Voluntary aided school · Blackburn with Darwen

St James' Church of England Primary School Blackburn

2–11Ages
395Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
119502URN

Earl Street, Blackburn, BB1 8EG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodApr 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Dec 2022

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.4per place

close to Blackburn with Darwen median (2.3)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Blackburn with Darwen

109 applications for 45 places · 21st of 46 in Blackburn with Darwen

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

66%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 GoodApr 2013

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Dec 2022

Inspection history

7 December 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
23 April 2013
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

2.4applications per place, Reception

close to Blackburn with Darwen median (2.3) 0.2 above England median (2.2)

109 applications · 45 places offered · 43 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
2025 2.8; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.4
2024 2.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.5
2023 2.0; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
2022 2.6; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
2021 1.9; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
2020 1.6; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.8
2019 1.7; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
2018 1.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2017 1.6; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2016 1.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2015 1.8; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2014 2.5; 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	45	109	2.4	43	0.96
Sep 2025	38	105	2.8	36	0.95
Sep 2024	43	108	2.5	35	0.81
Sep 2023	40	81	2.0	35	0.88
Sep 2022	26	67	2.6	22	0.85
Sep 2021	41	77	1.9	33	0.80
Sep 2020	46	72	1.6	32	0.70
Sep 2019	49	85	1.7	40	0.82
Sep 2018	44	67	1.5	31	0.70
Sep 2017	48	75	1.6	39	0.81
Sep 2016	59	83	1.4	38	0.64
Sep 2015	40	71	1.8	33	0.83
Sep 2014	35	86	2.5	35	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 83% · Writing 67% · Maths 90% → all three 66% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard66%20th of 51 in Blackburn with Darwen

Blackburn with Darwen 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard83%

Blackburn with Darwen 76% England 78%

Higher standard28%

Blackburn with Darwen 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard67%

Blackburn with Darwen 72% England 75%

Greater depth3%

Blackburn with Darwen 8% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard90%

Blackburn with Darwen 78% England 77%

Higher standard45%

Blackburn with Darwen 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 108 (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	66%	2%	107	108
2023/24	52%	7%	104	105
2022/23	59%	7%	104	104

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

St James' Church of England Primary School BlackburnThis school
This school

Remains Good2022

2.4applications per place 66%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 Michael With St John CofE Primary School
0.7 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2022

1.9applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Cedars Primary School
0.7 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Standards maintained2025

1.9applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Queen Elizabeth's Primary School
0.9 km · Blackburn with Darwen

2026

2.4applications per place 45%met the SATs standard
St Alban's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
1.0 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.7applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
St Anne's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
1.1 km · Blackburn with Darwen

2026

1.9applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
Lammack Primary School
1.3 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2022

2.6applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
Daisyfield Primary School
1.3 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Good2023

3.3applications per place 78%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: 119502 · 889/3468
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 480 pupils · 395 on roll
Free school meals: 23.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Earl Street, Blackburn, BB1 8EG
Local authority: Blackburn with Darwen

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