Graded inspection · May 2025 Previous framework
- Quality of education
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Personal development
- Leadership and management
This schoolOther secondary schools in Blackburn with Darwen
What did Ofsted find?
Ofsted data to 30 September 2026| Area | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality of education | Requires improvement | |||
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good | |||
| Personal development | Good | |||
| Leadership and management | Good | |||
| Sixth form 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 entry244 applications · 145 places offered · 128 named it first
- 2026 1.7; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.5
- 2025 1.6; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.4
- 2024 1.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.5
- 2023 1.7; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
- 2022 1.8; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.1
- 2021 1.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.8
- 2020 1.6; Blackburn with Darwen median median 1.9
- 2019 1.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
- 2018 1.5; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
- 2017 1.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.2
- 2016 1.6; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.3
- 2015 1.4; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.4
- 2014 1.7; Blackburn with Darwen median median 2.9
- This school
- Blackburn with Darwen median
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close 31 October 2026, 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 | 145 | 244 | 1.7 | 128 | 0.88 |
| Sep 2025 | 150 | 246 | 1.6 | 140 | 0.93 |
| Sep 2024 | 159 | 218 | 1.4 | 105 | 0.66 |
| Sep 2023 | 146 | 247 | 1.7 | 112 | 0.77 |
| Sep 2022 | 189 | 337 | 1.8 | 164 | 0.87 |
| Sep 2021 | 170 | 256 | 1.5 | 151 | 0.89 |
| Sep 2020 | 175 | 278 | 1.6 | 161 | 0.92 |
| Sep 2019 | 207 | 314 | 1.5 | 195 | 0.94 |
| Sep 2018 | 219 | 323 | 1.5 | 190 | 0.87 |
| Sep 2017 | 236 | 335 | 1.4 | 229 | 0.97 |
| Sep 2016 | 239 | 380 | 1.6 | 246 | 1.03 |
| Sep 2015 | 216 | 301 | 1.4 | 200 | 0.93 |
| Sep 2014 | 227 | 382 | 1.7 | 216 | 0.95 |
How did pupils do at GCSE?
DfE KS4 · 2025/26 provisionalEvery year as a table
| Year | Pupils | Attainment 8 | 5+ Eng & maths | 4+ Eng & maths | Progress 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 (prov.) | 168 | 36.8 | 21% | 46% | – |
| 2024/25 | 191 | 36.5 | 24% | 50% | – |
| 2023/24 | 208 | 39.0 | 32% | 54% | −0.77 |
| 2022/23 | 210 | 35.8 | 26% | 48% | −0.79 |
Progress 8 is not published for 2024/25 or 2025/26: those pupils had no key stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021.
Schools nearby
The 8 nearest secondary schools in a straight line, in any local authority
- Darwen Aldridge Community AcademyThis schoolThis schoolGraded · no overall grade20251.7applications per place 36.8Attainment 8
- 0.6 km · Blackburn with Darwen202631.7Attainment 8
- 2.4 km · Blackburn with DarwenGood20242.3applications per place 39.0Attainment 8
- 5.0 km · Blackburn with DarwenRemains Good20221.8applications per place 41.0Attainment 8
- 5.1 km · Blackburn with DarwenGraded · no overall grade20252.5applications per place 45.4Attainment 8
- 5.3 km · Blackburn with DarwenRequires improvement20231.3applications per place 36.6Attainment 8
- 5.6 km · Blackburn with DarwenOutstanding20243.1applications per place 62.6Attainment 8
- 5.8 km · Blackburn with DarwenRemains Good20233.5applications per place 49.8Attainment 8
- 6.2 km · Blackburn with Darwen20261.8applications per place 39.9Attainment 8
- 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
- Academy sponsor led
- Phase
- Secondary
- URN · DfE number
- 135580 · 889/6905
- Trust
- Aldridge Education
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Capacity
- 1,600 pupils · 1,036 on roll
- Free school meals
- 36.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
- Opened
- 2 September 2008
- Replaced
- Darwen Moorland High School (URN 119754)
- Address
- Sudell Road, Darwen, BB3 3HD
- Local authority
- Blackburn with Darwen
Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources