Voluntary aided school · Blackburn with Darwen

St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School

4–11Ages
184Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
119615URN

St Albans Road, Darwen, BB3 0HY · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · May 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

4.1per place

1.8 above Blackburn with Darwen median (2.3)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Blackburn with Darwen

29 applications for 7 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

38%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: Requires improvement · 1 May 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes		Requires improvement
Personal development		Requires improvement
Leadership and management		Requires improvement
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

4.1applications per place, Reception

1.8 above Blackburn with Darwen median (2.3) 1.9 above England median (2.2)

29 applications · 7 places offered · 7 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 4.1; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
2025 2.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.4
2024 2.6; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.5
2023 2.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
2022 2.6; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
2021 2.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
2020 2.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.8
2019 2.7; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
2018 2.9; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2017 2.0; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2016 2.3; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2015 1.8; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2014 2.6; 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	7	29	4.1	7	1.00
Sep 2025	17	41	2.4	17	1.00
Sep 2024	21	54	2.6	19	0.90
Sep 2023	29	70	2.4	29	1.00
Sep 2022	30	77	2.6	31	1.03
Sep 2021	20	47	2.4	20	1.00
Sep 2020	29	72	2.5	39	1.34
Sep 2019	30	80	2.7	39	1.30
Sep 2018	29	84	2.9	30	1.03
Sep 2017	30	61	2.0	31	1.03
Sep 2016	30	69	2.3	26	0.87
Sep 2015	30	53	1.8	29	0.97
Sep 2014	27	70	2.6	27	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 55% · Writing 48% · Maths 69% → all three 38% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard38%48th of 51 in Blackburn with Darwen

Blackburn with Darwen 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard55%

Blackburn with Darwen 76% England 78%

Higher standard10%

Blackburn with Darwen 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 100 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard48%

Blackburn with Darwen 72% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Blackburn with Darwen 8% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard69%

Blackburn with Darwen 78% England 77%

Higher standard7%

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	38%	0%	100	102
2023/24	32%	0%	101	100
2022/23	25%	0%	101	100

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 Cuthbert's Church of England Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

4.1applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
0.6 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2020

3.5applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Avondale Primary School
0.6 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2023

1.5applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Darwen St James CofE Primary Academy
1.5 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.5applications per place 37%met the SATs standard
Holy Trinity VC School
1.6 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Graded · no overall grade2025

6.8applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Lower Darwen Primary School
1.7 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Good2023

1.9applications per place 41%met the SATs standard
St Stephen's Tockholes CofE Primary School
2.0 km · Blackburn with Darwen

2026

8.7applications per place 10%met the SATs standard
Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary
2.1 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.5applications per place 85%met the SATs standard
Darwen Aldridge Sudell Primary
2.1 km · Blackburn with Darwen

2026

1.7applications per place 64%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: 119615 · 889/3675
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 225 pupils · 184 on roll
Free school meals: 33.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
SEN provision: Resourced provision
Address: St Albans Road, Darwen, BB3 0HY
Local authority: Blackburn with Darwen

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