Best secondary schools in Bolton (2026)
Bolton has 11 ranked secondary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Bolton Muslim Girls School, in the top 13% in England. The average Attainment 8 here in 2025 was 47.0, against 46.1 for England. 0 are in England's top 10%, and 0 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Bolton has no grammar schools.
| Rank | School | Attainment 8 (2023–2025 average) | Attainment 8 2025 | Trend | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 13% in England |
Bolton Muslim Girls School Bolton · Girls · Muslim |
56.5 | 54.7 | 60% | Not judged | |
2 Top 13% in England |
Sharples School Bolton |
56.1 | 55.6 | 62% | No rating | |
3 Top 16% in England |
Canon Slade School Bolton · Church of England |
54.4 | 53.9 | 57% | Not judged | |
4 Top 23% in England |
Eden Boys' School, Bolton Bolton · Boys · Muslim |
51.3 | 53.0 | 58% | No rating | |
5 Top 40% in England |
Essa Academy Bolton |
48.6 | 53.0 | 54% | Report card | |
6 Top 46% in England |
King's Leadership Academy Bolton Bolton |
46.2 | 45.4 | 43% | Good | |
7 Bottom 49% in England |
Thornleigh Salesian College Bolton · Roman Catholic |
45.9 | 45.7 | 41% | Not judged | |
8 Bottom 46% in England |
Turton School Bolton |
46.2 | 43.7 | 31% | Good | |
9 Bottom 34% in England |
Ladybridge High School Bolton |
42.9 | 41.7 | 33% | Good | |
10 Bottom 12% in England |
Smithills School Bolton |
38.3 | 36.5 | 20% | Report card | |
11 Bottom 5% in England |
Bolton St Catherine's Academy Bolton · Church of England |
34.6 | 34.3 | 19% | Not judged |
Other towns in Greater Manchester
- Altrincham
- Ashton-in-Makerfield
- Bury
- Cheadle Hulme
- Droylsden
- Eccles (Salford)
- Manchester
- Middleton (Rochdale)
- Oldham
- Orrell
- Prestwich
- Rochdale
- Royton
- Salford
- Stockport
- Stretford
- Urmston
- Wigan
- Wythenshawe
Also see
Questions
What is the best secondary school in Bolton?
On exam results over the last three years, Bolton Muslim Girls School is the top-ranked secondary school in Bolton, in the top 13% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.