Bolton School Boys' Division
Same Bury area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
Darul Uloom Al Arabiya Al Islamiya is a private secondary-stage school in Nr. Bury, Greater Manchester, with a published age range of 11-23.
Private school Boys Ages 11-23 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-23
- Ofsted ?
- All standards Met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
Darul Uloom Al Arabiya Al Islamiya
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Boys only
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-23
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- Ofsted ?
- All standards Met
Overview
Overview
Darul Uloom Al Arabiya Al Islamiya has been a boys' residential Islamic school since opening in 1979. Based at Holcombe Hall near Bury, it serves pupils and students from 11 to 23, including a Sixth Form. The older age span and boarding model bring secondary education, advanced Islamic study and residential life into one institution, separate from the residential-care provider at the same postcode.
Academic and Islamic learning sit side by side. The school provides a broad academic curriculum and recognised qualifications through the key stages, while the Sixth Form continues to develop its offer. Reading, personal development, careers guidance and preparation for life after school are part of the senior experience, alongside charity work, trips, football and cricket.
Boarding gives the school its distinctive daily rhythm. Pupils and sixth-form students live in a close community with staff who work and live alongside them, so relationships, study and routine continue beyond lessons. This is a materially different choice from a day school: the residential setting and the 11-to-23 age span need to be considered together.
In July 2025, the overall outcome was Good and all independent-school standards were met. No separate admissions route is identified here, so entry requirements, available places and residential arrangements need direct confirmation before plans are made.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 55.3% grade 5+ in English and maths and 43 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 14.3% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Bury and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 43
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 55.3%
- EBacc APS
- 4.88
- EBacc entry
- 93.6%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Bury and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Boys only
- Age range
- 11-23
- Headteacher
- Mr M Khan
- Pupil roll
- 383 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Holcombe Hall, Holcombe Old Road, Holcombe, Nr. Bury, Greater Manchester
- Postcode
- BL8 4NG
- Area
- Bury
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mr M Khan
School contact
- School phone
- 01706826106
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01706826106
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-23
- Gender
- Boys only
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- Check school fees page
- Boarding fees
- Check school fees page
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 43 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 76.6% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 55.3% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 4.88 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 14.3% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 36.15 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
All standards Met
Latest inspection: 1 July 2025
- Quality of education
- 2
- Behaviour and attitudes
- 2
- Personal development
- 2
- Leadership and management
- 2
- Sixth form provision
- 2
Quick summary
- Ofsted inspection outcome: Ofsted's latest independent school standard inspection began on 2025-07-01. The reported outcome is: All standards Met.
- Ofsted safeguarding: The Ofsted dataset records safeguarding as: Yes.
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Shortlist comparisons
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Darul Uloom Al Arabiya Al Islamiya handle admissions?
Darul Uloom Al Arabiya Al Islamiya handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Darul Uloom Al Arabiya Al Islamiya?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Darul Uloom Al Arabiya Al Islamiya?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Darul Uloom Al Arabiya Al Islamiya?
Darul Uloom Al Arabiya Al Islamiya is currently rated All standards Met following the latest published inspection dated 1 July 2025.