University Collegiate School, Bolton

From the headteacher's welcome: "To say I am honoured to be the Head of UCS Bolton is an understatement. From a working-class Irish family, my five-year-old self with a dream of becoming a teacher probably wouldn't believe it! It is a genuine privilege and pleasure to serve our students and the wonderfully diverse and welcoming Bolton community."

Coming up: an open day on Saturday 14 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at University Collegiate 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.

38% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in Bolton and 47% in England.

That is up from 36.7 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.98: pupils made well 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 37.8, against 45.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 7.5 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 20 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Geography.

For September 2026 entry, 91 families put University Collegiate School as their first choice and 230 named it as one of their preferences, for 117 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 University Collegiate School are Bolton Muslim Girls School (0.5 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 56.5); Essa Academy (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.9); King's Leadership Academy Bolton (1.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 49); and Eden Boys' School, Bolton (1.3 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 57).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than University Collegiate School.

University Collegiate School is one of 5 schools run by Quest (a Church of England Schools Trust), an academy trust.

36 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about University Collegiate School (as of September 2025): 83% would recommend the school, 89% say their child is happy there and 62% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (89%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (62%).

Of the 30 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 83% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 40% to a further education college and 3% to an apprenticeship.

Of the 38 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 47% went on to university or other higher education, 3% to apprenticeships and 21% into work. 4% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

44.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 58.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are Asian (43%), Black (21%) and White British (13%).

In 2026, 78 pupils (11.4%) received SEN support and 13 (1.9%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.

The nearest railway station is Bolton Rail Station, about 930 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Salisbury Street (opposite), 30 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood University Collegiate School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, University Collegiate School issued 51 suspensions, 8.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to University Collegiate School are Pikes Lane Primary School (0.2 miles), St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy (0.3 miles), Gilnow Primary School (0.4 miles) and Clarendon Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.