Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary

Blackburn the Redeemer C of E Primary is an exceptional school where pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, flourish. Leaders have designed a highly ambitious and carefully sequenced curriculum from Reception onwards, and staff teach it with considerable skill. Pupils achieve extremely well, behave impeccably, and benefit from strong relationships with adults that help them feel happy and safe. The school’s strengths run across all areas. Reading and phonics are taught expertly, early years children settle quickly into purposeful routines, and pupils’ personal development is enhanced by an exemplary range of clubs and activities. Governors are highly effective, staff value the focus on their well-being and training, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. The school also plays an active role in the local community, with pupils visiting a care home and taking part in events such as the nativity play. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it had previously been exempt from routine inspection because it was judged outstanding in 2013. Under the current arrangements, it has not been given an overall effectiveness grade, but each key judgement and the early years provision were all judged outstanding. No areas of concern were identified in the report.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious curriculum enables pupils, including those with SEND, to achieve extremely well
• Teachers use considerable subject expertise and promptly address gaps in pupils’ knowledge
• Effective systems identify and support pupils with SEND to access the full curriculum
• Expert phonics teaching gets children in Reception and key stage 1 off to a flying start in reading
• Pupils’ behaviour is impeccable and learning is rarely interrupted
• Pupils are caring, considerate and show great empathy towards others
• Early years provision is aspirational and meticulously designed, with children following routines quickly
• Personal development is exemplary, with an extensive range of clubs and activities for disadvantaged pupils
• Governors are highly effective and have an unrelenting focus on the quality of education
• Staff value the school’s priority on their well-being and training
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

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 Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary attended 96.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.1% 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, 0.5% of pupils at Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary 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 Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary had 21.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 5.0% 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, 17.5% of pupils at Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.4% 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 Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary received £6,559 and spent £6,487 for each of its 416 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £193,000 (£465 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 Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary is Outstanding, from an inspection in January 2025.

When was Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary last inspected by Ofsted?

Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary was last inspected in January 2025.

How many pupils does Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary have?

Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary has 416 pupils on roll.

What age range does Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary cover?

Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 85% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary?

Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary is at Jack Walker Way, Fernhurst Farm, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4JJ.