Shadsworth Infant School

Shadsworth Infant School is a happy and settled community infant school that is performing well overall. Inspectors found pupils enjoy learning, behave positively in lessons and around school, and benefit from a broad, aspirational curriculum. The school is particularly strong in its provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), especially in its designated SEN unit for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, and reading is a clear priority from the early years onwards. Pupils also benefit from a wide range of trips, visitors, clubs and responsibilities that support their personal development. The main areas for improvement are the curriculum and attendance. In some subjects and some early years areas of learning, leaders have not yet identified the important knowledge pupils should learn clearly enough, and some learning activities are not well matched to the intended content, leaving gaps in pupils' knowledge. Attendance is also a concern: although many pupils attend regularly, too many are persistently absent and miss important learning and wider experiences. Behaviour is generally good, though pupils reported some disruption at times, which staff resolve quickly. This was the school's first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic. The school has a SEN unit for up to 10 pupils with SEMH needs and has increased its age range so it can cater for pupils up to age 11 in that provision. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, governance provides effective challenge and support, and staff are positive about the supportive culture.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, settled and enjoy learning in a vibrant infant school.
• The school is aspirational for all pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupils typically achieve well across a range of subjects.
• Pupils generally behave positively, and lessons are typically calm and orderly.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced and has been redeveloped since the previous inspection.
• Teachers receive appropriate training and support to develop subject expertise.
• Provision for pupils with SEND is a strength, especially in the SEN unit for pupils with SEMH needs.
• Reading is a priority, with well-trained staff delivering phonics and strong support for struggling readers.
• Personal development is tailored to the local area, with trips, visitors, clubs and pupil responsibilities.
• Governance is effective, fulfilling statutory duties and providing challenge and support.
• Staff value the supportive culture and teamwork approach.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects and early years areas of learning, important knowledge is not clearly identified or logically sequenced.
• Some learning activities are not well chosen to deliver the intended curriculum content, leading to gaps in pupils' knowledge.
• Too many pupils are persistently absent, limiting their learning and wider experiences.
• Some pupils report that behaviour disrupts their learning at times, although staff sort this out quickly.

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 Shadsworth Infant School attended 91.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 30.8% 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, 2.3% of pupils at Shadsworth Infant 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 Shadsworth Infant School had 15.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.6% 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, 20.9% of pupils at Shadsworth Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 16.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has a SEN unit with 10 pupils.

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 Shadsworth Infant School received £11,412 and spent £11,509 for each of its 182 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £174,000 (£957 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 Shadsworth Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Shadsworth Infant School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was Shadsworth Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Shadsworth Infant School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does Shadsworth Infant School have?

Shadsworth Infant School has 196 pupils on roll.

What age range does Shadsworth Infant School cover?

Shadsworth Infant School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

Where is Shadsworth Infant School?

Shadsworth Infant School is at Rothesay Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 2EL.