Darwen Vale High School
Darwen, BB3 0AL · Blackburn with Darwen · secondary school
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8th of 12 secondary schools in Blackburn with Darwen we can score. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Its results hold up when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — 1.7/10 against 750 of them, against 1.9/10 nationally. So this is not simply a reflection of who attends. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 28.2 · 12 | 30% | 0.37 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | -0.29 · 28 | 25% | 0.70 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 39.0 · 15 | 10% | 0.15 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Darwen Vale High School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 40.4% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 43.1, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was -0.29 in 2023/24, indicating pupils did worse than those nationally who started from the same place. Ofsted rated the school Good in March 2024. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (4.5 out of 10 against similar schools, 3.5 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,039 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,200. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
How does the school support pupils to close the gap between their current attainment and the national median? What specific strategies are used to improve Progress 8 scores for students starting from similar backgrounds? How does the school ensure that the Good Ofsted rating translates into consistent day-to-day teaching quality?
What Ofsted said about Darwen Vale High School
Overview
Darwen Vale High School is rated as ‘Good’ across all inspection categories, marking a significant improvement from its previous ‘Requires improvement’ judgement. The report highlights a “calm and purposeful learning environment” where pupils feel welcome and supported, with strong relationships between students and staff.
Strengths
- The curriculum has been strengthened, raising the profile of subjects like geography and modern foreign languages, which has improved uptake of the English Baccalaureate suite.
- Teachers benefit from a “coaching and co-planning programme” that supports workload management and ensures most possess “strong subject knowledge and useful teaching strategies.”
- Behaviour has improved significantly, with new routines helping to cultivate a respectful atmosphere where lessons are “rarely disrupted.”
- Systems to identify additional needs are effective, allowing many teachers to tailor lessons successfully for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
- Personal, social, health and economic education is “carefully structured and delivered well,” equipping pupils with knowledge about health and online relationships.
Areas to improve
- Some teachers do not adapt teaching effectively enough for all pupils with SEND, leaving a small number not achieving as well as they should.
- Reading support for some pupils, particularly in key stage 4, is not effective enough, hindering their ability to read with sufficient fluency and accuracy.
- Opportunities to expand pupils’ knowledge of life beyond the classroom are limited, resulting in less secure knowledge of different cultures and the wider world.
Safeguarding
The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 42.5 |
| 2024/25 | 43.1 |
| 2025/26 | 39.0 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
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