Smithills School, Bolton

Ofsted's report card from its 31 March 2026 inspection grades Smithills School on 6 areas: 2 expected standard and 4 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Leaders have created a warm and welcoming environment, where everyone feels part of the Smithills community."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders use a range of appropriate methods to identify any additional needs that pupils may have."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Typically, pupils do not achieve well enough."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "Leaders have not ensured that teaching is consistently effective."

Leadership and governance - Needs attention. "Leaders have taken action to improve."

Personal development and wellbeing - Needs attention. "The school's personal development programme is not typically delivered well."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders, including governors, should strengthen their systems for evaluating the impact of their work so that they can more accurately and precisely identify areas for development and drive improvement"; "Leaders should strengthen all elements of the personal development programme, ensure it is delivered consistently and improve their evaluation processes so they can better understand its impact and pupils' experiences"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment information effectively to identify and address gaps, errors and misconceptions in pupils' knowledge"; "Leaders should ensure that teachers have the expertise to check for and address gaps in pupils' foundational knowledge in handwriting and mathematics".

In its own words: "The vision a school has and the values it promotes might seem remote to some. At Smithills, however, our vision and values are at the very heart of everything we do."

From the headteacher's welcome: "I would like to welcome you to Smithills School. I am proud to be the Headteacher of such a wonderful school and feel fortunate to work alongside our talented and diverse pupils, staff, families and community partners."

In 2026, pupils at Smithills School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 41.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.6 in Bolton and 47 across England.

35% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in Bolton and 47% in England.

That is up from 36.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.04: pupils made about 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 37.9, against 44 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 6.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Geography and History.

For September 2026 entry, 127 families put Smithills School as their first choice and 342 named it as one of their preferences, for 226 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 Smithills School are Thornleigh Salesian College (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 43); Eden Boys' School, Bolton (0.9 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 57); Sharples School (1.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 56.5); and University Collegiate School (1.9 miles, Inadequate, Attainment 8 41.4).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Smithills School.

Smithills School is one of 6 schools run by The Bolton Impact Trust, an academy trust.

45 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Smithills School (as of April 2026): 67% would recommend the school, 76% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (76%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).

Of the 207 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 86% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 49% to a further education college and 2% into work.

41.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 60.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (42%), White British (30%) and Black (13%).

In 2026, 147 pupils (12.2%) received SEN support and 22 (1.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

The nearest railway station is Hall i' th' Wood Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.

14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Smithills High School (at), 30 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Smithills School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Smithills School issued 758 suspensions, 63.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 8 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Smithills School are St Peter's Smithills Dean Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles); Church Road Primary School (0.6 miles); St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton (0.7 miles); and St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.