Schools by area › Bolton › St Joseph's RC High School
St Joseph's RC High School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Voluntary aided
Sefton Lane, Horwich, Bolton BL6 6HW · stjosephsbolton.org.uk · 01204 697456
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Mar 2025
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 44.8
- average Attainment 8 score. Bolton 45.7, England 46
- Last distance offered
- 2.70 mi
- 4.35 km · Year 7, September 2026 entry · Category 10: proximity · Bolton Council
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,047
- 100% of 1,050 places
- Local authority
- Bolton
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 21.5%
- First language not English
- 18.4%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, the last place offered under “Category 10: proximity” went to a home 2.70 mi (4.35 km) from the school. Source: Bolton Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 218 families put the school first and 205 places were offered; 92% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 205 | 218 | 1.1▲ | 92% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 212 | 209 | 1 | 96% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 205 | 205 | 1 | 94% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 210 | 228 | 1.1▲ | 87% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 206 | 195 | 0.9 | 93% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 – Category 10: proximity | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 2.70 mi4.35 km | |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 44.8, and 49.8% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Bolton it was 45.7, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ●44.8 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲49.8% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲70.0% | 64.8% | ||
| ●41.1% | 40.5% | ||
| ●3.99 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 0.9 | −0.2 |
| Sixth form college | 19.3 | −0.3 |
| Further education | 62.3 | +1.4 |
| Other education | 0.9 | +0.3 |
| Apprenticeship | 4.7 | −1.4 |
| Employment | 3.3 | −0.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 6.6 | +0.5 |
| Activity not captured | 1.9 | −0.3 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected St Joseph's RC High School on 18 March 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 18 Mar 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Dec 2022
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Dec 2022Requires improvement
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Mar 2019Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Safeguarding Effective Jun 2015Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Mar 2010Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good
What parents said
86% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (103 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 86%
- Replies
- 103
- 10% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 75% who raised concerns
based on the 32% who had a child bullied
based on 25 parents (24%) with SEND