SchoolScoresDarwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy
Academy · Primary, ages 4 to 11 · Mixed · Church of England
Part of CIDARI EDUCATION LIMITED
Knowlesly Road, Darwen, BB3 2JA
01254 702996 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 19 September 2017.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 29 March 2023: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
Results
Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25
31 pupils in this year group.
65% — 2 points above the Blackburn with Darwen average, and 3 points above the England average.
| Measure | This school | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 65% | 63% | 62% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 0% | 6% | 8% |
| Met the expected standard in reading | 74% | 75% | 75% |
| Met the expected standard in writing | 71% | 72% | 72% |
| Met the expected standard in maths | 81% | 77% | 74% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 105 | 105 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 103 | 105 | 105 |
Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. 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 primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were fewer first-choice applications than places.
| Places offered | 26 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 21 |
| Of those, offered a place | 21 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 80 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.1 · 2025: 1.1 · 2026: 0.8
This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.
This is a Church of England school. When it has more applicants than places it can give priority to families of the faith, for example those who can show regular worship. Check the school's admissions policy to see how places are allocated.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 13th highest of 14 state primary schools in Darwen. Higher than 18% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 10.2% | 26.5%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 14th highest of 14 state primary schools in Darwen. Higher than 5% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 0.5% | 3.7%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 14th highest of 14 state primary schools in Darwen. Higher than 5% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 6.3% | 16.2%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 14th highest of 14 state primary schools in Darwen. Higher than 0% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 0.0% | 46.7%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 1st lowest of 14 state primary schools in Darwen. Lower than 89% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 3.6% | 5.3%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 2nd lowest of 14 state primary schools in Darwen. Lower than 87% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 5.6% | 13.9%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils Joint 1st lowest of 14 state primary schools in Darwen. Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.0 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once Joint 1st lowest of 14 state primary schools in Darwen. Lower than 69% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 0.0% | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.05% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher Joint 3rd highest of 14 state primary schools in Darwen. Higher than 88% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 24.4 | 21.1 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 1st highest of 14 state primary schools in Darwen. Higher than 98% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 15.9 | 10.3 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year 1st highest of 13 state primary schools in Darwen. Higher than 81% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 23.8% | 11.4%* | 14.4%* |
Comparisons are with primary 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 primary schools
- Ashleigh Primary School 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2012), confirmed 2023 · 66% met expected standard (KS2)
- Darwen St Peter's CofE Primary School 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 2 strong, 5 expected · 43% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Darwen 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2015), confirmed 2025 · 70% met expected standard (KS2)
- Darwen Aldridge Sudell Primary 1.1 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 3 expected, 4 needs attention · 64% met expected standard (KS2)
- Holy Trinity VC School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 62% met expected standard (KS2)
- Hoddlesden St Paul's CofE Primary School 1.5 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) · 41% met expected standard (KS2)
- Darwen St James CofE Primary Academy 1.5 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 37% met expected standard (KS2)
- Avondale Primary School 1.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2023 · 72% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Cuthbert's CofE Primary School 2.2 miles · Ofsted: Requires improvement (2024) · 38% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy 2.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2016, before conversion), confirmed 2020 · 70% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?
Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 19 September 2017. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 29 March 2023, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
How did Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy do in its SATs?
In 2024/25, 65% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 3 points above the England average of 62%.
Is Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 21 families put Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy as their first choice for 26 places: fewer first-choice applications than places. 21 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 141483.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, Key stage 2 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.