Bolton
Smithills School
GCSE results 2026: every Bolton school ranked · how England did
Close to home and non-selective, but attainment sits below the national average and the last inspection asked for improvement.
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 41.4 is below the national average of around 46. Compare with progress data, which may show a different picture.
- 41.4
- Attainment 8
- 35%
- 5+ Eng & Maths
- 2025/2026
- Academic year
Progress is close to average or statistically uncertain because the confidence interval crosses zero. This does not necessarily mean the school adds or detracts from pupil progress.
- -0.04
- Progress 8
- [-0.25, 0.18]
- 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 | 226 | 127 | 127 (100%) | 342 |
| September 2025 | 268 | 156 | 156 (100%) | 400 |
| September 2024 | 252 | 139 | 139 (100%) | 404 |
| September 2023 | 259 | 159 | 159 (100%) | 422 |
| September 2022 | 239 | 153 | 153 (100%) | 395 |
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) | 226 | 41.4 | — | 34.5% | 4.9% | — | — |
| 2024/2025 | 234 | 36.5 | — | 20.1% | — | 32.1% | 3.3 |
| 2023/2024 | 207 | 39.5 | -0.04 | 29.5% | — | 31.4% | 3.5 |
| 2022/2023 | 171 | 38.9 | -0.34 | 27.5% | — | 34.5% | 3.4 |
| 2021/2022 | 172 | 38.4 | -0.32 | — | — | 26.0% | 3.4 |
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 | 140500 |
| Local authority | Bolton |
| Region | North West |
| Phase | Secondary |
| Type | Academy converter |
| Gender of entry | Mixed |
| Age range | 11-16 |
| Headteacher | Headteacher Carolyn Dewse |
| Trust | THE BOLTON IMPACT TRUST |
| Admissions | Non-selective |
| Religious character | Does not apply |
| Postcode | BL1 6JS |
| Pupils | 1,201 |
| FSM eligible | 40.4% |
Contact and identifiers
Smithills Dean Road, Smithills School, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 6JS
http://www.smithillsschool.net/1204842382| DfE number | 4049 |
| UKPRN | 10044502 |
| Opened | 1 Jan 2014 |
| GIAS updated | 10 Feb 2026 |
Data sources and freshness
| Official record updated | 10 Feb 2026 |
| Latest KS4 year | 2025/2026 |
| Latest KS2 year | — |
| Ofsted published | 23 Oct 2023 |
Latest Ofsted inspection
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Requires improvement |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
| Inspection type | S5 Inspection |
| Category of concern | — |
| Inspection date | 19 Sept 2023 |
| Publication date | 23 Oct 2023 |