Westhoughton High School Catchment Area
Westhoughton High School is a community secondary school in Bolton , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 1338 pupils, and a capacity of 1350 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.
11-16
Age range
1,338
Pupils
1,350
Capacity
99%
Fill rate
Requires improvement
Ofsted 2023
Westhoughton High School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for Westhoughton High School?
The catchment area for Westhoughton High 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.
Secondary school places at Westhoughton High School are allocated by Bolton using ranked oversubscription criteria. Catchment area residence is typically among the highest priorities after looked-after children and siblings, and the boundary is reviewed each year.
Get an alert if Westhoughton High 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 →Westhoughton High School: 1350 places, 99% filled: nearing capacity
Westhoughton High School has a published admission number of 1350 places. 1338 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 99%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 1350, 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. 22.9% of pupils at Westhoughton High School are eligible for free school meals, broadly in line with the national average. This reflects a mixed catchment population across 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 →
Westhoughton High School: School Information
- Full address
- Bolton Road, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3BZ
- Local authority
- Bolton
- School type
- Community school
- Phase of education
- Secondary
- Age range
- 11-16 years
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 22.9% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 105252
Other Secondary Schools in Bolton
If Westhoughton High School is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Bolton are the next closest alternatives.
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
Kearsley Academy Catchment Area
Academy sponsor led · BL4 8HY
Nearest secondary schools by distance
These are the secondary schools closest to Westhoughton High 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: Westhoughton High School
What is the catchment area for Westhoughton High School? ▾
The catchment area for Westhoughton High 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 Westhoughton High School oversubscribed? ▾
Westhoughton High School is operating close to its capacity of 1350 places (99% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.
What is the admissions policy for Westhoughton High School? ▾
Admission to Westhoughton High 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 Westhoughton High School cover? ▾
Westhoughton High 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 Westhoughton High School? ▾
Westhoughton High School was rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.