Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School

Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School continues to perform well, maintaining its status as a good school since its last inspection in 2018. The school excels in creating a welcoming environment where pupils feel cared for and can thrive academically and socially. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well within a well-structured and ambitious curriculum. They engage actively in a variety of subjects, demonstrating a positive attitude towards their learning. The school has effectively integrated a love of reading into its culture, contributing to pupils' development as confident readers.

Strengths

• Pupils feel welcomed and valued in a supportive environment.
• The curriculum is well-designed and ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Pupils achieve well and enjoy a diverse range of subjects.
• Strong emphasis on fostering a love of reading among pupils.
• Effective teaching of phonics from early years.
• Positive pupil behavior and safe school atmosphere.
• High engagement in extracurricular activities like sports and music.
• Governors are well-informed and supportive, ensuring accountability.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum checks in some subjects are not specific enough, hindering consistent delivery.

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 Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School attended 96.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 1.7% 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 Baxenden St John's Church of England 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 Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School had 20.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.9% 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, 5.9% of pupils at Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.5% 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 Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School received £6,638 and spent £6,470 for each of its 205 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £9,000 (-£45 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 Accrington · Lancashire local authority: places and applications

What is Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School have?

Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School has 205 pupils on roll.

What age range does Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School cover?

Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

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

Where is Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School?

Baxenden St John's Church of England Primary School is at Church Avenue, Baxenden, Church Avenue, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 2RQ.