Griffin Park Primary School

Griffin Park Primary School was inspected in June 2026 and is performing at the expected standard in most areas, with safeguarding standards met. Pupils generally achieve well and are prepared for the next stage of education; by the end of Year 6, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is close to the national average, and disadvantaged pupils achieve particularly well in mathematics. Attendance has improved and is broadly in line with national figures, behaviour is positive, and pupils feel safe, supported and part of a respectful community. Inclusion is a high priority, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. The main area needing attention is the early years. Leaders have not clearly identified the important knowledge and skills children should build from Nursery to Reception, so activities do not always match what children need to learn. Classroom provision lacks sufficient opportunities for children to deepen knowledge and practise skills, especially writing, meaning some children are not well prepared for Year 1 and some key stage 1 pupils have gaps in writing. Staff also do not consistently use assessment information to reshape teaching so tasks better match pupils’ needs. There has been significant leadership change since the last inspection, including a new headteacher and assistant headteacher appointed in 2025. The school serves a community with well-above-average deprivation, and leaders know families well and have an accurate view of strengths and improvement priorities. Leaders are beginning to address the early years weaknesses, and the next steps focus on strengthening early years expertise, early writing, and the use of assessment to adapt learning.

Strengths

• Inclusive provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils
• Strong attendance work, with improved rates broadly in line with national averages
• Positive behaviour and warm, trusting relationships between pupils and staff
• Effective phonics and early reading teaching from the early years onwards
• Broad and ambitious curriculum with useful staff training and development
• Strong relationships with parents and carers and a community-focused approach
• High-quality personal development and wellbeing offer, including outdoor learning and therapeutic support
• Disadvantaged pupils' attainment is above national averages in mathematics
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open and positive safeguarding culture
• Pupils feel safe, happy and confident to be themselves

Areas for Improvement

• Early years curriculum does not clearly identify the knowledge and skills children should build from Nursery to Reception
• Early years classroom provision lacks enough opportunities for children to deepen knowledge and practise new skills
• Early writing is not developed consistently well, leaving some key stage 1 pupils with gaps and weaker preparation for Year 1
• Staff do not routinely use assessment information to reshape teaching so learning tasks better match pupils' needs
• Staff interactions and questioning in the early years do not consistently extend children's talk and thinking
• Leaders' understanding of how to support the youngest children's knowledge is less secure, though action is beginning

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 Griffin Park Primary School attended 94.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.4% 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 Griffin Park Primary 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 Griffin Park Primary School had 21.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.1% 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, 19.4% of pupils at Griffin Park Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.6% 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 Griffin Park Primary School received £6,952 and spent £7,086 for each of its 232 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £108,000 (£468 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 Griffin Park Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Griffin Park Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Griffin Park Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Griffin Park Primary School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Griffin Park Primary School have?

Griffin Park Primary School has 232 pupils on roll.

What age range does Griffin Park Primary School cover?

Griffin Park Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Griffin Park Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Griffin Park Primary School?

Griffin Park Primary School is at Cavendish Place, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 2PN.