Schools by area › Blackburn with Darwen › Darwen Aldridge Community Academy
Darwen Aldridge Community Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–19 · Sponsored academy
Sudell Road, Darwen BB3 3HD · daca.uk.com · 01254 819500
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected May 2025
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 36.5
- average Attainment 8 score. Blackburn with Darwen 45.4, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,036
- 65% of 1,600 places
- Local authority
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 36.2%
- First language not English
- 17.5%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Aldridge Education
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 128 families put the school first and 145 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 145 | 128 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 150 | 140 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 159 | 105 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 146 | 112 | 0.8 | 99% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 189 | 164 | 0.9 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 36.5, and 23.6% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Blackburn with Darwen it was 45.4, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C- (25 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼36.5 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼23.6% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼49.7% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼17.3% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.01 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 28.4 | +5 |
| Sixth form college | 2.4 | −0.4 |
| Further education | 47.1 | −0.1 |
| Apprenticeship | 3.4 | −2.7 |
| Employment | 1.4 | −6.5 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 10.6 | +2.2 |
| Activity not captured | 6.7 | +3 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 students | C- (25) | Below average -0.38 | |
| 28 students | C- (25) | Below average -0.38 | |
| 21 students | Merit (26.4) | Average -0.04 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 42 | C (30) | -0.07 |
| 2022/23 | 46 | C- (26.9) | — |
| 2021/22 | 40 | C+ (33.2) | — |
| 2018/19 | 85 | C (29.9) | +0.10 |
| 2017/18 | 82 | C+ (34.3) | +0.20 |
| 2016/17 | 55 | C+ (33.6) | +0.43 |
| 2015/16 | 83 | C (28.8) | +0.18 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 49 | +7.3 |
| Further and other education | 3.9 | — |
| Further education | 2 | — |
| Other education | 2 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 9.8 | −0.2 |
| Employment | 19.6 | −2.1 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 11.8 | −6.5 |
| Activity not captured | 5.9 | −2.4 |
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Darwen Aldridge Community Academy on 20 May 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 20 May 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Requires improvement |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Sixth form | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Dec 2022
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Dec 2022Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth form Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Jan 2013Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Jan 2011Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement
What parents said
75% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (87 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 75%
- Replies
- 87
- 8% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 83% who raised concerns
based on the 39% who had a child bullied
based on 23 parents (26%) with SEND