Smithills School Catchment Area
Smithills School is an academy converter secondary school in Bolton , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 1201 pupils, and a capacity of 1250 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
11-16
Age range
1,201
Pupils
1,250
Capacity
96%
Fill rate
Requires improvement
Ofsted 2023
Smithills School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Smithills School?
The catchment area for Smithills School is the geographic zone Bolton uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Bolton publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
As an academy, Smithills School sets its own admissions criteria, agreed with Bolton. The catchment area boundary is defined in the school's annual admissions policy, which may differ from the LA's general school admissions arrangements.
Get an alert if Smithills School goes oversubscribed for 2027 →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Bolton before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Bolton catchment area documents →Smithills School: 1250 places, 96% filled: nearing capacity
Smithills School has a published admission number of 1250 places. 1201 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 96%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 1250, Bolton's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 40.4% of pupils at Smithills School are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area of Bolton.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Bolton publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Find Bolton school admissions →
Smithills School: School Information
- Full address
- Smithills Dean Road, Bolton, BL1 6JS
- Local authority
- Bolton
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-16 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 40.4% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 140500
Other Secondary Schools in Bolton
If Smithills School is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Bolton are the next closest alternatives.
Westhoughton High School Catchment Area
Community school · BL5 3BZ
Turton School Catchment Area
Community school · BL7 9LT
St Joseph's RC High School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · BL6 6HW
Thornleigh Salesian College Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · BL1 6PQ
Ladybridge High School Catchment Area
Community school · BL3 4NG
Essa Academy Catchment Area
Academy sponsor led · BL3 3HH
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Smithills School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: Smithills School
What is the catchment area for Smithills School? ▾
The catchment area for Smithills School is the geographic zone Bolton uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and siblings. Bolton publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is Smithills School oversubscribed? ▾
Smithills School is operating close to its capacity of 1250 places (96% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Smithills School? ▾
Admission to Smithills School is managed by Bolton. When oversubscribed, places go to looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment area distance. Always verify the current policy with the council before applying.
What age range does Smithills School cover? ▾
Smithills School is a secondary school in Bolton, serving pupils aged 11-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for Smithills School? ▾
Smithills School was rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.