St Michael With St John CofE Primary School

Voluntary controlled school · Primary, ages 4 to 11 · Mixed · Church of England

Swallow Drive, Blackburn, BB1 6LE

01254 665190 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 19 September 2012; confirmed 2022
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths69%England 62% · 2024/25
Joint 20th highest of 50 state primary schools in Blackburn.
Higher than 61% of 14,185 state primary schools in England.
Pupils262Room for 315 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 381 in 2019, 322 in 2021, 312 in 2022, 300 in 2023, 287 in 2024, 282 in 2025, 262 in 2026. Across England, primary state school pupil numbers were down 4% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place0.824 for 30 places, September 2026
Joint 43rd highest of 51 state primary schools in Blackburn.
Higher than 8% of 15,826 state primary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 19 September 2012.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Outcomes for pupilsGood
Leadership and managementGood

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 19 October 2022: Ofsted found the school was still Good.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

42 pupils in this year group.

69% — 6 points above the Blackburn with Darwen average, and 7 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolBlackburn with DarwenEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths 69% 63% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths 5% 6% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading 83% 75% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing 76% 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. 105 105 105
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time
50% 60% 70% 80% England 2022/23: 60%England 2023/24: 61%England 2024/25: 62% This school 2022/23: 60%This school 2023/24: 67%This school 2024/25: 69% This school England 62% 2022/23 60% 2023/24 67% 2024/25 69%

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 offered30
Families who put it first24
Of those, offered a place24 (100%)
Families who listed it at all58

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.9 · 2025: 0.9 · 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, but as a voluntary controlled school its admissions are set by the council, which usually doesn't prioritise by faith. Check the council's admissions criteria.

Admissions dates and schools in Blackburn with Darwen

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolBlackburn with DarwenEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
28th highest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn.
Higher than 57% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
24.8% 26.5%* 26.3%
With an education, health and care plan
24th highest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn.
Higher than 61% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
3.5% 3.7%* 3.5%
Receiving special educational needs support
28th highest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn.
Higher than 59% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
15.6% 16.2%* 15.0%
English as an additional language
11th highest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn.
Higher than 98% of 16,656 state primary schools in England.
77.0% 46.7%* 23.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
35th lowest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn.
Lower than 27% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
5.9% 5.3%* 5.2%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
40th lowest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn.
Lower than 22% of 16,640 state primary schools in England.
17.5% 13.9%* 13.0%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
Joint 1st lowest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn.
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 54 state primary schools in Blackburn.
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
39th highest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn.
Higher than 38% of 16,642 state primary schools in England.
19.6 21.1 20.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
25th highest of 54 state primary schools in Blackburn.
Higher than 57% of 16,653 state primary schools in England.
11.1 10.3 10.6
Teachers who left during the year
8th highest of 53 state primary schools in Blackburn.
Higher than 66% of 15,063 state primary schools in England.
17.4% 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

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is St Michael With St John CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

St Michael With St John CofE Primary School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 19 September 2012. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 19 October 2022, Ofsted found the school was still Good.

How did St Michael With St John CofE Primary School do in its SATs?

In 2024/25, 69% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 7 points above the England average of 62%.

Is St Michael With St John CofE Primary School oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 24 families put St Michael With St John CofE Primary School as their first choice for 30 places: fewer first-choice applications than places. 24 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

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Page updated 26 September 2026.