Avondale Primary School

Avondale Primary School has maintained its status as a good school in its recent inspection. Pupils are reported to be respectful, kind, and enjoy positive relationships with staff, contributing to a supportive learning environment. The school effectively meets the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), with strong leadership prioritizing pupils' well-being and achievements. The curriculum is well sequenced, equipping most pupils to progress effectively in their learning, particularly in reading and wider subject areas. While the school excels in many areas, some teachers occasionally overlook addressing misconceptions that pupils may have about their learning. As a result, a few pupils are not as well prepared to tackle new material as they could be. Nonetheless, the overall atmosphere at Avondale remains positive, with pupils enthusiastically engaging in various activities and taking on leadership roles within the school community.

Strengths

• Pupils display respectful and kind behavior.
• Strong relationships between pupils and staff contribute to a supportive environment.
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Well-sequenced curriculum that builds on early years learning.
• Emphasis on reading helps most pupils to become confident and fluent readers.
• Pupils engage enthusiastically in a wide range of activities.
• Strong leadership and governance support the school's vision.

Areas for Improvement

• Some staff miss opportunities to address misconceptions in pupils' learning.

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 Avondale Primary School attended 95.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.8% 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, 0.2% of pupils at Avondale 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 Avondale Primary School had 21.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 16.2% of pupils at Avondale Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.2% 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 Avondale Primary School received £7,407 and spent £7,081 for each of its 400 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £189,000 (£472 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 Darwen · Blackburn with Darwen local authority: places and applications

What is Avondale Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Avondale Primary School is Good, from an inspection in September 2023.

When was Avondale Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Avondale Primary School was last inspected in September 2023.

How many pupils does Avondale Primary School have?

Avondale Primary School has 400 pupils on roll.

What age range does Avondale Primary School cover?

Avondale Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Avondale Primary School?

Avondale Primary School is at Durham Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 1NN.