Voluntary aided school · Blackburn with Darwen

St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Darwen

4–11Ages
165Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
119667URN

Limes Avenue, DARWEN, BB3 2SG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodOct 2015

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Jan 2025

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.6per place

0.3 above Blackburn with Darwen median (2.3)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Blackburn with Darwen

41 applications for 16 places · 15th of 46 in Blackburn with Darwen

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

70%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 GoodOct 2015

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Jan 2025

Inspection history

15 January 2025
Ungraded inspection: Standards maintained
7 October 2015
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

2.6applications per place, Reception

0.3 above Blackburn with Darwen median (2.3) 0.4 above England median (2.2)

41 applications · 16 places offered · 14 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.6; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
2025 2.7; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.4
2024 3.3; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.5
2023 2.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
2022 2.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
2021 2.0; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
2020 1.7; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.8
2019 1.7; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
2018 2.1; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2017 2.2; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2016 2.1; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2015 2.3; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.0
2014 2.3; 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	16	41	2.6	14	0.88
Sep 2025	19	51	2.7	18	0.95
Sep 2024	12	40	3.3	12	1.00
Sep 2023	20	49	2.5	20	1.00
Sep 2022	24	57	2.4	21	0.88
Sep 2021	20	40	2.0	19	0.95
Sep 2020	28	47	1.7	26	0.93
Sep 2019	29	49	1.7	29	1.00
Sep 2018	19	40	2.1	20	1.05
Sep 2017	13	28	2.2	12	0.92
Sep 2016	18	37	2.1	15	0.83
Sep 2015	13	30	2.3	12	0.92
Sep 2014	11	25	2.3	10	0.91

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 87% · Writing 78% · Maths 83% → all three 70% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard70%13th of 51 in Blackburn with Darwen

Blackburn with Darwen 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard87%

Blackburn with Darwen 76% England 78%

Higher standard57%

Blackburn with Darwen 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 110 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard78%

Blackburn with Darwen 72% England 75%

Greater depth17%

Blackburn with Darwen 8% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard83%

Blackburn with Darwen 78% England 77%

Higher standard22%

Blackburn with Darwen 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 105 (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	70%	4%	110	105
2023/24	40%	5%	105	102
2022/23	48%	0%	101	101

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 Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, DarwenThis school
This school

Standards maintained2025

2.6applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
Holy Trinity VC School
0.6 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Graded · no overall grade2025

6.8applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Darwen St Peter's Church of England Primary School
0.9 km · Blackburn with Darwen

2026

2.1applications per place 43%met the SATs standard
Ashleigh Primary School
0.9 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2023

2.6applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Darwen Aldridge Sudell Primary
1.2 km · Blackburn with Darwen

2026

1.7applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy
1.4 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2023

3.1applications per place 65%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
Avondale Primary School
1.6 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Remains Good2023

1.5applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School
2.1 km · Blackburn with Darwen

Requires improvement2024

4.1applications per place 38%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: 119667 · 889/3779
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 165 on roll
Free school meals: 15.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Limes Avenue, DARWEN, BB3 2SG
Local authority: Blackburn with Darwen

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