SchoolScoresDarwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio
Studio school · Secondary, ages 13 to 19 · Mixed · Sixth form
Part of ALDRIDGE EDUCATION
Police Street, Darwen, BB3 1AF
01254 819567 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted report card from the inspection that started on 20 January 2026 , published 28 May 2026.
In short: 1 strong, 6 expected, and safeguarding met.
Since November 2025 Ofsted grades each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. How report cards work.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| SafeguardingWhether pupils are kept safe. Met or not met. | Met |
| InclusionHow well the school supports disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs. | Strong standard Second of five grades. Better than the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Curriculum and teachingWhat pupils are taught and how well they are taught it. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| AchievementHow well pupils learn and the results they get. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Attendance and behaviourWhether pupils come to school and how they behave. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Personal development and wellbeingPupils' wider development, character and wellbeing. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Post-16 provisionSixth form or other study after 16. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
| Leadership and governanceHow well leaders and governors run the school. | Expected standard Middle of five grades. Meets the standard Ofsted expects. |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
38 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026.
| Statement | This school | England |
|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Higher than 77% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 89% | 83% |
| My child feels safe at this school Higher than 62% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 87% | 85% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved Higher than 64% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 82% | 78% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 35 parents who had raised a concern Higher than 83% of 431 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 83% | 74% |
| My child with SEND gets the support they needOf 21 parents of children with SEND Higher than 91% of 356 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 86% | 63% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent Higher than 87% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 95%said yes | 83% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 14%). Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25
69 pupils in this year group.
28% — 16 points below the Blackburn with Darwen average, and 18 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 28% | 44% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. | 34.7 | 45.4 | 46.1 |
| EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. | 2.5 | 4.0 | 4.1 |
Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.
Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
After Year 11
Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.
52 pupils in this year group.
88% — about the same as the Blackburn with Darwen average, and 4 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. | 88% | 88% | 92% |
| School sixth form | 46% | 17% | 34% |
| Sixth form college | 0% | 12% | 13% |
| Further education college | 40% | 52% | 37% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 3% | 3% |
| Work | 2% | 2% | 3% |
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time
| 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| 86% | 88% |
Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.
A levels (16 to 18), 2024/25
17 A level students in this year group.
| Measure | This school | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average A level grade | B- | C+ | B- |
| A level exams graded A* or A | 30% | 24% | 26% |
| A level exams graded A* to B | 52% | 49% | 53% |
| Average points per A level entryAn A* is 60 points, an A is 50, a B is 40, and so on down to 10 for an E. | 37.0 | 32.7 | 35 |
A level subjects, 2024/25
5 subjects, 33 exams. England figures are for state-funded schools and colleges.
| Subject | Exams | A* | A* or A | England A* or A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art and Design (Graphics) | 14 | 29% | 36% | 32% |
| Art and Design (Photography) | 14 | 29% | 36% | 26% |
Also taken, with too few exams for DfE to publish grades: English Language and Literature, Sociology, Art and Design (Fine Art).
Source: DfE 16 to 18 qualification and subject data, 2024/25.
Source: DfE 16 to 18 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
After sixth form
Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.
32 students in this year group.
56% — 15 points below the Blackburn with Darwen average, and 23 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workStudents recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing 16 to 18 study. | 56% | 71% | 79% |
| Apprenticeship | 0% | 8% | 7% |
| Work | 19% | 23% | 28% |
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time
| 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| 72% | 56% |
Source: DfE 16 to 18 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.
Going on to university
Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.
32 students in this year group.
59% — 6 points above the Blackburn with Darwen average, and about the same as the England average.
| Measure | This school | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Went on to a degree or other higher education | 59% | 53% | 60% |
| Went to one of the most selective third of universitiesDfE's grouping of universities by the typical entry grades of their students. | 6% | 10% | 19% |
Went on to a degree or other higher education, over time
| 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| 37% | 59% |
Source: DfE 16 to 18 progression to higher education or training, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Blackburn with Darwen. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 1st highest of 3 state secondary schools in Darwen. Higher than 86% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England. | 47.1% | 30.0%* | 28.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan 1st highest of 3 state secondary schools in Darwen. Higher than 92% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England. | 6.1% | 2.3%* | 3.1% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 1st highest of 3 state secondary schools in Darwen. Higher than 99% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England. | 29.9% | 14.8%* | 13.4% |
| English as an additional language 3rd highest of 3 state secondary schools in Darwen. Higher than 7% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England. | 2.3% | 31.3%* | 19.2% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 3rd lowest of 3 state secondary schools in Darwen. Lower than 0% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England. | 18.2% | 8.3%* | 8.4% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 3rd lowest of 3 state secondary schools in Darwen. Lower than 0% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England. | 56.3% | 23.9%* | 23.4% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 3rd lowest of 3 state secondary schools in Darwen. Lower than 35% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England. | 21.6 | 23.0 | 21.2 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 3rd lowest of 3 state secondary schools in Darwen. Lower than 20% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England. | 11.7% | 8.1% | 7.3% |
| Pupils permanently excluded1 pupil | 0.38% | 0.33% | 0.23% |
| Pupils per teacher 3rd highest of 3 state secondary schools in Darwen. Higher than 14% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England. | 14.8 | 16.7 | 16.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 3rd highest of 3 state secondary schools in Darwen. Higher than 11% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England. | 9.8 | 11.3 | 11.8 |
| Teachers who left during the year 2nd highest of 3 state secondary schools in Darwen. Higher than 90% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England. | 24.7% | 18.4%* | 14.2%* |
Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby secondary schools
- Darwen Aldridge Community Academy 0.4 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 24% grade 5+ English and maths
- Darwen Vale High School 1.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 40% grade 5+ English and maths
- Markazul Uloom 2.6 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 1 strong, 2 expected, 3 needs attention
- Noorul Uloom 2.6 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 0% A*/A at A level
- St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn 2.8 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 54% grade 5+ English and maths
- Blackburn Central High School 2.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2012, before conversion), confirmed 2022 · 35% grade 5+ English and maths
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio's Ofsted rating?
Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio was inspected under Ofsted's report card format in 20 January 2026. Report cards grade each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. Its grades were 1 strong, 6 expected, and safeguarding was met.
How did Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio do in its GCSEs?
In 2024/25, 28% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 18 points below the England average of 45%.
Would parents recommend Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio?
95% of the 38 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026 said they would recommend Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 139924.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 10 November 2025 to 6 April 2026.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, GCSEs 2024/25, After Year 11 2024/25, A levels 2024/25, After sixth form 2024/25, Going on to university 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.