Schools by area › Blackburn with Darwen › Darwen Aldridge Sudell Primary
Darwen Aldridge Sudell Primary
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Academy
Ellison Fold Terrace, Darwen BB3 3EB · sudellprimaryschool.co.uk · 01254 703440
Overview
- Ofsted
- Report card
- Mar 2026 · graded by area, with no overall grade
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 64%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Blackburn with Darwen 63%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 167
- 80% of 210 places
- Local authority
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 50.3%
- First language not English
- 26.3%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Aldridge Education
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 28 families put the school first and 29 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 | 29 | 28 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 19 | 19 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 16 | 15 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 12 | 11 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 14 | 11 | 0.8 | 91% |
Results
In 2024/25, 64% 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 | |||
| ●64% | 62% | ||
| ▼0% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼103 | 106 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Darwen Aldridge Sudell Primary on 17 March 2026 and published a report card: each area has its own grade, and there is no overall grade.
- Inclusion: Expected standard
- Curriculum and teaching: Needs attention
- Achievement: Needs attention
- Attendance and behaviour: Expected standard
- Personal development and well-being: Expected standard
- Early years: Needs attention
- Leadership and governance: Needs attention
- Inspected
- 17 Mar 2026
- Report card
- Safeguarding
- Met
Graded areas
| Inclusion | Expected standard |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and teaching | Needs attention |
| Achievement | Needs attention |
| Attendance and behaviour | Expected standard |
| Personal development and well-being | Expected standard |
| Early years | Needs attention |
| Leadership and governance | Needs attention |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Oct 2021
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 119295), which Ofsted links to this one.
September 2019 to November 2025
Oct 2021Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Feb 2018Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement 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 119295)
What parents said
85% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (20 replies, to 6 April 2026).
- Recommend
- 85%
- Positive
- 83%
- Replies
- 20
- 13% · 6 Apr 2026
based on the 95% who raised concerns
based on 6 parents (30%) whose child was bullied
based on 5 parents (25%) with SEND