Thornleigh Salesian College, Bolton

In its own words: "As a Voluntary Aided school, the Governors of Thornleigh Salesian College have responsibility for decisions regarding admission of students to our school. NOTE: Admission to the Sixth Form is done directly with the school. Thornleigh Salesian College is heavily over subscribed. Each year we allocate 270 places in year 7."

From the headteacher's welcome: "We are a Roman Catholic School with foundations in the Salesian ethos based on the values of Saint John Bosco."

In 2026, pupils at Thornleigh Salesian College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.6 in Bolton and 47 across England.

37% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in Bolton and 47% in England.

That is down from 45.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.22: pupils made below 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 36.2, against 45.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 9.7 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 28 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Religious Studies and History.

For September 2026 entry, 241 families put Thornleigh Salesian College as their first choice and 634 named it as one of their preferences, for 260 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 14 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Thornleigh Salesian College are Smithills School (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 41.4); Eden Boys' School, Bolton (0.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 57); Sharples School (0.9 miles, Good, Attainment 8 56.5); and Canon Slade School (1.4 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 54).

Thornleigh Salesian College's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

186 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Thornleigh Salesian College (as of September 2025): 80% would recommend the school, 82% say their child is happy there and 53% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (84%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (53%).

Of the 267 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 82% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 40% to a further education college, 5% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.

Of the 146 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 44% went on to university or other higher education, 8% to apprenticeships and 22% into work. 15% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

9.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (70%), Asian (10%) and Black (6%).

In 2026, 173 pupils (11%) received SEN support and 40 (2.5%) 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 1.3 miles away in a straight line.

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Thornleigh Salesian College (stand a), 160 metres away.

In 2024/25, Thornleigh Salesian College issued 238 suspensions, 15.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 2 permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Thornleigh Salesian College are Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School (0.3 miles); St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge (0.5 miles); St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell (0.6 miles); and High Lawn Primary School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.