Great Harwood St John's Church of England Primary School
Blackburn, BB6 7ES · Lancashire · primary school
Check the area around this school
307th of 448 primary schools in Lancashire we can score, 481 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still — 2.9/10 against 1,383 of them, against 2.4/10 nationally. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 44.0 · 12 | 40% | 0.47 |
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.82 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 6.0 · 45 | 25% | 1.12 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Great Harwood St John's Church of England Primary School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 44.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. The higher standard was reached by 6.0% of pupils, against a national median of 7%. Ofsted rated the school Good in November 2023. Narrow the comparison to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds and it does better still (2.9 out of 10 against similar schools, 2.4 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 158 pupils against a stated capacity of 175. 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 who are below the expected standard in literacy? What specific interventions are in place for the 44.0% who did not meet the benchmark? How does the school maintain its Good Ofsted rating while addressing these attainment gaps?
What Ofsted said about Great Harwood St John's Church of England Primary School
Overview
Pupils enjoy attending this school, feeling safe and well-cared for by staff who maintain high expectations for behaviour and achievement. The inspection judged overall effectiveness as ‘Good’, with ‘Outstanding’ provision in the early years, where children make an exceptional start to their education.
Strengths
- The early years curriculum is ‘ambitious and carefully ordered’, delivered by ‘highly skilled and knowledgeable staff’ who focus sharply on vocabulary and communication.
- Reading is a clear priority; staff deliver phonics ‘consistently well’, ensuring pupils read books ‘well matched to the sounds that they know’, leading to fluency by Year 2.
- Pupils benefit from ‘highly respectful relationships with staff’ and ‘calm and purposeful’ classrooms where they trust adults to help with worries.
- The school is ‘ambitious for all pupils’, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who successfully learn the same curriculum as their classmates.
- Governors are ‘informed well about the quality of education’, and staff feel ‘highly valued by leaders’ with workload considered in curriculum decisions.
Areas to improve
- In a ‘small number of subjects’, the school is still finalising the knowledge pupils should learn and the order of delivery, meaning teachers are ‘not as confident to design activities that support pupils to build their knowledge securely over time’.
Safeguarding
The report states that ‘the arrangements for safeguarding are effective’.
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 33% |
| 2023/24 | 45% |
| 2024/25 | 44% |
| England | 64% |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 14,326 state schools in England we hold a 2024/25 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
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2027
- Primary National Offer Day16 Apr 2027
- Primary (Reception) application deadline15 Jan 2028
- Primary National Offer Day17 Apr 2028
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