Voluntary aided school · Blackburn with Darwen

Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn

3–11Ages
189Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
119517URN

Wilworth Crescent, Blackburn, BB1 8QN · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Feb 2023 Previous framework

Good

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

58 applications for 23 places · 16th of 46 in Blackburn with Darwen

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

60%met the expected standard

Blackburn with Darwen 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 8 February 2023Ofsted'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

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)

58 applications · 23 places offered · 17 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
2025 5.1; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.4
2024 3.2; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.5
2023 2.3; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
2022 2.7; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
2021 2.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
2020 2.9; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.8
2019 3.0; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
2018 3.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2017 2.8; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2016 3.1; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2015 3.3; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2014 3.2; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.4

More applications per place than the Blackburn with Darwen median in 12 of 13 years.

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	23	58	2.5	17	0.74
Sep 2025	11	56	5.1	11	1.00
Sep 2024	15	48	3.2	14	0.93
Sep 2023	30	69	2.3	21	0.70
Sep 2022	27	74	2.7	23	0.85
Sep 2021	25	60	2.4	15	0.60
Sep 2020	24	70	2.9	15	0.63
Sep 2019	26	79	3.0	21	0.81
Sep 2018	30	104	3.5	32	1.07
Sep 2017	29	80	2.8	24	0.83
Sep 2016	30	93	3.1	33	1.10
Sep 2015	22	73	3.3	12	0.55
Sep 2014	30	95	3.2	20	0.67

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 73% · Writing 60% · Maths 73% → all three 60% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard60%29th of 51 in Blackburn with Darwen

Blackburn with Darwen 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard73%

Blackburn with Darwen 76% England 78%

Higher standard27%

Blackburn with Darwen 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard60%

Blackburn with Darwen 72% England 75%

Greater depth7%

Blackburn with Darwen 8% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard73%

Blackburn with Darwen 78% England 77%

Higher standard17%

Blackburn with Darwen 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (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	60%	7%	104	103
2023/24	59%	7%	103	105
2022/23	47%	7%	105	103

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

Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School BlackburnThis school
This school

Good2023

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

Good2024

4.1applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Roe Lee Park Primary School
0.7 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2023

2.0applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Cedars Primary School
0.9 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Standards maintained2025

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

Remains Good2022

2.6applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
St James' Church of England Primary School Blackburn
1.3 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2022

2.4applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Brookhouse Primary School
1.3 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2022

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

Requires significant improvement 2026

1.6applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Daisyfield Primary School
1.9 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: 119517 · 889/3514
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 189 on roll
Free school meals: 18.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Wilworth Crescent, Blackburn, BB1 8QN
Local authority: Blackburn with Darwen

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