SchoolScoresBirtenshaw School Bolton
Independent special school · All-through, ages 3 to 19 · Mixed · Nursery class · Sixth form
Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, Bolton, BL7 9AB
01204 304230 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 19 February 2013.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 18 November 2022: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted non-association independent schools inspection data.
What parents say
11 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025.
| Statement | This school | England |
|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school | 91% | 88% |
| My child feels safe at this school | 82% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved | 91% | 84% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent | 100%said yes | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
We don't show GCSE or primary results for independent schools. DfE's tables often leave out the IGCSEs and other qualifications many independent schools use, so their published figures can look far lower than pupils' real results. DfE has published no A level results for this school. Ask the school for its results.
Admissions
Independent schools run their own admissions and set their own fees. Contact the school directly.
Pupils, staff and SEND
This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round. It caters for: Autism; Severe learning difficulties.
| Pupils | This school | Bolton | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years | 37.2% | 48.6%* | 51.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 100.0% | 99.1%* | 99.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 0.0% | 0.9%* | 0.5% |
| English as an additional language | 13.2% | 22.1%* | 14.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) | 11.6% | 12.5%* | 12.8% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) | 27.4% | 34.6%* | 35.3% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 17.5 | 12.3 |
| Pupils suspended at least once | 0.0% | 6.6% | 5.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.32% | 0.08% |
Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby special schools
- Firwood High School 1.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2012, before conversion), confirmed 2023
- Breightmet School 2.3 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Requires improvement (2025)
- EdStart Schools Bolton 2.6 miles · Independent · Ofsted: No graded inspection
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Birtenshaw School Bolton's Ofsted rating?
Birtenshaw School Bolton was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 19 February 2013. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 18 November 2022, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Would parents recommend Birtenshaw School Bolton?
100% of the 11 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 1 January 2024 and 6 January 2025 said they would recommend Birtenshaw School Bolton to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Birtenshaw School Bolton oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 1 families put Birtenshaw School Bolton as their first choice for 1 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 1 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 105280.
- Inspections: Ofsted non-association independent schools management information, data to 31 July 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 1 January 2024 to 6 January 2025.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.