Bolton
Smithills School
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 36.5 is significantly below the national average. Progress 8 and pupil context may still indicate positive value-added.
- 36.5
- Attainment 8
- 43%
- 5+ Eng & Maths
- 2024/2025
- 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
Admissions and catchment
Council allocation figures
Add a postcode to see where you would sit against past cut-offs.
We have not collected Bolton council’s allocation figures for this school yet. We only show a verdict when we can cite the council’s published figures. Check Bolton’s allocation booklet, or the school’s website.
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)
Historical results
| Year | Pupils | Att8 | P8 | 5+ E&M | EBacc % | EBacc APS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/2025 | 234 | 36.5 | — | 42.7% | 32.1% | 3.3 |
| 2023/2024 | 207 | 39.5 | -0.04 | 46.9% | 31.4% | 3.5 |
| 2022/2023 | 171 | 38.9 | -0.34 | 42.0% | 35.0% | 3.4 |
| 2021/2022 | 172 | 38.4 | -0.32 | 40.0% | 26.0% | 3.4 |
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 |
| Latest pupils | 234 |
| 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 | 2024/2025 |
| 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 |