Alternatives to Smithills School
6 other secondary schools nearby, nearest first · back to Smithills School
These are the nearest schools that take children at the same age, and that we hold figures for. They are listed by distance, nearest first. This is not a league table. Nothing here says one school is better than another.
Smithills School, for comparison
0.56 first preferences per place in the 2026 intake, stable over the 5 most recent years held.
Ofsted report card (current framework), March 2026: Needs attention
Nearby schools
| School | Distance | 1st prefs per place | Demand since | Latest Ofsted | Catchment | SEN provision on site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thornleigh Salesian College
Bolton |
0.8 km 0.5 mi |
0.93 | Little change in first preferences per place 1.03 → 1.01 |
Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework) |
none published | none recorded |
| Eden Boys' School, Bolton
Bolton |
1.4 km 0.9 mi |
1.66 | Fewer first preferences per place 1.98 → 1.75 |
School remains Outstanding Ofsted ungraded inspection |
none published | none recorded |
| Sharples School
Bolton |
2.2 km 1.4 mi |
1.46 | More first preferences per place 1.27 → 1.49 |
Improved significantly Ofsted ungraded inspection |
none published | none recorded |
| University Collegiate School
Bolton |
3.0 km 1.9 mi |
0.78 | More first preferences per place 0.56 → 0.67 |
Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework) |
none published | none recorded |
| Canon Slade School
Bolton |
3.1 km 1.9 mi |
1.00 | Fewer first preferences per place 1.24 → 1.04 |
Not judged Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework) |
none published | none recorded |
| Turton School
Bolton |
3.3 km 2.1 mi |
0.97 | Fewer first preferences per place 1.07 → 0.93 |
Good Ofsted graded inspection (previous framework) |
none published | none recorded |
"1st prefs per place" means how many families put the school first, for each place it gave out. It is the newest year we hold for each school. It shows how many people want the school. It does not tell you if a child would get a place. "Catchment" says whether anyone publishes an area map for that school. Where nobody does, we hold no map, so we cannot say if an address is inside one. "SEN provision on site" says the school runs a SEN unit or a resourced provision. It does not say how many children it takes or which kinds of need it is set up for, because neither is published for a mainstream school, and it is not a statement about how well any school supports children with SEN. Ask the school or the council.