SchoolScoresWitton Park Academy
Academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed
Part of ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH COLLABORATION TRUST
Buncer Lane, Blackburn, BB2 6TD
01254 264551 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted report card from the inspection that started on 24 February 2026 , published 5 May 2026.
In short: 6 needs attention, 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. | Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this. |
| Curriculum and teachingWhat pupils are taught and how well they are taught it. | Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this. |
| AchievementHow well pupils learn and the results they get. | Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this. |
| Attendance and behaviourWhether pupils come to school and how they behave. | Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this. |
| Personal development and wellbeingPupils' wider development, character and wellbeing. | Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this. |
| Leadership and governanceHow well leaders and governors run the school. | Needs attention Fourth of five grades. Below the expected standard; the school needs to improve this. |
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
What parents say
48 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 2% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 33% | 83% |
| My child feels safe at this school Higher than 2% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 38% | 85% |
| The school makes sure pupils are well behaved Higher than 9% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 40% | 78% |
| Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 25 parents whose child had been bullied Higher than 1% of 344 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 12% | 43% |
| Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 47 parents who had raised a concern Higher than 2% of 431 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 23% | 74% |
| I would recommend this school to another parent Higher than 3% of 442 state secondary schools with comparable Parent View results in England. | 31%said yes | 83% |
Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families (Ofsted puts the response rate at 4%). 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
262 pupils in this year group.
37% — 7 points below the Blackburn with Darwen average, and 9 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 37% | 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. | 40.3 | 45.4 | 46.1 |
| EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. | 3.5 | 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.
252 pupils in this year group.
87% — about the same as the Blackburn with Darwen average, and 5 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. | 87% | 88% | 92% |
| School sixth form | 4% | 17% | 34% |
| Sixth form college | 13% | 12% | 13% |
| Further education college | 67% | 52% | 37% |
| Apprenticeship | Not published | 3% | 3% |
| Work | 2% | 2% | 3% |
"Not published": Not published (DfE code SP).
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time
| 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| 92% | 87% |
Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 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.
How hard is it to get in?
For the September 2026 intake there were fewer first-choice applications than places.
| Places offered | 219 |
|---|---|
| Families who put it first | 67 |
| Of those, offered a place | 67 (100%) |
| Families who listed it at all | 393 |
First-choice applications per place: 2024: 0.4 · 2025: 0.5 · 2026: 0.3
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
| Pupils | This school | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 4th highest of 10 state secondary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 75% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England. | 39.5% | 30.0%* | 28.9% |
| With an education, health and care plan 9th highest of 10 state secondary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 16% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England. | 1.5% | 2.3%* | 3.1% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 4th highest of 10 state secondary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 75% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England. | 17.4% | 14.8%* | 13.4% |
| English as an additional language 2nd highest of 10 state secondary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 97% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England. | 65.5% | 31.3%* | 19.2% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 9th lowest of 10 state secondary schools in Blackburn. Lower than 36% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England. | 9.2% | 8.3%* | 8.4% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 8th lowest of 10 state secondary schools in Blackburn. Lower than 35% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England. | 26.4% | 23.9%* | 23.4% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 9th lowest of 10 state secondary schools in Blackburn. Lower than 8% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England. | 62.1 | 23.0 | 21.2 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 10th lowest of 10 state secondary schools in Blackburn. Lower than 2% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England. | 23.6% | 8.1% | 7.3% |
| Pupils permanently excluded9 pupils | 0.69% | 0.33% | 0.23% |
| Pupils per teacher 9th highest of 10 state secondary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 18% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England. | 15.1 | 16.7 | 16.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) Joint 8th highest of 10 state secondary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 22% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England. | 10.5 | 11.3 | 11.8 |
| Teachers who left during the year 1st highest of 10 state secondary schools in Blackburn. Higher than 98% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England. | 33.6% | 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
- St Wilfrid's CofE Academy 0.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2013), confirmed 2023 · 53% grade 5+ English and maths
- Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2022) · 93% grade 5+ English and maths
- Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2024) · 81% grade 5+ English and maths
- Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2019), some aspects weaker 2025 · 37% grade 5+ English and maths
- St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn 1.1 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2025) · 54% grade 5+ English and maths
- Westholme School 1.1 miles · Independent, inspected by ISI · 30% A*/A at A level
- Markazul Uloom 1.4 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 1 strong, 2 expected, 3 needs attention
- Noorul Uloom 1.4 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2024) · 0% A*/A at A level
- Blackburn Central High School 1.7 miles · Ofsted: Good (2012, before conversion), confirmed 2022 · 35% grade 5+ English and maths
- Al Islah Girls' High School 1.8 miles · Independent · Ofsted: Good (2025)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is Witton Park Academy's Ofsted rating?
Witton Park Academy was inspected under Ofsted's report card format in 24 February 2026. Report cards grade each area on a five-point scale instead of giving one overall grade. Its grades were 6 needs attention, and safeguarding was met.
How did Witton Park Academy do in its GCSEs?
In 2024/25, 37% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 9 points below the England average of 45%.
Would parents recommend Witton Park Academy?
31% of the 48 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 10 November 2025 and 6 April 2026 said they would recommend Witton Park Academy to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.
Is Witton Park Academy oversubscribed?
For the September 2026 intake, 67 families put Witton Park Academy as their first choice for 219 places: fewer first-choice applications than places. 67 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 140879.
- 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.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.