Community school · Blackburn with Darwen

Cedars Primary School

3–11Ages
407Pupils
PrimaryPhase
119222URN

St. James's Road, Blackburn, BB1 8HQ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodNov 2019

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Feb 2025

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.9per place

0.4 below Blackburn with Darwen median (2.3)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Blackburn with Darwen

98 applications for 52 places · 33rd of 46 in Blackburn with Darwen

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

70%met the expected standard

Blackburn with Darwen 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodNov 2019

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Feb 2025

The graded inspection, 12 November 2019Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Inspection history

5 February 2025
Ungraded inspection: Standards maintained
12 November 2019
Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.9applications per place, Reception

0.4 below Blackburn with Darwen median (2.3) 0.3 below England median (2.2)

98 applications · 52 places offered · 44 named it first

2026 1.9; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
2025 1.9; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.4
2024 2.3; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.5
2023 2.3; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
2022 1.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
2021 1.9; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
2020 1.8; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.8
2019 1.8; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
2018 1.9; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2017 2.3; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2016 1.7; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2015 1.7; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2014 2.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.4

This school
Blackburn with Darwen median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	52	98	1.9	44	0.85
Sep 2025	44	83	1.9	42	0.95
Sep 2024	36	83	2.3	35	0.97
Sep 2023	27	63	2.3	26	0.96
Sep 2022	46	69	1.5	41	0.89
Sep 2021	35	68	1.9	31	0.89
Sep 2020	38	68	1.8	31	0.82
Sep 2019	31	56	1.8	28	0.90
Sep 2018	26	50	1.9	22	0.85
Sep 2017	27	61	2.3	21	0.78
Sep 2016	51	86	1.7	45	0.88
Sep 2015	53	92	1.7	50	0.94
Sep 2014	44	107	2.4	43	0.98

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 83% · Writing 74% · Maths 93% → all three 70% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard70%13th of 51 in Blackburn with Darwen

Blackburn with Darwen 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard83%

Blackburn with Darwen 76% England 78%

Higher standard48%

Blackburn with Darwen 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard74%

Blackburn with Darwen 72% England 75%

Greater depth11%

Blackburn with Darwen 8% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard93%

Blackburn with Darwen 78% England 77%

Higher standard52%

Blackburn with Darwen 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 110 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Blackburn with Darwen median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	70%	11%	108	110
2023/24	75%	18%	106	108
2022/23	75%	11%	105	105

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Cedars Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Standards maintained2025

1.9applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Brookhouse Primary School
0.5 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2022

2.5applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
St James' Church of England Primary School Blackburn
0.7 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2022

2.4applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
St Stephen's Church of England Primary School
0.9 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Requires significant improvement 2026

1.6applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
0.9 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Good2023

2.5applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
St Gabriel's Church of England Primary School
1.0 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Good2024

4.1applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Daisyfield Primary School
1.0 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Good2023

3.3applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Roe Lee Park Primary School
1.0 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2023

2.0applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
St Michael With St John CofE Primary School
1.1 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2022

1.9applications per place 69%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 119222 · 889/2169
Capacity: 420 pupils · 407 on roll
Free school meals: 20.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Replaced: Hawthorns Junior School (URN 119117)
Address: St. James's Road, Blackburn, BB1 8HQ
Local authority: Blackburn with Darwen

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources