Ofsted school ratings in Bolton
In Bolton (North West), 48 of 52 graded state-funded schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted — a Good-or-Outstanding rate of 92.3%. That is 5.1 percentage points above the England-wide rate of 87.2%, based on Ofsted’s management information as at 31 May 2026.
- Good or Outstanding
- 92.3%
- England 87.2%
- Outstanding
- 7
- Good
- 41
- Requires improvement
- 4
- Inadequate
- 0
- Graded schools
- 52
- rank 43/145
Ofsted overall-effectiveness grades in Bolton (31 May 2026)
| Grade | Schools in Bolton | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding | 7 | 13.5% |
| Good | 41 | 78.8% |
| Requires improvement | 4 | 7.7% |
| Inadequate | 0 | 0.0% |
The Good-or-Outstanding rate is derived from these real counts as (Outstanding + Good) ÷ all graded schools. Schools last inspected on or after 1 September 2024 carry no overall-effectiveness grade and are excluded, per Ofsted’s published methodology.
By school phase in Bolton
| Phase | Outstanding | Good | RI | Inadequate | Good+Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | 6 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 97.4% |
| Secondary | 0 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 75.0% |
| Special | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100.0% |
More about Bolton
Areas with a similar Good-or-Outstanding rate
Frequently asked questions
- How many schools in Bolton are rated Good or Outstanding?
- 48 of 52 graded state-funded schools in Bolton hold an Ofsted overall-effectiveness grade of Good or Outstanding — a Good-or-Outstanding rate of 92.3%. That figure is derived from Ofsted's real inspection counts as at 31 May 2026. Across England the rate is 87.2%.
- How many Outstanding schools does Bolton have?
- Bolton has 7 schools rated Outstanding and 41 rated Good, out of 52 graded state-funded schools, according to Ofsted management information as at 31 May 2026.
- Are there any Inadequate schools in Bolton?
- No state-funded school in Bolton currently holds an Inadequate overall-effectiveness grade in Ofsted's 31 May 2026 management information. 4 schools are rated Requires improvement.
- What is the Good-or-Outstanding rate for primary and secondary schools in Bolton?
- By phase in Bolton: 97.4% of 39 primary schools; 75.0% of 12 secondary schools; 100.0% of 1 special schools are rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted (as at 31 May 2026).
- How does Bolton compare with the rest of England for school ratings?
- Bolton ranks 43 of 145 English local authorities (those with at least 20 graded schools) by Ofsted Good-or-Outstanding rate, at 92.3% versus the England-wide 87.2% (as at 31 May 2026).
Reference period: latest inspections as at 31 May 2026 (Ofsted management information, published 2026-06-18). Source: Ofsted — State-funded school inspections and outcomes: management information. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Ofsted. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.