Westhoughton 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
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Westhoughton High School excels at creating a welcoming, calm environment where pupils feel supported and relationships between staff and pupils are strong. The school offers a wide range of personal development opportunities including clubs, leadership roles and a well-structured careers programme with real work experience. However, the school needs to urgently improve pupil attendance and ensure all pupils, especially those with additional needs or disadvantages, receive consistent support to help them progress.
Key Strengths
- Strong personal development programme with PSHE curriculum covering health, safety and online risks
- Well-designed, ambitious curriculum that identifies important knowledge pupils need to know
- Effective support for pupils in early stages of reading
- Clear behaviour expectations in lessons with most pupils responding well
- Safeguarding standards met with open culture where concerns are actively managed
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils do not make expected progress from their starting points due to inconsistent curriculum delivery across subjects
- Attendance rates are too low with many pupils persistently or severely absent
- Support for disadvantaged pupils is inconsistent and still in early stages
- Mixed experiences for pupils with SEND as staff expertise varies and adaptations are underdeveloped
- Too many pupils lack secure basics in handwriting, spelling and mathematics
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met. Leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed, making pupils safer and helping them feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Grey to Green gardening club, school band, anti-bullying ambassadors, student councillors, peer mentoring, charity drives, work experience, careers fairs
Westhoughton High School requires significant improvement overall, though safeguarding standards are met and the school has a strong personal development programme rooted in its 'LEARN' values.
At a Glance
23.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
23.9
Avg class size
50
Total classes
4 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
1,342 pupils
1,350 capacity
8 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(109)
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
11.1439%
Overall absence
31.75287%
Persistent absence
1,392
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
Westhoughton High School
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School
Woodland Primary Academy
St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School
St Thomas CofE Primary School
The Gates Primary School
Eatock Primary School
St George's CofE Primary School
St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill
Atherton St George's CofE Primary School
St Richard's Roman Catholic Primary School Atherton
Showing 10 of 11 linked schools
Nearby Schools
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