Smithills School
Smithills Dean Road, Bolton, BL1 6JS
1,203 pupils · 96% of 1,250 capacity
- Phase
- Secondary
- Type
- Academy converter
- Ages
- 11–16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Does not apply
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Trust
- THE BOLTON IMPACT TRUST
- Local authority
- Bolton
- Free school meals
- 41.8%
Ofsted
Needs attention (2026) — Report card — the most common grade across the inspected areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and wellbeing | Needs attention |
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention |
| Safeguarding | Met |
Inspected 31 March 2026, published 7 June 2026. Read the full Ofsted report
England has three coexisting inspection systems — how we translate them into one signal.
Exam results
| Measure | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Attainment 8 score | 36.5 |
| Grade 5 or above in English & maths (strong pass) | 20.1% |
| Grade 4 or above in English & maths (standard pass) | 47% |
| Entering the English Baccalaureate | 32.1% |
Progress 8 is not published nationally for 2024/25 and 2025/26 while KS2 baselines are missing (no SATs in 2020/21). It returns from 2026/27.
“Not published (small cohort)” means the DfE suppressed the figure to protect small cohorts — it is not a zero.
Will my child get in?
Usually has places available — 0.56 first-choice applications per place (Sept 2026 entry)
| Entry | Places | 1st preferences | Total preferences | Offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026 entry | 226 | 127 | 342 | 174 |
| Sept 2025 entry | 268 | 156 | 400 | 230 |
| Sept 2024 entry | 252 | 139 | 404 | 210 |
| Sept 2023 entry | 259 | 159 | 422 | 217 |
| Sept 2022 entry | 239 | 153 | 395 | 195 |
| Sept 2021 entry | 237 | 133 | 387 | 191 |
| Sept 2020 entry | 227 | 149 | 382 | 218 |
| Sept 2019 entry | 197 | 126 | 333 | 185 |
First-choice demand varies year to year, and the school’s admission criteria — not demand — decide who is offered a place. Use this as a rough signal, never a prediction.
Nearby alternatives
- Thornleigh Salesian College 0.8 km · No overall grade (2024)
- Eden Boys' School, Bolton 1.4 km · Outstanding — confirmed 2023 · previous system
- Sharples School 2.2 km · Improved significantly (2025)
- University Collegiate School 3 km · No overall grade (2024)
- Canon Slade School 3.1 km · No overall grade (2024)
- Turton School 3.3 km · Good (2024) · previous system
Straight-line distance — not travel time, and not a catchment. Same phase, open schools only.
Data from DfE and Ofsted open data (OGL v3) — sources. School record updated 10 July 2026. Report incorrect data.