Schools by area › Blackburn with Darwen › The Olive School, Blackburn
The Olive School, Blackburn
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Free school
Meins Road, Blackburn BB2 6QQ · oliveblackburn.com · 0125454070
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Mar 2025
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 98%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Blackburn with Darwen 63%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 1.7
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 638
- 8 over 630 places · 101%
- Local authority
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 4.2%
- First language not English
- 78.2%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Star Academies
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 156 families put the school first and 90 places were offered; 57% 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 | 90 | 156 | 1.7▲ | 57% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 90 | 168 | 1.9▲ | 54% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 90 | 186 | 2.1▲ | 48% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 90 | 155 | 1.7▲ | 58% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 90 | 182 | 2▲ | 49% |
Results
In 2024/25, 98% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 24% 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 | |||
| ▲98% | 62% | ||
| ▲24% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▲111 | 106 | ||
| ▲113 | 105 | ||
| ▲111 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected The Olive School, Blackburn on 4 March 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 4 Mar 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
| Early years | Outstanding |
Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, Jun 2015
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Jun 2015Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Outstanding
What parents said
95% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (171 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 95%
- Replies
- 171
- 27% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 67% who raised concerns
based on the 32% who had a child bullied
based on 26 parents (15%) with SEND