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Community school · Bolton

Westhoughton High School

  • 11–16Ages
  • 1,342Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 105252URN

Bolton Road, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3BZ · School website

This school is due to be replaced by Westhoughton High School.

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Category of concern: Requires significant improvement

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.4per place
0.7 below Bolton median (2.1)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Bolton

369 applications for 258 places · 19th of 20 in Bolton
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
40.2of 90
19th of 20 in Bolton
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Ofsted category of concern: Requires significant improvement

Report card · inspected 27 January 2026Published 8 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionNeeds attention
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
AchievementNeeds attention
Attendance and behaviourUrgent improvement
Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

  1. 27 January 2026
    Report card · 1 Expected standard, 4 Needs attention, 1 Urgent improvement
  2. 10 May 2023
    Graded inspection: Requires improvement
  3. 17 November 2021
    Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry
1.4applications per place, Year 7
0.7 below Bolton median (2.1) 0.8 below England median (2.2)

369 applications · 258 places offered · 221 named it first

  1. 2026 1.4; Bolton median median 2.1
  2. 2025 1.7; Bolton median median 2.2
  3. 2024 1.6; Bolton median median 2.3
  4. 2023 2.0; Bolton median median 2.3
  5. 2022 1.9; Bolton median median 2.1
  6. 2021 1.9; Bolton median median 2.2
  7. 2020 1.9; Bolton median median 2.3
  8. 2019 1.7; Bolton median median 2.3
  9. 2018 1.7; Bolton median median 2.1
  10. 2017 1.4; Bolton median median 1.9
  11. 2016 1.5; Bolton median median 1.8
  12. 2015 1.3; Bolton median median 2.1
  13. 2014 1.5; Bolton median median 2.2
More applications per place than the Bolton median in 0 of 13 years.
  • This school
  • Bolton median

Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

EntryPlacesApplicationsPer placeFirst preferencesFirst-pref. ratio
Sep 20262583691.42210.86
Sep 20252594341.72540.98
Sep 20242664261.62350.88
Sep 20232785652.02881.04
Sep 20222625071.92911.11
Sep 20212695221.93091.15
Sep 20202574891.92420.94
Sep 20192674611.72360.88
Sep 20182514131.72090.83
Sep 20172393321.42120.89
Sep 20162093131.51850.89
Sep 20152052751.31640.80
Sep 20141732561.51420.82

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

267 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)40.219th of 20 in Bolton
Grade 5 or above in English and maths37%18th of 20 in Bolton
Grade 4 or above in English and maths57%
  • This school
  • Bolton median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.64
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)26740.237%57%–
2024/2525744.441%60%–
2023/2426743.139%59%−0.64
2022/2324743.341%61%−0.74

Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

  • Exceptional
  • Strong standard
  • Expected standard
  • Needs attention
  • Urgent improvement
  • Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type
Community school
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
105252 · 350/4031
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
1,350 pupils · 1,342 on roll
Free school meals
23.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address
Bolton Road, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3BZ
Local authority
Bolton

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources