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Academy sponsor led · Bolton

Kearsley Academy

  • 11–16Ages
  • 768Pupils
  • SecondaryPhase
  • 136135URN

Springfield Road, Kearsley, Bolton, BL4 8HY · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school
Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jul 2026

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

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found
Applications per place · Sept 2026
1.5per place
0.5 below Bolton median (2.1)
Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther secondary schools in Bolton

262 applications for 170 places · 15th of 20 in Bolton
Every year since 2014
Attainment 8 · 2025/26 (provisional)
51.1of 90
5th of 20 in Bolton
All GCSE results

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026
Report card · inspected 7 July 2026Published 13 September 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
AreaExceptionalStrong standardExpected standardNeeds attentionUrgent improvement
InclusionStrong standard
Curriculum and teachingExceptional
AchievementStrong standard
Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
Personal development and wellbeingStrong standard
Early yearsDoes not apply to this school
Post-16 provisionDoes not apply to this school
Leadership and governanceStrong 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

  1. 7 July 2026
    Report card · 1 Exceptional, 5 Strong standard
  2. 16 March 2022
    Graded inspection: 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
1.5applications per place, Year 7
0.5 below Bolton median (2.1) 0.7 below England median (2.2)

262 applications · 170 places offered · 146 named it first

  1. 2026 1.5; Bolton median median 2.1
  2. 2025 1.6; Bolton median median 2.2
  3. 2024 1.3; Bolton median median 2.3
  4. 2023 1.2; Bolton median median 2.3
  5. 2022 1.1; Bolton median median 2.1
  6. 2021 1.4; Bolton median median 2.2
  7. 2020 1.2; Bolton median median 2.3
  8. 2019 1.1; Bolton median median 2.3
  9. 2018 1.4; Bolton median median 2.1
  10. 2017 1.5; Bolton median median 1.9
  11. 2016 1.5; Bolton median median 1.8
  12. 2015 1.6; Bolton median median 2.1
  13. 2014 1.9; 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 20261702621.51460.86
Sep 20251372181.61070.78
Sep 20241702201.31150.68
Sep 20231752051.21060.61
Sep 20221751951.11110.63
Sep 20211261791.4910.72
Sep 20201331651.2980.74
Sep 20191601681.1870.54
Sep 20181442001.41080.75
Sep 20171432081.51140.80
Sep 20161291871.51110.86
Sep 20151111751.61000.90
Sep 2014951771.9910.96

How did pupils do at GCSE?

DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisional

135 pupils took GCSEs in 2025/26.

Attainment 8 (out of 90)51.15th of 20 in Bolton
Grade 5 or above in English and maths66%3rd of 20 in Bolton
Grade 4 or above in English and maths78%
  • This school
  • Bolton median
  • England median
Progress 8 (2023/24, the latest published)+0.55
−20 = national average+2
Every year as a table
YearPupilsAttainment 85+ Eng & maths4+ Eng & mathsProgress 8
2025/26 (prov.)13551.166%78%–
2024/2514351.859%73%–
2023/2414251.457%72%+0.55
2022/2313948.150%69%+0.24

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
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Secondary
URN · DfE number
136135 · 350/6907
Trust
Northern Education Trust
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Capacity
950 pupils · 768 on roll
Free school meals
43.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened
1 September 2010
Replaced
George Tomlinson School (URN 105268)
Address
Springfield Road, Kearsley, Bolton, BL4 8HY
Local authority
Bolton

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