Voluntary aided school · Lancashire

Balderstone St Leonard's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

2–11Ages
106Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
119415URN

Commons Lane, Balderstone, Blackburn, BB2 7LL · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodApr 2014

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Sep 2023

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.8per place

0.2 above Lancashire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Lancashire

25 applications for 9 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

79%met the expected standard

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodApr 2014

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Sep 2023

Inspection history

12 September 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
2 April 2014
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

2.8applications per place, Reception

0.2 above Lancashire median (2.6) 0.6 above England median (2.2)

25 applications · 9 places offered · 9 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.8; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 2.0; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 7.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.5
2021 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.6
2020 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.7
2019 2.9; Lancashire median median 2.6
2018 2.7; Lancashire median median 2.7
2017 3.6; Lancashire median median 2.5
2016 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2015 2.9; Lancashire median median 2.5
2014 3.0; Lancashire median median 2.4

This school
Lancashire 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	9	25	2.8	9	1.00
Sep 2025	16	32	2.0	18	1.13
Sep 2024	15	33	2.2	15	1.00
Sep 2023	2	15	7.5	2	1.00
Sep 2022	14	29	2.1	15	1.07
Sep 2021	14	34	2.4	13	0.93
Sep 2020	14	33	2.4	14	1.00
Sep 2019	15	43	2.9	17	1.13
Sep 2018	15	41	2.7	14	0.93
Sep 2017	11	40	3.6	11	1.00
Sep 2016	16	40	2.5	12	0.75
Sep 2015	15	43	2.9	16	1.07
Sep 2014	13	39	3.0	9	0.69

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 93% · Writing 86% · Maths 86% → all three 79% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard79%51st of 444 in Lancashire

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard93%

Lancashire 77% England 78%

Higher standard64%

Lancashire 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 112 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard86%

Lancashire 74% England 75%

Greater depth36%

Lancashire 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard86%

Lancashire 76% England 77%

Higher standard21%

Lancashire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Lancashire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	79%	14%	112	108
2023/24	77%	8%	109	107
2022/23	71%	21%	109	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

Balderstone St Leonard's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Remains Good2023

2.8applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Osbaldeston
1.8 km · Lancashire

2026

2.3applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Mellor St Mary Church of England Primary School
2.5 km · Lancashire

Improved significantly2025

2.4applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
Ribchester St Wilfrid's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
3.5 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2023

2.1applications per place 30%met the SATs standard
Alston Lane Catholic Primary School, Longridge
4.1 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2022

3.7applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Samlesbury Church of England School
4.5 km · Lancashire

2026

1.7applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Lammack Primary School
4.8 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2022

2.6applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
The Olive School, Blackburn
4.9 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.2applications per place 98%met the SATs standard
Grimsargh St Michael's Church of England Primary School
5.0 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.1applications per place 77%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: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 119415 · 888/3300
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 105 pupils · 106 on roll
Free school meals: 5.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Commons Lane, Balderstone, Blackburn, BB2 7LL
Local authority: Lancashire · Ribble Valley

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