Admission Details

Admission Policies

Admissions Policy for September 2025

Admissions Policy for September 2024

Admissions Policy for September 2023

Bolton Deanery

If you wish to check whether you live within the Bolton Deanery  - please follow the link below.  This will take you to the Manchester Diocese Church Near You Website - please enter your postcode and it will tell you which parish you live in.  It is important that you understand, Parish Areas are not the same as Geographical areas. The Parish Areas that are within the Bolton Deanery are:

Check your postcode here

Admissions Details

Please see full policy on the link above for full details.

Age range : 11 - 16

Admission number for September 2023 for Admission to Year 7 is 210

St James’s is a Church of England Academy School. Our motto of “Caring For Others † Achieving Excellence” is central to everything we do. When young people join our school, they become part of the family and through this we develop their potential through academic success, personal and social development and self-discipline, based on the beliefs and values of Christian faith.

If you are applying for a place at St James’s you are strongly advised to complete the school’s supplementary form.  This form is available from and is returned to the school.  Your preference for St James’s must also be indicated on the Local Authority form/online application.

In Year Admissions

If a child is already at secondary school and the parent/carer wishes to transfer to St James’s Church of England High School they must first make a Bolton Local Authority application via the 'Citizen Portal'. The Local Authority will then contact St James’s to ascertain if there are any places available in the appropriate year group. Once the application has been processed and a decision reached (10 – 15 school days), you will receive an email informing you that your child’s school place details are available in the Citizen Portal.  To view the offer information, you will need to log into the Citizen Portal. 

Guidance on the Local Authority application process of and  a link to the 'Citizen Portal' can be found on the Bolton Council 'Moving During the School Year' webpage. 

If a place is available, in accordance with the Bolton Local Authority Co-ordinated School Admission procedures, the school will consider the application. If there are more applications than places available, then the school will follow its admission procedures and request completion of the school’s Supplementary Form for the relevant intake year and apply the published oversubscription admissions criteria to award the place.

Full details can be found in the Admissions Policy.

Pupil and Student Services at the Local Authority can be contacted via email admissions@bolton.gov.uk

Right of Appeal

Any applicant refused a place at a school of their choice has a right of appeal to an independent appeal panel for a place at their preferred school.

if a preferred place is refused, appeal forms and guidance on the appeals process are available on the Local Authority Bolton Council School Admission Appeals webpage. Alternatively, a request for an appeal application form can be made by contacting the Clerk to the School Admission Appeals Panel at the Local Authority via democraticservices@bolton.gov.uk.

An appeal date will be arranged within 40 school days of your appeal being lodged, and you will be requested to attend an appeal hearing.

An appeals panel, comprising three independent members, will consider your reasons for the appeal and will decide whether the child can attend the school of your choice.  The panel members have a background in education and are independent of us.

A full explanation of the appeal process will be included in the notification letter sent to you.