Bolton College
Fewer than one in five students go on to university — well below the England rate.
of 16–18 leavers started university · Bolton 31% · England 37% · DfE destination measures, students who left in 2023
- Ofsted
- —
Ofsted: Not covered by Ofsted school inspections.
Where do sixth-formers go at 18?
DfE 16–18 destination measures · 1,198 students who left in 2023
10% went to university (England 37%). 9% started an apprenticeship (England 7%). 29% went into work and 29% had no steady place a year on (England 28% and 16%).
Most selective universities — the third of UK universities whose entrants hold the highest grades; the share is of students who completed level 3 qualifications.
Full breakdown7
| Measure | Bolton College | Bolton | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 1,198 | 2,568 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 62% | 73% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 10% | 31% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 2% | 12% | 19% |
| Further education | 14% | 8% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 9% | 8% | 7% |
| Employment | 29% | 26% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 29% | 21% | 16% |
Which universities did they go to?
Named universities — most schools do not publish this; the official DfE figures above only say how many went to university and how selective those universities were.
universities’ answers to sch.today’s Freedom of Information requests · request tracker
What universities’ own admissions data say3
For each entry year: how many of this school’s students applied, received an offer and enrolled. Counts under five are shown as “<5” to protect individuals. Applications exclude Clearing; enrolments are students who completed registration.
| University | Entry year | Applied | Offers | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Bristol | 2025 | <5 | — | — |
| 2024 | <5 | — | — | |
| 2023 | <5 | <5 | — |
A university’s enrolment count and a school’s own destinations list can differ: the school counts places accepted in the summer, the university counts students registered in the autumn.
What do pupils study?
DfE subject entries 2025 · curriculum catalogue by sch.today
Fields of knowledge — twelve fields the curriculum catalogue sorts every learning outcome into; the bars show the GCSE and A level ring.
A level subjects3
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting/Finance | — | — | 1% |
| Psychology | — | — | 23% |
| Sociology | — | — | 13% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses14
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | 29 | 100% | — |
| Engineering Studies | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | 25 | 100% | — |
| Plumbing (Building Work) | VRQ Level 2 | 22 | 100% | — |
| Health Studies | VRQ Level 3 | 19 | 100% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | BTEC Technical Certificate L2 - Band E - P-D | 16 | 100% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | 14 | 100% | — |
| Sports Studies | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | 10 | 100% | — |
| Art and Design | VRQ Level 3 | 10 | 100% | — |
| Applied Sciences | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | 9 | 100% | — |
| Computer Architecture / Systems | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | 8 | 100% | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | 7 | 100% | — |
| Computing and IT Advanced Technician | BTEC National Extended Diploma L3 - Band N - PPP-D*D*D* | — | — | — |
| Engineering Studies | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | — | — | — |
| Business Studies | BTEC National Foundation Diploma L3 - Band H - P-D* | — | — | — |
A level results8
| Measure | Bolton College | Bolton | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 2,873 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 1 | 825 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | — | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | — | 34.50 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | — | C+ | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | — | 13% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
How do you get a place?
Admission is by application to the provider, usually against GCSE grades for each course; there is no distance rule.
- Dec–FebYear 11: apply directly; most close applications in these months
- AugGCSE results day: places are confirmed against the entry grades
Compare with nearby schools
More Bolton schools3
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.