St Joseph's RC High School

St Joseph's RC High School is a Roman Catholic secondary comprehensive in Bolton and part of the Bolton Learning Alliance. Inspectors found it performing well overall, with pupils feeling safe, cared for and proud of their school. Behaviour expectations have been raised and pupils typically respond respectfully, supported by positive relationships with staff. The school has high expectations for achievement and a well-considered curriculum helps most pupils achieve well. In most subjects the curriculum is clear and ambitious, teaching addresses gaps, and pupils with SEND are identified early with effective support. Reading support has improved, attendance systems are effective for most pupils, and wider development and careers guidance are strong. Safeguarding is effective, and governance and staff morale are positive. Some important areas still need work. In key stage 3, the curriculum in some subjects lacks sufficient breadth and depth, and in a few subjects checks do not reliably spot gaps or misconceptions before new learning. PSHE is not delivered consistently well, limiting some pupils' opportunities to explore differences, fundamental British values and relationships in depth. The school has improved since its previous inspection and is now judged good in each key area; under current arrangements no overall effectiveness grade is given.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe, cared for and proud to be part of the school community.
• Behaviour expectations have been raised and pupils typically behave respectfully.
• Positive relationships between pupils and staff support a calm, respectful atmosphere.
• Leaders set high expectations for achievement and pupils are motivated to excel.
• In most subjects, the curriculum is clear, ambitious and well sequenced.
• Teachers in most subjects deliver the curriculum effectively and address gaps in knowledge.
• Pupils with SEND are identified early and supported effectively through the RAISE network.
• Support for pupils who struggle with reading has been strengthened, helping them gain confidence and fluency.
• The school promotes a love of reading through a well-resourced library and engaging activities.
• Attendance support is effective, including the Think me! approach, and most pupils attend regularly.
• Pupils benefit from educational visits, pupil leadership, charitable projects and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
• Careers guidance prepares pupils well for next steps through mentoring and work placements.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
• Governors are committed, challenge and support the school, and staff feel supported with workload and well-being.

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, the key stage 3 curriculum lacks sufficient breadth and depth.
• In a few subjects, checks on pupils' learning do not reliably identify gaps or misconceptions before new content is introduced.
• In a few subjects, curriculum delivery is not as successful, and some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.
• The PSHE curriculum is not delivered consistently well.
• Some pupils have limited opportunities to discuss differences between people, fundamental British values and relationships in sufficient depth.
• Some pupils are less well prepared for life in modern Britain because of weaknesses in PSHE delivery.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at St Joseph's RC High School attended 92.8% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 21.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 9.1% of pupils at St Joseph's RC High School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). One pupil was permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 St Joseph's RC High School had 18.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 10.8% of pupils at St Joseph's RC High School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 St Joseph's RC High School received £6,879 and spent £7,560 for each of its 1,051 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £650,000 (£618 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bolton · Bolton local authority: places and applications

What is St Joseph's RC High School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Joseph's RC High School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was St Joseph's RC High School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Joseph's RC High School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does St Joseph's RC High School have?

St Joseph's RC High School has 1,047 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Joseph's RC High School cover?

St Joseph's RC High School for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are St Joseph's RC High School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 42.4, and 40% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is St Joseph's RC High School?

St Joseph's RC High School is at Sefton Lane, Horwich, Bolton, Lancashire, BL6 6HW.