The hardest secondary schools to get into in Bolton

Yahoo

23-06-2025

The hardest secondary schools to get into in Bolton 2025/26 have been revealed based on the number of places available compared to first choice applications received.
A total of six secondary schools in the borough get more applications than there are places available.
Eden Boys' School, Wolfenden Street, is the most in demand, with only 121 places offered out of the 224 times it was placed as a first-choice option.
The ratio means only 54 per cent of children are successful in getting into the Star Academy school.
Eden Boys' School came out as the hardest to get in toMore: Bolton Muslim Girls School is good with outstanding features - Ofsted
More: St James CE High School reach for the stars with GCSEs
More: Canon Slade's Ofsted grade on the up
In second place is St James's CE High School, Farnworth.
Canon Slade was also on the list of oversubscribed schools The school had 359 first-choice preference applications, with 200 places being offered.
That gives a success rate of 56 per cent for families hoping to get children into the school.
Bolton Muslim Girls' School pupilsBolton Muslim Girls School had 258 first-choice preferences, of which 148 were successful. This was a 57 per cent success rate for children getting in.
A total of 234 places were offered at Sharples School out of 355 first-choice preference applications.
Pupils from Sharples SchoolAt Thornleigh Salesian College, 289 children had it as a first-choice preference, with 262 getting in. This was a 91 per cent success rate.
A total of 297 children successfully got into Canon Slade, out of 320 hoping to - a success rate of 93 per cent.
All the other secondary schools in Bolton had a 100 per cent success rate for children wanting to get in.
Headteacher of Bolton Muslim Girls School Idrish Patel said: "Bolton Muslim Girls School is popular because it is a high achieving school with students going on to post-16 education and university.
"We are in negotiations to increase places so more pupils are able to attend, but we are limited by the site of the school. We have parents ringing up asking why their daughter has not got in the school and it is frustrating for us too.
"We have seen an increase in applications over the years and hopefully we will be able to take in more students in the future, that is our plan."
Headteacher of Sharples School Caroline Molyneux said: "We are of course delighted that so many families are placing their trust in us by sending their child to Sharples School.
"It is a testament to the hard work that goes on every day by our staff, to given every child the best chance of success."