Thornleigh Salesian College, 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
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Thornleigh excels at nurturing individual development while maintaining high academic expectations. Teachers genuinely care about pupils' spiritual and academic growth, and the school celebrates diversity by encouraging all pupils to aim high. Parents consistently praise the all-round support their children receive.
Key Strengths
- Strong leadership that has embedded ambition and cherishes individual pupils
- Consistently high GCSE results significantly above national average
- Excellent progress in English and good progress across most subjects
- Rigorous monitoring of teaching with effective support for improvement
- Strong partnership with governors who support and challenge the school effectively
Areas for Improvement
- Sixth form performance, particularly Year 13 A level results, with considerable variability across subjects
- Underperformance in modern foreign languages, geography and art
- Persistent absenteeism among a small group of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective, with school leaders taking responsibilities seriously, staff and governors highly trained, and the school vigilant in identifying vulnerable pupils.
Thornleigh Salesian College continues to be a good school with strong leadership that has maintained educational quality since the 2011 inspection. The school is characterized by high ambition and a genuine commitment to nurturing individual pupils.
At a Glance
29.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
186 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
20.6
Avg class size
76
Total classes
5 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
95%
Near capacity
1,574 pupils
1,650 capacity
76 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(9)
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
8.52435%
Overall absence
24.00578%
Persistent absence
1,383
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Thornleigh Salesian College
Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School
St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge
St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell
High Lawn Primary School
St Peter's Smithills Dean Church of England Primary School
St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton
Al-Huda Primary School
Brownlow Fold Primary School
Oxford Grove Primary School
The Valley Community Primary School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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