BOLTON can boast more good schools than most similar towns, according to an analysis of inspection reports.

Ofsted points out that there is a huge gulf between areas of Bolton and schools face different challenges because some serve affluent areas while others have pupils who come from deprived backgrounds.

But inspectors say the percentage of secondary schools judged good or very good is higher than that found in similar towns and nationally.

Bolton secondary schools are also improving at a faster rate than elsewhere in the country and so is the quality of teaching, according to Ofsted.

The number of primary pupils judged to be good or very good is line with the national average but higher than similar towns.

The rate of improvement in primary schools and the quality of teaching is at least as good as and often better than the national average.

Although there are sharp contrasts between the affluent and deprived areas of town, overall Bolton is a very average town and this is reflected in exam results.

Standard Assessment Test (SAT) results for seven, 11 and 14-year-olds are in line with the national average -- except for maths for seven-year-olds and English for 14-year-olds which are low.

The number of children gaining five good GCSEs is broadly in line with the national average.

But the lower than average number of pupils gaining just one GCSE of any grade is low, as is the average points score for 16-year-olds.

Attendance and exclusion figures are also mostly average but the rate of unauthorised absences in secondary schools is slightly higher than the national average.