-ferns-primary-academy-bolton-north-west

North WestRegion

BoltonLocal Authority

Bolton South and WalkdenConstituency

BL4 0DAPostcode

7.9

Academic Performance

Previous Ofsted

About the School

The Ferns Primary Academy is a state-funded primary for pupils aged 3–11, located in Bolton, North West.

Ofsted's most recent inspection is published as a report card rather than a single overall grade. It currently serves 445 pupils. The Ferns Primary Academy is part of NORTHERN EDUCATION TRUST.

Ofsted Report Card

Inspected 6 Jan 2026 · published 15 Mar 2026

Current inspection

Safeguarding standards

Met

Evaluation areas

Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Strong standard
Achievement
Strong standard
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Strong standard
Early years
Strong standard
Leadership and governance
Strong standard

Previous Ofsted Rating

Subject Areas (previous framework)

Leadership &management

Good

Early yearsprovision

Good

Academic Performance

Above average

Ranked against primary schools in England · 2023-24

Reading, writing & maths: 87%
Higher standard: 3%
Reading score: 107
Maths score: 106

Ethnicity

White

48%

Asian

41%

Black

Mixed

Any other group

Unclassified

<1%

Pupils

445

Total Pupils

51%Boys

49%Girls

Pupil Characteristics

Free school meals

31%

England average

27%

First language not English

29%

England average

22%

Young carers

England average

0%25%50%75%100%

DfE school census, January 2026.

Key Information

Phase: Primary
Age range: 3 – 11
Deprivation band: Most deprived
Total pupils: 445
IDACI quintile: 5 (Least deprived)
MAT name: NORTHERN EDUCATION TRUST

Inspection history

Ofsted has published one graded inspection for this school. The most recent ungraded inspection is shown below.

School remains Good

Ungraded inspection on 1 July 2021. An ungraded inspection checks whether the existing grade still holds; it does not award a new one.

Read the inspection letter on Ofsted

Report published					Overall
12 Jul 2016	Good	Not reported in this inspection	Not reported in this inspection	Not reported in this inspection	Good

A grey dot means Ofsted did not report that judgement in the inspection of the day — the sub-judgements shown here were introduced with the 2019 framework.

Ofsted data as at 31 December 2024. A school may have been inspected since, or had an ungraded visit that does not change its grade — check Ofsted’s own record.