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SecondaryState · University technical college

University Collegiate School

85 Deane Road, The Stoller Building, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL3 5AG ·

Ofsted:Good or better in all areas· 2024
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At a glance

A state secondary free school for ages 11–19 in Bolton. Ofsted inspection (September 2024): Good or better in all areas (no overall grade was given). GCSE results are well below the England average (Attainment 8: 36.7 vs 46.1, 2024/25). 91 families put it first for 117 places (September 2026 entry).

Ages
11–19
Pupils
683
Gender
Mixed
Sixth form
Yes
Admissions
Non-selective
Local authority
Bolton
Academy trust
QUEST (A CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOLS TRUST)
Headteacher
Mr Ian Barry
Opened
Sept 2015

Inspection

Ofsted (framework in use until November 2025)

Read reports
Graded inspection 24 Sept 2024

Inspections from September 2024 did not give an overall grade, only the separate judgements below.

Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Sixth form
Good

Safeguarding effective: Yes

Inspection reports describe the school on the day. Read the full report and visit the school before deciding.

Exam results

Department for Education performance tables

GCSE results, 2024/25 · 91 pupils

Attainment 8
36.7
England 46.1
Grade 5+ Eng & maths
30.8%
England 45.4%
Grade 4+ Eng & maths
40.7%
England 64.8%
Progress 8
-0.98
2023/24 · CI -1.61 to -0.34
This school
36.7
Bolton
45.7
England
46.1

Attainment 8 over time

Progress 8 isn't published for 2024/25 because those pupils had no KS2 test results (tests were cancelled in 2020). Exams were not held in 2019/20 or 2020/21.

Admissions

Demand for places and how places are allocated

Search for your address on the map to see straight-line distances to schools.

Year 7 entry, September 2026 (national offer day data)

Offers made
117
1st preferences
91
All applications
230
1st prefs per place
0.78
Fewer first choices than places

91 of 91 first-preference applicants were offered a place (100%). 2 offers went to families living in another council area.

Catchment area

We don't have an official catchment boundary for this school. Many schools don't have one, and few councils publish boundaries as open data. We don't estimate catchments. Check the school's admissions policy or the council's admissions booklet.

Last distance offered

Not published nationally. Many councils publish the furthest distance offered for each school in their annual allocation reports. Past distances vary year to year with demand and sibling numbers, so they are not a guarantee.

How places are allocated: you apply through your home council. When a school has more applicants than places, it applies its published oversubscription criteria in order. These usually start with looked-after children, then siblings, then catchment or distance; faith schools may prioritise church attendance. Children with an EHC plan naming the school are admitted first. Apply on GOV.UK

Pupils

School census 2024/25

Pupils
604
Capacity
840
81% full
Girls / boys
41/59
Mixed
  • Eligible for free school meals (last 6 years)50.3%
  • English as an additional language57.8%
  • SEN support11.4%
  • Education, Health and Care plan1.8%
  • The black tick shows the median for state-funded secondary schools in England.
University Collegiate School, Bolton · SchoolPatch