Kearsley Academy, Bolton

Ofsted's report card from its 7 July 2026 inspection grades Kearsley Academy on 6 areas: 1 exceptional and 5 strong standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Curriculum and teaching - Exceptional. "Leaders have created a culture of teaching and learning excellence."

Achievement - Strong standard. "Pupils achieve very well at this school."

Attendance and behaviour - Strong standard. "Leaders are relentless in their pursuit of improving attendance."

Inclusion - Strong standard. "From the moment pupils arrive at the school, they experience the school's culture of inclusion and belonging."

Leadership and governance - Strong standard. "Leaders know the strengths of the school."

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "Personal development of pupils sits at the heart of the school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue their work to improve the attendance of disadvantaged pupils and to reduce levels of persistent absence further for all groups of pupils"; "Leaders should continue to increase the range and quality of the enrichment opportunities that pupils can experience, contributing to pupils' preparation for their next steps".

In 2026, pupils at Kearsley Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 51.1, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.6 in Bolton and 47 across England.

66% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in Bolton and 47% in England.

That is in line with 2025, when the score was 51.8.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.55: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 47.7, against 53.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 5.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 146 families put Kearsley Academy as their first choice and 262 named it as one of their preferences, for 170 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Kearsley Academy are Harper Green School (1.3 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.6); St James's Church of England High School (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.1); The Lowry Academy (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.1); and Star Salford Academy (1.5 miles).

Kearsley Academy's 2026 results were higher than all 3 of them.

Kearsley Academy is one of 30 schools run by Northern Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 47.5 in 2024/25.

15 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Kearsley Academy (as of April 2026): 93% would recommend the school, 93% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they would recommend the school (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (75%).

Of the 142 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 78% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 61% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 6% into work.

43% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Kearsley Rail Station, about 1020 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Melville Road (opposite), 230 metres away.

In 2024/25, Kearsley Academy issued 604 suspensions, 77.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 5 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Kearsley Academy are Kearsley West Primary School (0.3 miles); St Peter's CofE Primary School (0.5 miles); St Stephen's CofE Primary School (0.6 miles); and St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.