Westhoughton High School

A requires improvement community school school in Bolton. Explore Ofsted ratings, admissions information, and performance data for Westhoughton High School.

Bolton, BL53BZ Ofsted: Requires Improvement Age 11-16 Mixed intake
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Performance Score

Overall school rating

46

/ 100

Secondary weighted harmonic mean of 3 indicators

Indicators used for Secondary schools

Progress 8 score
40.2
/ 100 normalized
Weight: 40.0%
Raw: -0.64
English & Maths grade 4+ %
53.9
/ 100 normalized
Weight: 30.0%
Raw: 59.2%
Ofsted inspection outcome
50.0
/ 100 normalized
Weight: 30.0%
Raw: Requires Improvement

How we weight each phase

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Primary schools

  • KS2 pupils meeting expected standard 40.0%
  • KS2 pupils exceeding expected standard 30.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 30.0%

Secondary schools

  • Progress 8 score 40.0%
  • English & Maths grade 4+ % 30.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 30.0%

All-through schools

  • Progress 8 score 25.0%
  • English & Maths grade 4+ % 20.0%
  • KS2 pupils meeting expected standard 20.0%
  • KS2 pupils exceeding expected standard 15.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 20.0%

Secondary with Sixth Form schools

  • Progress 8 score 20.0%
  • English & Maths grade 4+ % 20.0%
  • Continue in education or training 20.0%
  • Sustained employment 20.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 20.0%

Sixth Form Only schools

  • Continue in education or training 40.0%
  • Sustained employment 30.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 30.0%

Special schools

  • Ofsted inspection outcome 100.0%

Alternative Provision schools

  • Ofsted inspection outcome 100.0%

Independent schools

  • Ofsted inspection outcome 100.0%

Ofsted Inspection

Official inspection outcomes

Requires Improvement
Overall effectiveness
Requires Improvement
Last inspected
10 May 2023
Previous grade
Good
Quality of education
Requires Improvement
Behaviour & attitudes
Requires Improvement
Personal development
Requires Improvement
Leadership & management
Requires Improvement
Safeguarding
Effective

Source: Ofsted inspection outcomes. Grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate.

Contact Information

How to reach this school

Source: GIAS
Address
Bolton Road
Westhoughton
Bolton, BL53BZ

Location

Find the school on the map

Source: Geocoding

School Information

Basic details and characteristics

Source: GIAS
URN
105252
Type
Community school
Phase
Secondary
Address
Bolton Road, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3BZ
Age range
11-16
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Does not apply
School status
Open
Capacity
1350 pupils
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Sixth Form
No
Nursery
No

School Performance Data

Official government statistics

Source: DfE

School Demographics

Total Pupils
1,354
Free School Meals
22.5% (305 pupils)
Special Educational Needs
1.3% (18 pupils)

Daily Attendance

Attendance Rate
89.5%
Needs improvement
Persistent Absence
30.7%
Missing 10%+ of school days

Detailed Performance Metrics

Attainment 8 Scores
Attainment 8:
43.1
Ebacc Attainment 8:
12.2
English Attainment 8:
9.7
Maths Attainment 8:
8.3
Open Subjects Attainment 8:
13.0
EBacc Subject Performance
Ebacc Attainment 8:
12.2
Ebacc English:
98.1%
Ebacc Entry:
3.4%
Ebacc Humanities:
66.3%
Ebacc Languages:
13.1%
Ebacc Maths:
99.3%
Ebacc Sciences:
89.5%
Progress Measures
Progress 8:
-0.64
Progress 8 Range:
-0.81 to -0.47

Calculated Fields

Derived insights and analysis

Source: Calculated

Class Size Information

Average Class Size
38 pupils
Large Classes
Pupils per Year Group
226
Average across all year groups
Total School Size
1,354 pupils
11-16

From the School Website

Information extracted from the school's own website

Source: School Website

Ethos & Values

"LEARN: Look after each other; Enjoy our school; Aim high; Respect one another, ourselves and our school community; Never stop learning."

Look after each other Enjoy our school Aim high Respect one another, ourselves and our school community Never stop learning

British values are promoted through the curriculum, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, notably in Citizenship and Religious Education.

Head Teacher's Message

Headteacher Mr N S Coe describes WHS as a school at the heart of the community, guided by the LEARN values, focused on inclusivity, continuous improvement, and creating strong relationships between staff, students and families.

Extracurriculars

Clubs

Massive variety of clubs including Sports, Drama, Music, Art, Technology, Cooking, Maths, English, Science and French clubs and more.

Facilities

Five buildings on site; the most recent addition is A Block opened in 2020. Many teaching rooms equipped with digital projectors and interactive whiteboards. Outdoor food pod arrived in summer 2021; outside food truck added in summer 2022. Tented social areas developed around the site for break and lunchtimes. Site adjoins the local leisure centre offering access to a gym, squash courts and a swimming pool. Car park gates are closed at certain times for student safety.

Curriculum Highlights

LEARN values embedded in the curriculum (Look after one another; Enjoy learning; Aim high; Respect; Never stop learning). Core KS3 and KS4 offer English, Maths and Science; languages begin in KS3 with a second language from Year 8 (French or Spanish); full National Curriculum coverage across key subjects; KS4 pathways (W or H) with a broad and balanced option structure and EBacc considerations. Form-time Reading Programme and a Reading strategy to develop literacy; emphasis on reading for pleasure and learning; reading targets and library access. Extensive enrichment and reading across the curriculum, plus access to a wide range of subjects including Art, Computing, Geography, History, Modern Foreign Languages, Drama, Music, Design Technology, and more.

Wraparound Care

Breakfast Club: Yes After-School Care: Yes

Breakfast clubs in the library; after-school clubs on select days (see the extra-curricular timetable).

SEND Provision

The Hub – Appropriate Provision supports students facing barriers to mainstream education with three provision strands (The Bridge for KS3/KS4; Foundations for KS3; Horizons for KS4), core subjects (English, Maths, Science, Humanities), Life Skills, accreditation toward GCSEs/vocational pathways, and flexible placement with regular assessments and reintegration planning. It operates with a trauma-informed, relationship-based approach and strong safeguarding and family engagement to support reintegration and post-16 readiness.

Admissions Criteria

Year 7 admissions information: applications open 1 September 2025; closing date 31 October 2025; national offer day 2 March 2026. Full details can be found via Bolton Council.

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