SchoolScoresSt Thomas's Centre
Pupil referral unit · All-through, ages 5 to 16 · Mixed
Hawthorn Street, Blackburn, BB1 9TH
01254 958401 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at the inspection that started on 19 June 2018.
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 | Outstanding |
| Outcomes for pupils | Outstanding |
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
| Safeguarding | Effective |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 12 June 2024: Ofsted found the school was still Outstanding but had some concerns, so its next inspection will be a full graded one.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
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 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 | 74.5% | 30.0%* | 28.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan | 9.4% | 2.3%* | 3.1% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 72.6% | 14.8%* | 13.4% |
| English as an additional language | 6.6% | 31.3%* | 19.2% |
| Pupils per teacher | 6.8 | 16.7 | 16.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) | 3.2 | 11.3 | 11.8 |
| Teachers who left during the year | 27.3% | 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 school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby secondary schools
- Islamiyah School 0.3 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 5 strong, 1 expected
- Pleckgate High School 0.6 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2024) · 47% grade 5+ English and maths
- Jamiatul-Ilm Wal-Huda UK School 0.7 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2023) · 15% A*/A at A level
- Rawdhatul Ilm Wal Huda 0.7 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2023)
- Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), some aspects weaker 2025 · 37% grade 5+ English and maths
- Al Islah Girls' High School 1.3 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2025)
- Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School 1.5 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2024) · 81% grade 5+ English and maths
- St Wilfrid's CofE Academy 1.6 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2023 · 53% grade 5+ English and maths
- Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School 1.6 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2022) · 93% grade 5+ English and maths
- Blackburn Central High School 1.7 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 St Thomas's Centre's Ofsted rating?
St Thomas's Centre was rated Outstanding by Ofsted at its inspection in 19 June 2018. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 12 June 2024, Ofsted found the school was still Outstanding but had some concerns, so its next inspection will be a full graded one.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 132128.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.