St Joseph's RC High School, Bolton
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
St Joseph's provides an excellent environment where students are highly engaged with their learning and set themselves high targets. The school excels at creating a mature, respectful community where Gospel values are lived out daily. Strong leadership and improving teaching quality mean all groups of students are making better progress.
Key Strengths
- Outstanding student behaviour and a strong culture of hard work and learning
- Good quality teaching that is improving across the school, leading to better progress for all groups
- Very well-led by the headteacher with clear vision for school improvement
- Strong integration of Gospel values contributing to a harmonious educational community
- Good data management systems that inform student progress and enable swift interventions
Areas for Improvement
- Not enough consistently outstanding teaching and learning across all subjects
- Achievement gap between disadvantaged students and their peers needs to be fully closed
- Curriculum for lower ability students does not yet fully meet their needs and qualification possibilities
- Need for greater challenge and enrichment opportunities for the most able students
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - governors ensure that safeguarding procedures meet statutory requirements.
Extracurricular Activities
Community and parish related activities
St Joseph's RC High School is a good school led by an insightful headteacher with a sharp focus on high aspirations and achievement for all students. Recent leadership appointments have strengthened the school's capacity for sustained improvement.
At a Glance
21.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
103 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
25.6
Avg class size
40
Total classes
7 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
100%
Over capacity
1,047 pupils
1,050 capacity
3 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Bolton
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Bolton
Admissions Demand - Bolton
Places available
4,380
Applications
4,014
Got 1st preference
82.6%
Got preferred school
95.0%
Secondary admissions across Bolton (2025/26)
Inspection History(10)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.21077%
Overall absence
21.2766%
Persistent absence
1,081
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
St Joseph's RC High School
Nearby Schools
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