Schools by area › Blackburn with Darwen › Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy
Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Academy
Knowlesly Road, Darwen BB3 2JA · stbarnabasdarwen.co.uk · 01254 702996
Overview
- Ofsted
- Remains Good
- Ungraded inspection · Mar 2023
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 65%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Blackburn with Darwen 63%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 207
- 99% of 210 places
- Local authority
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 8.7%
- First language not English
- 0%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 21 families put the school first and 26 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 | 26 | 21 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 30 | 34 | 1.1▲ | 88% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 30 | 34 | 1.1▲ | 88% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 29 | 29 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 30 | 40 | 1.3▲ | 73% |
Results
In 2024/25, 65% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 0% 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 | |||
| ▲65% | 62% | ||
| ▼0% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●105 | 106 | ||
| ●103 | 105 | ||
| ●103 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 29 March 2023, Ofsted’s outcome for Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy was: School remains Good.
- Outcome
- Remains Good
- Inspected
- 28 Mar 2023
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Sept 2017
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 119456), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Sept 2017Good
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 Jun 2013Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 119456)
What parents said
86% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (86 replies, to 1 January 2024).
- Recommend
- 86%
- Replies
- 86
- 42% · 1 Jan 2024
based on the 62% who raised concerns
based on the 24% who had a child bullied