Bolton
Sharples School
GCSE results 2026: every Bolton school ranked · how England did
Dependable results for a comprehensive intake; the journey is the main thing to weigh.
What the data says
Published data, read plainly. It tells you what to check next; it does not guarantee a place or replace your local authority’s admissions guidance.
Attainment 8 of 56.5 is well above the national average of around 46. This reflects strong GCSE outcomes across the standard subject basket.
- 56.5
- Attainment 8
- 73%
- 5+ Eng & Maths
- 2025/2026
- Academic year
Pupils made above-average progress compared with similar pupils nationally. The confidence interval is entirely above zero, which is strong evidence of added value.
- +0.86
- Progress 8
- [0.67, 1.04]
- Confidence interval
Admissions realism depends on your home postcode and the school's published allocation data. Enter your postcode on this page to get a more specific assessment, and always verify the latest policy on the school's official admissions page.
What to do next
- Verify the school's official admissions policy
- Book an open day or school visit
- Add this school to your shortlist and compare with backup options
Starting school in September 2027
- Secondary (Year 7): apply by 31 October 2026; offers on 1 March 2027.
National dates for England. You apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council.
Applications and offers
National offer day figures that councils report to the Department for Education. These are counts only: they do not show how far away the last child offered a place lived.
Year 7 entry
| Year of entry | Places offered | Put it first | First choices offered | Applications (any preference) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 235 | 344 | 235 (68%) | 826 |
| September 2025 | 234 | 355 | 224 (63%) | 821 |
| September 2024 | 241 | 328 | 228 (70%) | 793 |
| September 2023 | 238 | 305 | 213 (70%) | 775 |
| September 2022 | 240 | 304 | 217 (71%) | 778 |
Source: Department for Education: Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, school-level data, published 18 June 2026. “–” means the figure was not published. The council’s own allocation figures are the official record: check Bolton’s admissions page for cut-off distances, the admission rules and this year’s dates.
Performance over time
Attainment 8 over time
Progress 8 over time(not available 2024/25 or 2025/26)
Historical results
| Year | Pupils | Att8 | P8 | 5+ E&M | 7+ E&M | EBacc % | EBacc APS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/2026 (provisional) | 231 | 56.5 | — | 73.2% | 23.8% | — | — |
| 2024/2025 | 247 | 55.6 | — | 61.9% | — | 29.1% | 4.7 |
| 2023/2024 | 236 | 56.5 | +0.86 | 66.1% | — | 19.5% | 4.7 |
| 2022/2023 | 230 | 56.3 | +0.82 | 67.8% | — | 27.8% | 4.8 |
| 2021/2022 | 204 | 56.1 | +0.64 | — | — | 18.0% | 4.6 |
EBacc figures stop at 2024/2025: the DfE no longer publishes them from 2025/2026.
Nearby and similar schools
Other secondary schools in Bolton for local comparison.
School information
| URN | 142232 |
| Local authority | Bolton |
| Region | North West |
| Phase | Secondary |
| Type | Academy converter |
| Gender of entry | Mixed |
| Age range | 11-16 |
| Headteacher | Headteacher Caroline Molyneux |
| Trust | SHARPLES SCHOOL A MULTI ACADEMY TRUST |
| Admissions | Non-selective |
| Religious character | Does not apply |
| Postcode | BL1 8SN |
| Pupils | 1,218 |
| FSM eligible | 28.1% |
Contact and identifiers
Hill Cot Road, Sharples, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 8SN
http://www.sharplesschool.co.uk/1204333253| DfE number | 4048 |
| UKPRN | 10053883 |
| Opened | 1 Jun 2016 |
| GIAS updated | 26 Mar 2026 |
Data sources and freshness
| Official record updated | 26 Mar 2026 |
| Latest KS4 year | 2025/2026 |
| Latest KS2 year | — |
| Ofsted published | — |
Latest Ofsted inspection
| Quality of education | — |
| Behaviour and attitudes | — |
| Personal development | — |
| Leadership and management | — |
| Safeguarding | — |
| Inspection type | — |
| Category of concern | — |
| Inspection date | — |
| Publication date | — |