Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #17 in Bolton public Top 40% UK

Smithills School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMs Carolyn Dewse

corporate_fareTHE BOLTON MULTI ACADEMY TRUST

location_onBolton, BL1 6JS

language Visit Website phone 1204842382

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2023

groups

Students

1,104

trending_up

Attainment 8

36.5

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GCSE Rank

#18 in Bolton

#2,916 of 3,216 nationally

summarize

Smithills School is a Academy converter secondary school in Bolton, serving ages 11-16. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards.

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School Summary

Smithills School is an academy converter in Bolton, admitting pupils aged 11-16. It is part of THE BOLTON MULTI ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 1,201 pupils on roll, of whom 42% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 36.5, placing the school #18 in Bolton and #2,916 of 3,216 nationally. 20.10% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 7.4% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.6× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 17.5:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 4 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 19.5 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

analytics

Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2025

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

36.5

Grade 5+ E&M

20.10%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)7.4%

Entering EBacc32.10%

EBacc APS3.25

2024

Progress 8 Score

-0.04

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

39.5

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc31.40%

EBacc APS3.53

2023

Progress 8 Score

-0.34

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

38.9

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc35%

EBacc APS3.40

2022

Progress 8 Score

-0.32

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

38.4

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc26%

EBacc APS3.43

2021

Progress 8 Score

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc28%

EBacc APS-

2019

Progress 8 Score

-0.27

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

40.8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc36%

EBacc APS3.62

2018

Progress 8 Score

-0.3

vs National Avg

Attainment 8

Grade 5+ E&M

Entering EBacc22%

EBacc APS3.28

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Student Destinations (After Secondary)

This module shows what students did after finishing Key Stage 4 (GCSEs). It reflects how well the school prepares pupils for the real world.

2025

Stayed in Education / Employment

87%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)78%

Apprenticeships4%

Employment5%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)9%

2024

Stayed in Education / Employment

90%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)85%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)8%

2023

Stayed in Education / Employment

93%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)87%

Apprenticeships1%

Employment5%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

2022

Stayed in Education / Employment

95%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)89%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)5%

2021

Stayed in Education / Employment

92%

Education (e.g. Sixth Form/College)87%

Apprenticeships2%

Employment3%

Not in Education / Employment (NEET)7%

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

23 October 2024

Inspection Report

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19 September 2023

Inspection Report

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26 June 2018

Inspection Report

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06 March 2018

Inspection Report

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07 November 2017

Inspection Report

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23 May 2017

Inspection Report

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15 November 2016

Inspection Report

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10 January 2014

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

7 Evaluations

2023-09-19

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2018-06-26

Schools into Special Measures Visit 4 Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2018-03-06

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2017-11-07

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2017-05-23

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2016-11-15

None Legacy

Inadequate

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Inadequate

2012-09-26

None Legacy

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

26.3%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

8.0%(96 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

1pupils

gavel Exclusion recorded

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 1,201 pupils. During this period, there were 316 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 26.3%, which is above the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	1,201	316	26.3%	7.3%	1
2024/25 (Autumn term)	1,215	153	12.6%	7.8%	3
2023/24 (Summer term)	1,189	434	36.5%	7.4%	3
2023/24 (Spring term)	1,190	214	18.0%	7.1%	7
2023/24 (Autumn term)	1,194	172	14.4%	8.2%	2
2022/23 (Summer term)	1,109	89	8.0%	6.6%	3
2022/23 (Spring term)	1,104	83	7.5%	6.4%	2
2022/23 (Autumn term)	1,116	85	7.6%	5.9%	3
2021/22 (Summer term)	1,034	60	5.8%	4.7%	1
2021/22 (Spring term)	1,032	48	4.7%	4.9%	2
2021/22 (Autumn term)	1,038	32	3.1%	4.4%	4
2020/21 (Summer term)	964	34	3.5%	3.6%	2
2020/21 (Spring term)	953	11	1.2%	1.0%	1
2020/21 (Autumn term)	960	28	2.9%	3.9%	1
2019/20 (Summer term)	903	0	0.0%	0.0%	0
2019/20 (Spring term)	903	36	4.0%	3.2%	2
2019/20 (Autumn term)	912	46	5.0%	4.2%	4
2018/19 (Summer term)	877	30	3.4%	3.1%	3
2018/19 (Spring term)	877	65	7.4%	3.8%	2
2018/19 (Autumn term)	873	66	7.6%	3.8%	3
2017/18 (Summer term)	880	54	6.1%	3.4%	3
2017/18 (Spring term)	886	44	5.0%	3.0%	1
2017/18 (Autumn term)	906	56	6.2%	3.7%	3
2016/17 (Summer term)	970	38	3.9%	3.0%	2
2016/17 (Spring term)	975	52	5.3%	3.3%	3
2016/17 (Autumn term)	967	45	4.7%	3.1%	1

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Specific Learning Difficulty 90 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 27 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 21 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 15 pupils

Physical Disability 7 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 6 pupils

Hearing Impairment 2 pupils

Visual Impairment 2 pupils

Multi-Sensory Impairment 1 pupils