Schools by area › Bolton › Bolton St Catherine's Academy
Bolton St Catherine's Academy
All-through · Mixed · Ages 2–16 · Academy
Stitch MI Lane, Bolton BL2 4HU · boltonstcatherinesacademy.org.uk · 01204 332533
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Mar 2025
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 34.3
- average Attainment 8 score. Bolton 45.7, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,003
- 89% of 1,130 places
- Local authority
- Bolton
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 52.7%
- First language not English
- 22.7%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 109 families put the school first and 134 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 134 | 109 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 145 | 90 | 0.6 | 99% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 157 | 101 | 0.6 | 99% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 168 | 115 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 149 | 85 | 0.6 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 34.3, and 18.8% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Bolton it was 45.7, and across England 46.
In 2024/25, 34% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 6% the higher standard. Across Bolton it was 64%, and across England 62%.
In 2018/19 the average A level result was grade C- (27.1 points per entry).
Key stage 2 results
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▼34% | 62% | ||
| ●6% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼100 | 106 | ||
| ●103 | 105 | ||
| ▼100 | 105 | ||
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 135981)
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼34.3 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼18.8% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼45.7% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼8.0% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼2.89 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 135981)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 1.4 | −1.6 |
| Sixth form college | 17.1 | −6.6 |
| Further education | 49.3 | +0.4 |
| Apprenticeship | 3.6 | +1.4 |
| Employment | 2.9 | −0.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 17.1 | +6 |
| Activity not captured | 8.6 | +1.9 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2018/19 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 students | C- (27.1) | Average +0.11 | |
| 8 students | C- (27.1) | Average +0.11 | |
| Applied general8 students | Merit (24.4) | Average +0.40 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | 11 | D (20.4) | -0.73 |
| 2016/17 | 32 | D- (15.9) | -0.68 |
| 2015/16 | 28 | D- (17.3) | -0.24 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2019/20 | Since 2016/17 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 35 | −3 |
| Further education | 5 | +1 |
| Apprenticeship | 5 | −3 |
| Employment | 15 | −7 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 35 | +13 |
| Activity not captured | 5 | −1 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Bolton St Catherine's Academy on 11 March 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 11 Mar 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Sept 2022
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 135981), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Sept 2022Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
May 2016Requires 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 Early years Good 16 to 19 study programmes Good Safeguarding Effective Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 135981)
Mar 2014Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 135981)
What parents said
63% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (114 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 63%
- Replies
- 114
- 11% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 84% who raised concerns
based on the 50% who had a child bullied
based on 46 parents (40%) with SEND