Schools by area › Blackburn with Darwen › St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Darwen
St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Darwen
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Voluntary aided
Limes Avenue, DARWEN BB3 2SG · stjosephsrcp.co.uk · 01254 706264
Overview
- Ofsted
- Standards maintained
- Ungraded inspection · Jan 2025
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 70%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Blackburn with Darwen 63%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 165
- 79% of 210 places
- Local authority
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 15.2%
- First language not English
- 1.8%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 14 families put the school first and 16 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 16 | 14 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 19 | 18 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 20 | 20 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 24 | 21 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 70% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 4% the higher standard. Across Blackburn with Darwen it was 63%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲70% | 62% | ||
| ▼4% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▲110 | 106 | ||
| ●105 | 105 | ||
| ●105 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 15 January 2025, Ofsted’s outcome for St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Darwen was: Standards maintained.
- Outcome
- Standards maintained
- Inspected
- 14 Jan 2025
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Jan 2020
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Jan 2020Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Oct 2015Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Sept 2013Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement
What parents said
100% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (22 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 100%
- Replies
- 22
- 14% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 82% who raised concerns
based on the 36% who had a child bullied