Ladybridge High School

Community school; mixed; ages 11 to 16; 1,136 pupils; Bolton, BL3 4NG; URN 134646

Ladybridge High School’s latest inspection, on 2 November 2022, gave an overall grade of Good on the old four-point scale. Of the eight state secondary schools nearest to it, two have a report card, three have key judgements without an overall grade, two have an overall grade on the old scale and one has an ungraded inspection. The oldest verdict, at Eden Boys' School, Bolton, dates from 4 July 2023; the latest, at Smithills School, from 31 March 2026.

Each mark is one of the schools below, at the date of its latest inspection: report card key judgements only overall grade, old scale ungraded inspection. Behind them, the ruler Ofsted used on that date: pale, an overall grade on the old four-point scale (until 31 August 2024); mid blue, key judgements without an overall grade (from 1 September 2024); deep blue, report cards (from 10 November 2025).

Ladybridge High School and the eight state secondary schools nearest to it

From Ladybridge High School’s position in the register of schools, in a straight line, among the open state schools in England that teach pupils of secondary age or students aged 16 and over (special schools and further education colleges are not included). Each mark sits at the exact date of the school’s latest inspection in Ofsted’s data as at 30 September 2026.

here
Ladybridge High School
BL3 4NG, Bolton

Good overall grade on the old four-point scale, 2 November 2022
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 45.8 (Bolton 45.3, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 38.6% (Bolton 46.6%, England 46.3%)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: good
- Behaviour and attitudes: good
- Personal development: good
- Leadership and management: good
Ofsted report for Ladybridge High School
1.4 mi2,210 m SE
Essa Academy
BL3 3HH, Bolton

Report card inspected 20 January 2026; safeguarding met
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 48.9 (Bolton 45.3, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 54.4% (Bolton 46.6%, England 46.3%)
The report card, area by area
- Inclusion: strong standard
- Curriculum and teaching: strong standard
- Achievement: strong standard
- Attendance and behaviour: strong standard
- Personal development and wellbeing: strong standard
- Leadership and governance: strong standard
- Safeguarding: met
Ofsted report for Essa Academy
1.4 mi2,275 m E
Bolton Muslim Girls School
BL3 6TQ, Bolton

Key judgements, no overall grade graded inspection, 11 March 2025
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 56.5 (Bolton 45.3, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 59.7% (Bolton 46.6%, England 46.3%)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: good
- Behaviour and attitudes: outstanding
- Personal development: good
- Leadership and management: good
Ofsted report for Bolton Muslim Girls School
1.5 mi2,472 m E
University Collegiate School
BL3 5AG, Bolton; sixth form

Key judgements, no overall grade graded inspection, 24 September 2024
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 41.4 (Bolton 45.3, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 37.5% (Bolton 46.6%, England 46.3%); A level 2024/25: listed by the DfE, figure not published
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: good
- Behaviour and attitudes: good
- Personal development: good
- Leadership and management: good
- Sixth form provision: good
Ofsted report for University Collegiate School
1.6 mi2,651 m SE
King's Leadership Academy Bolton
BL3 3HL, Bolton

Good overall grade on the old four-point scale, 17 October 2023
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 49.0 (Bolton 45.3, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 50.8% (Bolton 46.6%, England 46.3%)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: good
- Behaviour and attitudes: good
- Personal development: good
- Leadership and management: good
Ofsted report for King's Leadership Academy Bolton
2.3 mi3,728 m E
Mount St Joseph RC High School a Voluntary Academy
BL4 0HT, Bolton

Requires improvement overall grade on the old four-point scale, 24 October 2023
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 41.5 (Bolton 45.3, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 38.8% (Bolton 46.6%, England 46.3%)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: requires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudes: good
- Personal development: good
- Leadership and management: requires improvement
Ofsted report for Mount St Joseph RC High School a Voluntary Academy
2.4 mi3,838 m N
Smithills School
BL1 6JS, Bolton

Report card inspected 31 March 2026; safeguarding met
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 41.4 (Bolton 45.3, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 34.5% (Bolton 46.6%, England 46.3%)
The report card, area by area
- Inclusion: expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: needs attention
- Achievement: needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: expected standard
- Personal development and wellbeing: needs attention
- Leadership and governance: needs attention
- Safeguarding: met
Ofsted report for Smithills School
2.4 mi3,908 m NE
Eden Boys' School, Bolton
BL1 3QE, Bolton

School remains Outstanding ungraded inspection, 4 July 2023

GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 57.0 (Bolton 45.3, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 74.8% (Bolton 46.6%, England 46.3%)
Ofsted report for Eden Boys' School, Bolton
2.6 mi4,147 m NW
St Joseph's RC High School
BL6 6HW, Bolton

Key judgements, no overall grade graded inspection, 18 March 2025
GCSE 2025/26, provisional: Attainment 8 42.4 (Bolton 45.3, England 46.2); grades 5+ in English and maths 40.0% (Bolton 46.6%, England 46.3%)
The key judgements, one by one
- Quality of education: good
- Behaviour and attitudes: good
- Personal development: good
- Leadership and management: good
Ofsted report for St Joseph's RC High School

See more schools around it: the next schools by distance.

The latest inspection, in detail

Graded inspection of 2 November 2022: overall effectiveness Good
Key judgement	Position on the four-point scale	Grade
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good

Ungraded inspection of 30 September 2021, before this graded inspection: School remains Good, with concerns.

These grades come from the inspection system used before 10 November 2025; Ofsted says they cannot be compared with the new report cards. How to read these grades.

Read the full report on Ofsted’s website

Exam results

GCSE and other key stage 4 results, 2025/26 (provisional): 202 pupils at the end of key stage 4
Measure	This school	Bolton	England
Average Attainment 8 score	45.8	45.3	46.2
Percentage of pupils achieving grades 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs	38.6%	46.6%	46.3%
Percentage of pupils achieving grades 4 or above in English and maths GCSEs	55.9%	63.5%	64.8%

England and Bolton: all state-funded schools. Provisional figures can be revised by the Department for Education. The 2025/26 data gives no Progress 8 scores.

Nearby schools with a page on this site

Salford City Academy Salford, 7.2 mi in a straight line
Shevington High School Wigan, 8.6 mi in a straight line
Urmston Grammar Academy Trafford, 9.3 mi in a straight line

In the register of schools

Ladybridge High School is a state-funded mixed secondary school in Bolton, for pupils aged 11 to 16. The register counts 1,136 pupils for a capacity of 1,140. Address: New York, Junction Road, Bolton, BL3 4NG. Website: www.ladybridgehigh.co.uk/.

For school places, distance is measured as set out in each school’s admission arrangements, which may differ from a straight line: check them with the school or the council.

Sources

Department for Education: Key stage 4 performance, academic year 2025/26 (provisional), school, local authority and England data, accessed 31 October 2026.
Department for Education: 16 to 19 performance, academic year 2024/25 (final), A level results by school and for England, accessed 31 October 2026.
Department for Education: Get Information about Schools, register of schools (all establishments, 30 October 2026), accessed 30 October 2026.
Ofsted: management information, state-funded schools, latest inspections as at 30 September 2026, accessed 30 October 2026.

Last updated 2 November 2026.