SchoolScoresShadsworth Infant School
Community school · Primary, ages 3 to 11 · Mixed · Nursery class
Rothesay Road, Blackburn, BB1 2EL
01254 698002 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
At the inspection that started on 25 March 2025, Ofsted graded each area separately. It stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.
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 |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025.
Blackburn comparisons use the 26 of its 54 state primary schools with comparable results. The other 28 have no published Parent View results (Ofsted only publishes a survey once at least 10 parents answer) or used Ofsted's newer questions, which we don't compare with the older ones.
| Statement | This school | Blackburn | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| My child is happy at this school Joint 15th highest of 26 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Blackburn. Higher than 35% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 93% | 94% | 89% |
| My child feels safe at this school Joint 17th highest of 26 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Blackburn. Higher than 34% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 93% | 94% | 90% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 23rd highest of 26 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Blackburn. Higher than 17% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 79% | 92% | 84% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent 20th highest of 26 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in Blackburn. Higher than 18% of 8,868 state primary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 79%said yes | 88% | 84% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 6%). 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. Blackburn figures pool parents at the Blackburn schools compared, from each school's latest survey, so survey dates differ between 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. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.
Results
No test or exam results have been published for this school yet.
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 | 58 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 49 |
| Of those, offered a place | 49 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 81 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 1.0 · 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.
Pupils, staff and SEND
Specialist SEND provision: this school has a SEN unit with 10 places for social, emotional and mental health needs. These places are usually allocated through the council's SEND team.
| Pupils | This school | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 5th highest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 90% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 49.1% | 26.5%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 1st highest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 99% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 12.8% | 3.7%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 3rd highest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 98% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 30.6% | 16.2%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 34th highest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 68% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 20.1% | 46.7%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 54th lowest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn. Lower than 3% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 8.1% | 5.3%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 54th lowest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn. Lower than 1% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 30.8% | 13.9%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 52nd lowest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn. Lower than 9% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 7.3 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 47th lowest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn. Lower than 15% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 2.3% | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.05% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher 53rd highest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 9% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 15.3 | 21.1 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 54th highest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 2% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 6.0 | 10.3 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year 12th highest of 53 state primary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 60% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 15.6% | 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.
SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).
Nearby primary schools
- St Antony's RC Primary School 0.3 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2024 · 50% met expected standard (KS2)
- Knuzden St Oswald's CofE Primary Academy 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 3 expected, 4 needs attention · 36% met expected standard (KS2)
- Shadsworth Junior School 0.4 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), confirmed 2025 · 60% met expected standard (KS2)
- Intack Primary School 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2012), confirmed 2022 · 47% met expected standard (KS2)
- Blackburn St Thomas' CofE Primary School 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2024 · 72% met expected standard (KS2)
- Audley Junior School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2022 · 73% met expected standard (KS2)
- Audley Infant School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Good (2014), confirmed 2024
- St Matthew's CofE Primary School 1.1 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 3 expected, 4 needs attention · 53% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Mary's and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2012), confirmed 2022 · 63% met expected standard (KS2)
- Daisyfield Primary School 1.2 miles · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 78% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Shadsworth Infant School's Ofsted rating?
At its inspection in 25 March 2025, Ofsted graded each area separately; it stopped giving an overall grade in September 2024.
Would parents recommend Shadsworth Infant School?
79% of the 14 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 3 September 2024 and 1 September 2025 said they would recommend Shadsworth Infant School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Shadsworth Infant School oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 49 families put Shadsworth Infant School as their first choice for 58 places: fewer first-choice applications than places. 49 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 119220.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Parent views: Ofsted Parent View, 3 September 2024 to 1 September 2025.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.