Voluntary aided school · Blackburn with Darwen

Hoddlesden St Paul's Church of England Primary School

3–11Ages
237Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
119455URN

Hoddlesden St Paul's CE Primary School, Bayne Street, Hoddlesden, Darwen, BB3 3NH · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Dec 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.5per place

0.2 above Blackburn with Darwen median (2.3)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Blackburn with Darwen

73 applications for 29 places · 16th of 46 in Blackburn with Darwen

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

41%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 inspection · 10 December 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Early years provision	Outstanding

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

2.5applications per place, Reception

0.2 above Blackburn with Darwen median (2.3) 0.3 above England median (2.2)

73 applications · 29 places offered · 39 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
2025 2.0; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.4
2024 1.7; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.5
2023 2.1; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
2022 2.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
2021 1.8; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
2020 1.8; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.8
2019 2.3; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
2018 1.6; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2017 2.2; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2016 2.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2015 2.3; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2014 2.1; 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	29	73	2.5	39	1.34
Sep 2025	30	61	2.0	31	1.03
Sep 2024	30	51	1.7	29	0.97
Sep 2023	30	63	2.1	32	1.07
Sep 2022	30	74	2.5	43	1.43
Sep 2021	30	54	1.8	30	1.00
Sep 2020	30	53	1.8	31	1.03
Sep 2019	30	68	2.3	32	1.07
Sep 2018	26	42	1.6	24	0.92
Sep 2017	30	65	2.2	42	1.40
Sep 2016	30	72	2.4	37	1.23
Sep 2015	30	70	2.3	34	1.13
Sep 2014	27	57	2.1	28	1.04

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 62% · Writing 72% · Maths 52% → all three 41% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard41%45th of 51 in Blackburn with Darwen

Blackburn with Darwen 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard62%

Blackburn with Darwen 76% England 78%

Higher standard10%

Blackburn with Darwen 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard72%

Blackburn with Darwen 72% England 75%

Greater depth7%

Blackburn with Darwen 8% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard52%

Blackburn with Darwen 78% England 77%

Higher standard21%

Blackburn with Darwen 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (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	41%	3%	102	102
2023/24	71%	18%	107	106
2022/23	83%	13%	107	107

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

Hoddlesden St Paul's Church of England Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.5applications per place 41%met the SATs standard
Darwen Aldridge Sudell Primary
1.6 km · Blackburn with Darwen

2026

1.7applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Darwen St Peter's Church of England Primary School
1.8 km · Blackburn with Darwen

2026

2.1applications per place 43%met the SATs standard
Darwen St James CofE Primary Academy
2.1 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 37%met the SATs standard
Belthorn Academy Primary School
2.1 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2024

1.2applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy
2.4 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2023

3.1applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
Holy Trinity VC School
2.5 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Graded · no overall grade2025

6.8applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Darwen
2.7 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Standards maintained2025

2.6applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Ashleigh Primary School
2.8 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2023

2.6applications per place 66%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: 119455 · 889/3373
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 210 pupils · 237 on roll
Free school meals: 1.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Hoddlesden St Paul's CE Primary School, Bayne Street, Hoddlesden, Darwen, BB3 3NH
Local authority: Blackburn with Darwen

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