School profile

The Bolsover School

Secondary · Academy converter · Chesterfield, S44 6XA

Good

Map showing The Bolsover School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,191 of 3,312

Worse than 66% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

The Bolsover School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 11 Nov 2025

Area360 rating
Good
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeAcademy converter
Ages11 to 16
Pupils911
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Matthew Hall
TrustREDHILL ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityDerbyshire
Opened01 Oct 2012
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 138836.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.42.9, worse than England, worse than Derbyshire45.246.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.65%, similar to England, similar to Derbyshire64.8%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.45.2%, similar to England, similar to Derbyshire44.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.7%, worse than England, worse than Derbyshire10.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths52.2%, worse than England, worse than Derbyshire59.8%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4157--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils911
Girls432
Boys479
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.39.2%
First language not English3.1%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.900
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.0%
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.129
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.40
Average class size24.8

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
90.2%
Other White
2.3%
White and Black Caribbean
1.9%
African
1%
Other ethnic group
0.9%
Indian
0.8%
White and Asian
0.7%
White and Black African
0.4%
Other mixed
0.4%
Other Black
0.3%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher16.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11.5
Teachers (FTE)55.9
Teaching assistants (FTE)14.03
Support staff (FTE)31.56
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2556.1
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2552.3
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/252
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/251.8

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.174
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.330
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.209
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.169
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)0

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolDerbyshireEngland
Overall absence9.1%, worse than England, worse than Derbyshire8.1%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.26.4%, worse than England, worse than Derbyshire20.3%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.3.9%, similar to England, similar to Derbyshire3.7%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate39.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions12.6%
Permanent exclusion rate0.4%
Permanent exclusions4

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.89.3%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.79.9%
Further education53.3%
School sixth form26%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.1%
Apprenticeship5.9%
Employment3.6%
Sixth form college0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near The Bolsover School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.3 miPrimaryBolsover Church of England Junior SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.6 miPrimaryBolsover Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.1 miPrimaryNew Bolsover Primary and Nursery SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.2 miPrimaryScarcliffe Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good
1.3 miPrimaryPalterton Primary SchoolAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Bolsover School

What is The Bolsover School's Ofsted rating?

The Bolsover School is rated Good, last inspected on 11 Nov 2025. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Bolsover School rank in England?

The Bolsover School ranks 2,191 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 66% of schools).

What are The Bolsover School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 45.2% of pupils at The Bolsover School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 42.9 (England 46.2).

How hard is it to get into The Bolsover School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Bolsover School made 174 offers from 330 applications (1.9 per offer), and 169 of 209 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Bolsover School?

The Bolsover School has 911 pupils aged 11 to 16.

What is the capacity of The Bolsover School?

The Bolsover School had 900 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Bolsover School have a sixth form?

No, The Bolsover School teaches pupils up to age 16.

How big are classes at The Bolsover School?

At The Bolsover School, the average class had 24.8 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 16.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Bolsover School?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Bolsover School missed 9.1% of sessions (England 8%), and 26.4% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.