Bolton Muslim Girls School
100%
Capacity
752
Pupils
2.5x
Demand
About Bolton Muslim Girls School
Bolton Muslim Girls School sits at the top of the Bolton secondary school rankings, placing first out of 19 schools in the local authority on Progress 8. That puts it ahead of its nearest peers: Sharples School, Essa Academy, and Kearsley Academy. The school is a state-funded girls' secondary for ages 11 to 16, with a Muslim religious character, and it serves a notably diverse intake — 37.6 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Headteacher Idrish Patel leads a school that is oversubscribed by a wide margin: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 374 applications for 148 places, with 258 first-preference applications and 147 first-preference offers. The school is currently full, with 752 pupils against a capacity of 750. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025, the school was judged Good overall, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in December 2022.
Academically, the school is performing at an exceptionally high level. Its Progress 8 score of 1.06 is well above average nationally, and far exceeds the Bolton local authority average of 0.07. The school ranks 7th in the North West and 59th nationally out of over 3,100 schools. Attainment 8 sits at 57.3, and 80.3 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in English and maths, with 63.9 per cent reaching grade 5 or above. The EBacc entry rate is 98.4 per cent, and 58.2 per cent of pupils achieved the EBacc at grade 4 or above. In the Ofsted breakdown, behaviour and attitudes were rated Outstanding, while quality of education, personal development, and leadership and management were all rated Good. Parent feedback is strong: 87 per cent would recommend the school, and 94 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, music rooms, and art studios. Clubs include coding, Model UN, debate, choir, orchestra, and Young Enterprise, while sports on offer include football, hockey, rugby, basketball, cricket, and martial arts. The school has SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, speech and language needs, and hearing and visual impairments. There is no sixth form, so pupils will need to plan for post-16 options elsewhere. For families seeking a high-performing, oversubscribed girls' school with a strong academic record and a Muslim ethos, Bolton Muslim Girls School is a standout choice in the Bolton area. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Eden Boys' School, Bolton, about 3 km away.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Girls |
| Religious Character | Muslim |
| Address | Swan Lane, Bolton, Bolton, BL3 6TQ |
| Headteacher | Idrish Patel |
| Local Authority | Bolton |
| Number of Pupils | 752 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 37.6% |
| School Capacity | 752 / 750 (100% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
11 Mar 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 29 Apr 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+1.06)
59th of 3,141
Nationally
7th of 445
In North West
1st of 19
In Bolton
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/234%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 123 pupils).
- Sixth form college64%
- FE college25%
- School sixth form (stay)4%
- Not sustained2%
97% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Ofsted Parent View
30 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed148
374
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
258 families put this school as their 1st choice (69% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian78.2%
- Mixed2.8%
- Black1.5%
- White (other)0.4%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
21
Total schools
18
Oversubscribed
15
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bolton Muslim Girls School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Swan Lane, Bolton
Bolton, BL3 6TQ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at Bolton Muslim Girls School!
Write a Review