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St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

Primary Ages 4-11 198 pupils Darwen
Ofsted: Good
All schools in Darwen

St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is an academy converter in Darwen for pupils aged 4 to 11. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It has 198 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is Good, from an inspection in January 2020 of its predecessor, St Edward's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn. In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Ofsted inspection: April 2024. KS2 results: 2025.

Type Primary / Academy converter
Age Range 4-11
Religion Roman Catholic
Address Blackburn Road
Darwen
Lancashire
BB3 0AA
Phone 01254701616
Reference Number 150080

General Makeup

Number of pupils 198
Boy/Girl ratio Boys: 46.46%
Girls: 53.54%
Percentage of students eligible for free school meals 17.7%
Percentage of students where English is not their first language 6.6%

Class Sizes

Average size of one teacher classes 28.3
Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher 29.7
Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher 27.3

Year Groups

Year Boys Girls Total
1 18 12 30
2 13 16 29
3 11 14 25
4 12 15 27
5 15 16 31
6 11 15 26

Ethnicities

Ethnicity Percentage
White, British 88.9%
African 4.5%
White, Other 3.5%
Asian, Other 1.5%
White & Asian 0.5%

This school has not been graded since it changed URN, usually on converting to an academy. The rating shown is from its predecessor, St Edward's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn, inspected in January 2020.

Overall Ofsted Rating Good
Last Report Date This school has not had an inspection yet.
Date Report
06 Apr 2024 Academy conversion letter

How many students meet the standards

Reading, Writing & Maths School Score Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Pupils meeting the expected standard 70%
Pupils meeting a higher standard 3%

Average Scaled Score

Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.

Subject School Percentile (local) Percentile (nationwide)
Reading 103
Maths 103
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Reception admissions, 2026 entry

Number of Applications Number of Offers
First Preference
Second Preference 14 0
Third Preference 18 0
From another Local Authority 0 0

Previous years

Sample

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Places and pupil numbers

In 2024–25 St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy had 200 pupils for 210 places. 10 places (4.8%) were unfilled.

Pupils and places

Reception intake in the “Darwen Primary” planning area

Blackburn with Darwen counted 345 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 227 in 2029–30, down 34%.

20242025
Places 210210
Pupils 203200
Unfilled 3.3%4.8%

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 St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

2025
Authorised absence 3.3%
Unauthorised absence 1.1%
Severely absent pupils 1.7%

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, 2.5% of pupils at St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

2025
Suspensions per 100 pupils 3.5
Permanent exclusions 0

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 St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy had 24.8 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

20252026
Pupils per adult 14.414.1
Teachers who left state teaching 0.0%–
Teachers who took any sick leave 12.5%–
Sick days per teacher 2.0–

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, 18.7% of pupils at St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

SEN support EHC plan
Specific learning difficulty 12 0
Social, emotional and mental health 11 0
No specialist assessment of need 6 0
Speech, language and communication needs 4 1
Autistic spectrum disorder 2 0
Physical disability 2 0

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 2024–25 St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy received £6,343 and spent £6,719 for each of its 201 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £3,000 (-£16 per pupil).

Across all 16 schools of Romero Catholic Academy Trust, income was £8,388 and spending £8,280 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

2025
Revenue reserve -£3,000
per pupil -£16
In-year balance -£76,000
per pupil -£376

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

Name Distance
St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School
St Albans Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 0HY
0.34 miles
Avondale Primary School
Durham Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 1NN
0.63 miles
Lower Darwen Primary School
Milking Lane, Lower Darwen, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 0RB
0.75 miles
Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary
Jack Walker Way, Fernhurst Farm, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4JJ
0.98 miles
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
Holmbrook Close, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 3UG
1.04 miles
Darwen St James CofE Primary Academy
St James Crescent, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 0EY
1.05 miles
St James' Church of England Primary School
Off Stopes Brow, Lower Darwen, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 0QP
1.16 miles
Longshaw Infant School
Crosby Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 3NF
1.18 miles
Holy Trinity VC School
Bank Top, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 2RW
1.24 miles
Longshaw Nursery School
Crosby Road, Blackburn, BB2 3NF
1.26 miles
St Stephen's Tockholes CofE Primary School
Rock Lane, Tockholes, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 0LX
1.39 miles
Darwen Aldridge Sudell Primary
Ellison Fold Terrace, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 3EB
1.46 miles
Longshaw Community Junior School
Park Lee Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 3NX
1.54 miles
Turncroft Nursery School
Highfield Road, Darwen, BB3 2DN
1.57 miles
Meadowhead Junior School
Anglesey Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4QG
1.59 miles
St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Darwen
Limes Avenue, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 2SG
1.6 miles
Meadowhead Community Infant School and Nursery
Shorrock Lane, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4TT
1.69 miles
Darwen St Peter's Church of England Primary School
Turncroft Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 2BW
1.72 miles
St Aidan's Primary School - A Church of England Academy
Norfolk Street, Mill Hill, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4EW
1.78 miles
St Mary's and St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
Bennington Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 3HP
2.01 miles
Name Distance
Crosshill Special School
Salisbury Road, Darwen, BB3 1HZ
0.57 miles
Darwen Vale High School
Blackburn Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 0AL
0.6 miles
Eden School
Heys Lane, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4NW
1 miles
Aldridge UTC Darwen
Police Street, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 1AF
1.12 miles
Darwen Aldridge Community Academy
Sudell Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 3HD
1.42 miles
Markazul Uloom
Park Lee Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 3NY
1.61 miles
Noorul Uloom
Park Lee Rd, Blackburn, BB2 3NY
1.61 miles
St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn
Green Lane, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 4SR
1.79 miles
Blackburn Central High School
Haslingden Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 3HJ
1.96 miles
Newfield School
Old Bank Lane, Off Shadsworth Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 2PW
2.08 miles
Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School
Sumner Street, Blackburn, BB2 2LD
2.16 miles
St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy
Duckworth Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 2JR
2.23 miles
Aurora Woodlands School
Woodlands, Holly Tree Close, Darwen, Lancashire, Lancashire, BB3 2NG
2.29 miles
Al Islah Girls' High School
108 Audley Range, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 1TF
2.35 miles
Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy
North Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 1PY
2.41 miles
Witton Park Academy
Buncer Lane, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 6TD
2.43 miles
Blackburn College
Blackburn College, Harrison Centre, Feilden Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 1LH
2.57 miles
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School
West Park Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB2 6DF
2.97 miles
Jamiatul-Ilm Wal-Huda UK School
30 Moss Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5JT
3.12 miles
Rawdhatul Ilm Wal Huda
32 Moss Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 5JT
3.17 miles

All schools in Darwen · Blackburn with Darwen local authority: places and applications

What is St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is Good, from an inspection in January 2020 of its predecessor, St Edward's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn.

When was St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy have?

St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy has 198 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy cover?

St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?

St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is at Blackburn Road, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 0AA.

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