Community school · Bury

The Elton High School

11–16Ages
1,017Pupils
SecondaryPhase
105354URN

Walshaw Road, Bury, BL8 1RN · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Feb 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.7per place

0.6 above Bury median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Bury

575 applications for 210 places · 3rd of 12 in Bury

Every year since 2014

Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)

47.4of 90

Bury 43.2 England 46.0

3rd of 12 in Bury

All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 24 February 2026Published 5 May 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching		Expected standard
Achievement		Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected standard
Early years	Does not apply to this school
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Expected standard

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

24 February 2026
Report card · 6 Expected standard
3 February 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good

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

2.7applications per place, Year 7

0.6 above Bury median (2.1) 0.5 above England median (2.2)

575 applications · 210 places offered · 277 named it first

2026 2.7; Bury median median 2.2
2025 2.8; Bury median median 2.0
2024 3.2; Bury median median 1.7
2023 3.0; Bury median median 1.8
2022 3.1; Bury median median 1.7
2021 3.2; Bury median median 1.6
2020 3.6; Bury median median 1.7
2019 3.4; Bury median median 1.2
2018 3.2; Bury median median 1.0
2017 2.8; Bury median median 1.1
2016 2.6; Bury median median 1.1
2015 2.9; Bury median median 1.3
2014 2.7; Bury median median 1.1

More applications per place than the Bury median in 13 of 13 years.

This school
Bury 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.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	210	575	2.7	277	1.32
Sep 2025	201	558	2.8	264	1.31
Sep 2024	202	640	3.2	315	1.56
Sep 2023	212	637	3.0	316	1.49
Sep 2022	199	613	3.1	281	1.41
Sep 2021	200	635	3.2	294	1.47
Sep 2020	200	720	3.6	324	1.62
Sep 2019	200	670	3.4	371	1.86
Sep 2018	193	613	3.2	289	1.50
Sep 2017	200	554	2.8	230	1.15
Sep 2016	200	516	2.6	223	1.12
Sep 2015	194	557	2.9	250	1.29
Sep 2014	199	529	2.7	227	1.14

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

201 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)47.43rd of 12 in Bury

Bury 43.2 England 46.0

Grade 5 or above in English and maths47%4th of 12 in Bury

Bury 39% England 45%

Grade 4 or above in English and maths69%

Bury 59% England 66%

This school
Bury median
England median

Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)−0.24

−20 = national average+2

Every year as a table

Year	Pupils	Attainment 8	5+ Eng & maths	4+ Eng & maths	Progress 8
2025/26 (prov.)	201	47.4	47%	69%	–
2024/25	196	44.3	37%	66%	–
2023/24	210	45.8	44%	65%	−0.24
2022/23	196	43.0	41%	62%	−0.50

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

The Elton High SchoolThis school
This school

2026

2.7applications per place 47.4Attainment 8
Tottington High School
1.4 km · Bury

Requires improvement2024

2.7applications per place 38.9Attainment 8
St Gabriel's RC High School, a Voluntary Academy
1.9 km · Bury

Good2023

2.1applications per place 39.2Attainment 8
Bury Church of England High School
2.3 km · Bury

2026

3.5applications per place 51.5Attainment 8
The Derby High School
2.4 km · Bury

Remains Good2023
Hazel Wood High School
3.7 km · Bury

Good2023

1.8applications per place 35.6Attainment 8
Woodhey High School
3.8 km · Bury

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.1applications per place 49.8Attainment 8
Star Radcliffe Academy
4.0 km · Bury

Not yet inspected

1.7applications per place
Bolton St Catherine's Academy
4.1 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.2applications per place 36.9Attainment 8

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: 105354 · 351/4004
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Capacity: 1,000 pupils · 1,017 on roll
Free school meals: 21.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Walshaw Road, Bury, BL8 1RN
Local authority: Bury

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