Audley Junior School

Audley Junior School is a vibrant, multicultural junior school where pupils achieve very well and are well cared for. Inspectors found strong provision in achievement and personal development: pupils build secure knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics, attainment is consistently above national averages, and disadvantaged pupils outperform disadvantaged pupils nationally. Pupils with SEND are well supported and make rapid progress. The curriculum is ambitious and well overseen, staff know their subjects, and inclusion is effective. Personal development is a major strength. Pupils learn about health, safety, online safety, respectful relationships and diversity, and they benefit from a wide range of clubs, trips and community work. Behaviour is positive, attendance is broadly in line with national averages, and safeguarding arrangements meet requirements. Leadership and governance are effective, staff feel supported, and parents are positive. Leaders are not complacent. The report identifies a few areas to refine: assessment in some subjects does not yet give a precise enough view of pupils’ progress, including for some pupils with SEND; pupils are not always challenged quickly enough when they are secure in their learning; and movement around school and unstructured times are occasionally less orderly. Persistent absence is close to average and reducing, but remains a focus.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve exceedingly well in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Disadvantaged pupils’ attainment exceeds national averages for disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupils with SEND are well supported and acquire important knowledge rapidly.
• Personal development and wellbeing provision is ambitious and well thought out.
• Pupils benefit from a wide range of enrichment, clubs, trips and sporting events.
• Pupils develop a respectful understanding of diversity and fundamental British values.
• Behaviour expectations are high and applied consistently.
• Attendance is in line with national averages, with better attendance for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
• Curriculum leaders have detailed oversight and an ambitious curriculum.
• Staff are knowledgeable and adapt teaching well for pupils facing barriers.
• Inclusion is effective for disadvantaged pupils, looked-after children and those known to social care.
• Leadership and governance are strong, with staff feeling valued and parents positive.
• Safeguarding standards are met.

Areas for Improvement

• Assessment strategies in some subjects do not give a precise enough view of pupils’ progress.
• Assessment of progress for some pupils with SEND is not consistently strong across subjects.
• Staff sometimes miss opportunities to challenge pupils more rapidly once they are secure.
• Movement around school is occasionally not as orderly as it could be.
• Pupils’ self-discipline during unstructured times is not consistently developed.
• Persistent absence remains close to average and requires continued focus.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Audley Junior School attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Audley Junior School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Audley Junior School had 23.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 6.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 22.4% of pupils at Audley Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.6% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Audley Junior School received £6,950 and spent £6,821 for each of its 392 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £334,000 (£851 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Blackburn · Blackburn with Darwen local authority: places and applications

What is Audley Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Audley Junior School is Expected standard, from an inspection in October 2026.

When was Audley Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Audley Junior School was last inspected in October 2026.

How many pupils does Audley Junior School have?

Audley Junior School has 392 pupils on roll.

What age range does Audley Junior School cover?

Audley Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Audley Junior School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Audley Junior School?

Audley Junior School is at Queen's Park Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 1SE.