Smithills School
Secondary · Academy converter · Ages 11–16 · Bolton
Smithills School is a secondary school in Bolton for ages 11–16 (academy converter). Bolton has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2022 to 2026 entry.
Open on the map Unlock with a pass · £9.99
Key facts
- Address
- Smithills Dean Road, Smithills School, Bolton, BL1 6JS
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–16
- Sector
- See recorded establishment type
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Bolton
- Pupils on roll
- 1,203 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 41.9% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 16.8
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
No Ofsted grade Inspected 31 March 2026
Strengths
- “Smithills School is a warm and nurturing environment, where a diverse mixture of pupils are well cared for by staff.”
- “Pupils trust staff and report feeling safe.”
- “They are happy to ask for help from staff if they need to.”
To improve
- “Too many pupils do not achieve well enough at this school.”
- “This includes disadvantaged pupils, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those known or previously known to social care.”
- “However, pupils do not typically receive high-quality teaching across all subjects.”
Safeguarding: met
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 8 June 2026 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 20% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 36.5 | 46 |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 127 first-preference applications, 226 offers in total, 127 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Last distance offered and catchment
A one-off £9.99 pass, no subscription, unlocks for 3 months:
- Last distance offered for Year 7 2022 to 2026, as Bolton published it, drawn on the map
- Earlier years of applications and offers
- Earlier years of exam results
- Where pupils go after they leave
- Crime, sold prices, broadband and transport around the school
A last distance offered describes one past year and is not a catchment or a promise of a place. Check with the council before you apply.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Bolton.
- Thornleigh Salesian College 0.5 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Eden Boys' School, Bolton 0.9 mi School remains Outstanding Last distance published
- Sharples School 1.4 mi Improved significantly Last distance published
- University Collegiate School 1.9 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Canon Slade School 1.9 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Turton School 2.1 mi Good Last distance published
- Bolton Muslim Girls School 2.3 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Ladybridge High School 2.4 mi Good Last distance published