Kearsley Academy

School overview

Kearsley Academy is a secondary school serving Bolton, classified by the DfE as a sponsor-led academy. It has 780 pupils aged 11 to 16 on roll. At its most recent graded inspection, Ofsted rated Kearsley Academy 'Good'. The school's average Attainment 8 score in the latest GCSE results was 51.8 — above the national average (national average: 46). Performance is little changed year on year. On our composite score, which combines the DfE attainment measures above, this places it in the top 23% of secondary schools nationally.

59% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and maths, well above the national average of about 45%. 73% achieved a standard pass (grade 4+) in English and maths. Getting a place is straightforward: for the September 2026 intake every family who made Kearsley Academy their first choice was offered one of its 170 Year 7 places. After Year 11, 83% of its leavers went on to education, an apprenticeship or work that they stayed in for at least two terms. Overall pupil absence was 9.1%. There are about 19.5 pupils per teacher. The school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage: about 43% of pupils have been eligible for free school meals in the last six years, compared with roughly 24% nationally — useful context when reading the results above. When comparing schools, it is still worth visiting in person to see whether the atmosphere and approach suit your child. This overview is generated automatically from the latest published DfE performance tables and Ofsted data; figures are rounded, and you can check the originals via the official links above.