St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Reception), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1. 1A 'looked after child' or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subjec — A 'looked after child' or a child who was previously looked after but immediately after being looked after became subject to an adoption, child arrangements, or special guardianship order including those who appear to the admission authority to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted. Parents/carers of previously looked after children will be required to provide evidence of the relevant order. (For further information, please see note below ‘Looked after and previously looked after children’.)
2. 2Children for whom there is a child protection plan or has been within a 12-month period — Children for whom there is a child protection plan or has been within a 12-month period (see definition under section 47 of the children act 1989). Parents will be asked to indicate this on the application form and provide the child’s social worker details so this can be confirmed.
3. 3Children who will have a brother or sister in years Reception to Year 6 of the preferred school at the date of admission — Children who will have a brother or sister in years Reception to Year 6 of the preferred school at the date of admission. This includes full, step, half, foster and adopted brothers and sisters or any child identifying as non-binary living as part of that family unit, living at the same address as the pupil requesting admission.
4. 4Children who have strong Church connections where the school is a Church school — Children who have strong Church connections where the school is a Church school (i.e. Blackrod Anglican Methodist School, St James’ CE School (Daisy Hill), St Mary’s CE Primary School (Deane) and St Matthew’s CE School (Bolton)). Parents must complete the supplementary form (see Downloads section for a copy) as evidence that the family and the child are active worshipping members at the church to which the school is affiliated. Active worshipping members of the church will be those persons who worship at least once a month sustained over a period of a year prior to the closing date for applications. The supplementary form can be downloaded from the website and must be submitted to admissons@bolton.gov.uk by 15 January 2027.
5. 5Children who suffer from a medical condition which makes it better for them to attend that school rather than another — Children who suffer from a medical condition which makes it better for them to attend that school rather than another. Places will only be offered under this criterion if the child has a certified medical condition with strong professional supporting evidence confirming that existing exceptional problems with the child’s health would be seriously exacerbated if a place were not made at the preferred school. ‘Exceptional’ means unusual, not typical, deviating from the norm, not ordinary, much greater than usual. This means that the child‘s exceptional problems relating to their medical condition should be beyond the range of problems experienced by the majority of children with this medical condition. Medical evidence must be provided to admissions@bolton.gov.uk by the closing date for applications, 15 January 2027. Parents applying under this criterion must provide a letter from the child’s specialist, such as the child’s consultant/specialist nurse/physiotherapist /occupational therapist etc (not GP) detailing the existing exceptional problems relating to the child’s medical condition, including how it would be exacerbated if the child were not given a school place at the named school. This evidence must name the school at which admission is sought. (For further information, please see note below: ‘Medical needs’).
6. 6Distance from school — Distance from school (Where you live) – Children who live nearest to the school will be offered places first. Under this category the remaining places will be offered to children who live nearest the preferred school. The distance will be measured in a straight-line which measures from the address point of the home property to the designated main entrance to the school by using the local authority's distance measuring software.

If two applications tie: Straight-line distance; Bolton publishes a last-distance-offered figure per school each year.

Bolton Council is the admission authority for its community and voluntary controlled schools and sets one admission policy for them all (2027/2028). Council PAN list row read as "VA St Matthew's CE, Little Lever 30".

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.