Classpot

St James's Church of England High School

Bolton, BL4 9RUSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Nov 2022
Progress 8
-0.07
Below average
−20+2
Competition
1.8×
Oversubscribed
359 1st-choice / 200 places
Ranking
#1,707
of 3,141 nationally

About St James's Church of England High School

St James's Church of England High School in Bolton posts a Progress 8 score of -0.07, which sits just below the local authority average of 0.07 for secondary schools. That difference is small enough to be statistically unremarkable, and the school's Progress 8 banding is officially rated as 'Average'. In practical terms, pupils here make roughly the same academic progress as their peers across Bolton, though the school ranks 13th out of 22 similar schools in the borough. Its attainment 8 score of 47.9 is solid, and 69.4% of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths — a strong basics pass rate. The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, 359 families put it as their first preference, and only 196 of those received an offer from 200 total places. That demand suggests local parents see real value here, even if the headline progress figure doesn't leap off the page.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressLucas Road, Bolton, Bolton, BL4 9RU
HeadteacherCatherine Anderson
Local AuthorityBolton
Number of Pupils1,064
Free School Meals (FSM)19.7%
School Capacity1,064 / 1,050 (101% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

2 Nov 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Outstanding
Personal Development
Outstanding
Leadership & Management
Outstanding

Source: Ofsted, 12 Dec 2022. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

13
Swimming PoolMusic RoomsPlaying FieldsLibrarySports HallGymnasiumTheatreICT SuiteTennis CourtsScience LabsAstro TurfArt StudiosChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

18

Sports

AthleticsFootballHockeyRugbyRoundersNetballBadmintonRowing

Clubs & Activities

DramaDuke of EdinburghChoirBook ClubEco ClubChessCodingYoung EnterpriseNewspaperFilm Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultySevere LearningMulti-SensoryOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:35 – 15:05

Source: st-james.bolton.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St James's Church of England High School

St James's Church of England High School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.