Smithills School
| Type | Secondary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Does not apply |
| Address | Smithills Dean Road Smithills School Bolton Lancashire BL1 6JS |
| Phone | 01204842382 |
| Reference Number | 140500 |
Smithills School is currently categorized as requiring improvement, with notable strengths in student behavior and personal development. The school has been proactive in fostering an accepting environment, where students treat one another and staff with respect. While the leadership team has implemented changes to improve curriculum ambition and support for all students, particularly for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), concerns remain regarding the quality of education and assessment practices. Many initiatives are in the early stages, meaning that their impact on student outcomes is yet to be fully realized.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1201 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 48.71%
Girls: 51.29% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 40.4% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 58.8% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 24 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 112 | 130 | 242 |
| 8 | 122 | 128 | 250 |
| 9 | 109 | 123 | 232 |
| 10 | 125 | 113 | 238 |
| 11 | 117 | 122 | 239 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 32.9% |
| Pakistani | 30.3% |
| African | 10.5% |
| Indian | 7.6% |
| White, Other | 4.4% |
| Asian, Other | 3.7% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.9% |
| White & Asian | 1.5% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.2% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.5% |
| Chinese | 0.3% |
| Unclassified | 0.3% |
| Caribbean | 0.1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Requires Improvement |
| > Quality of education | Requires Improvement |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Good |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Requires Improvement |
| Last Report Date | 19 Sep 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 23 Oct 2024 | Monitoring visit |
| 19 Sep 2023 | School inspection: |
| 26 Jun 2018 | Full inspection: |
| 06 Mar 2018 | Monitoring visit |
| 07 Nov 2017 | Monitoring visit |
| 23 May 2017 | Monitoring visit |
| 15 Nov 2016 | Full inspection: |
| 10 Jan 2014 | Academy conversion letter |
| 26 Sep 2012 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as Smithills School | |
| 26 Sep 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 23 Jun 2011 | Monitoring visit |
| 23 Jun 2011 | Monitoring visit |
| 19 Apr 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 19 Apr 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 30 Sep 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 30 Sep 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 26 Sep 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 26 Sep 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 26 Nov 2001 | Full inspection |
| 26 Nov 2001 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Pupils generally behave well and uphold school values.
- The school provides a wide range of clubs and activities.
- There is a thoughtful approach to personal development topics.
- The school has effective safeguarding arrangements.
- School leadership shows strong accountability and support.
Areas for Improvement
- The quality of education requires improvement due to gaps in knowledge.
- Some teachers lack the expertise to design effective learning activities.
- Assessment systems are underdeveloped in many subjects.
- Some pupils do not receive adequate support to improve their reading knowledge.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 36.5 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 20.1% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 42.7% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 132 | 56 |
| Third Preference | 112 | 18 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
St Peter's Smithills Dean Church of England Primary School
Limefield Road, Smithills, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 6LA |
0.3 miles |
|
Church Road Primary School
Captains Clough Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 5RU |
0.57 miles |
|
St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton
Shepherd Cross Street, Halliwell, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 3EJ |
0.65 miles |
|
St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell
Eskrick Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 3JB |
0.68 miles |
|
Oxford Grove Primary School
Shepherd Cross Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 3EJ |
0.7 miles |
|
Al-Huda Primary School
3 Hennon Street, Bolton, BL1 3EH |
0.7 miles |
|
Johnson Fold Community Primary School
Worston Avenue, Johnson Fold, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 5UG |
0.78 miles |
|
Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School
Mitre Street, Astley Bridge, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 6QJ |
0.8 miles |
|
Brownlow Fold Primary School
Darley Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 3DX |
0.83 miles |
|
St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge
Newnham Street, Astley Bridge, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 8QA |
0.98 miles |
|
St Thomas of Canterbury RC School
Eastbourne Grove, Heaton, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 5LH |
1.03 miles |
|
High Lawn Primary School
Holden Avenue, Sharples, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 7EX |
1.11 miles |
|
St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Bolton
Kentford Road, Halliwell, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 2JL |
1.16 miles |
|
The Valley Community Primary School
Hibbert Street, Off Blackburn Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 8JG |
1.18 miles |
|
Devonshire Road Primary School
Devonshire Road, Heaton, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 4ND |
1.18 miles |
|
Gaskell Community Primary School
Thomas Holden Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 2QG |
1.2 miles |
|
Markland Hill Primary School
Markland Hill, Heaton, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 5EJ |
1.29 miles |
|
Bolton School Infant & Nursery School
Chorley New Road, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 4PA |
1.31 miles |
|
The Olive School, Bolton
Ashton House, Waterloo Street, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 8HT |
1.35 miles |
|
The Oaks Primary School
Sharples Hall Drive, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 7HS |
1.4 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Thornleigh Salesian College
Sharples Park, Astley Bridge, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 6PQ |
0.5 miles |
|
Eden Boys' School, Bolton
Wolfenden Street, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 3QE |
0.89 miles |
|
Madrasatul Imam Muhammad Zakariya
Keswick Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 8LX |
1.12 miles |
|
Bolton School Boys' Division
Chorley New Road, Bolton, BL1 4PA |
1.29 miles |
|
Bolton School Girls' Division
Chorley New Road, Bolton, BL1 4PB |
1.31 miles |
|
Sharples School
Hill Cot Road, Sharples, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 8SN |
1.39 miles |
|
Bolton Sixth Form College
Town Centre Campus, Deane Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 5BU |
1.81 miles |
|
Birtenshaw School Bolton
Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, Bolton, Lancashire, BL7 9AB |
1.86 miles |
|
Bolton College
Deane Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 5BG |
1.86 miles |
|
University Collegiate School
85 Deane Road, The Stoller Building, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL3 5AG |
1.87 miles |
|
Canon Slade School
Bradshaw Brow, Bradshaw, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 3BP |
1.9 miles |
|
Turton School
Bromley Cross Road, Bromley Cross, Bolton, Lancashire, BL7 9LT |
2.07 miles |
|
Al Jamiah Al Islamiyyah
Willows Lane, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 4HE |
2.18 miles |
|
EdStart Schools Bolton
67 Manchester Road, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL2 1ES |
2.26 miles |
|
Rumworth School
Armadale Road, Ladybridge, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 4TP |
2.33 miles |
|
Bolton Muslim Girls School
Swan Lane, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL3 6TQ |
2.33 miles |
|
Ladybridge High School
New York, Junction Road, Deane, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 4NG |
2.39 miles |
|
Bolton Islamic Girls School
Weston House, Weston Street, Bolton, BL3 2AW |
2.62 miles |
|
Bolton St Catherine's Academy
Stitch MI Lane, Bolton, BL2 4HU |
2.75 miles |
|
Firwood High School
Stitch-MI Lane, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 4HU |
2.85 miles |