Lower Darwen Primary School
Darwen, BB3 0RB · Blackburn with Darwen · primary school
Check the area around this school
41st of 51 primary schools in Blackburn with Darwen we can score, 56 in total — the rest without enough published data. 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 — 0.5/10 against 3,424 of them, against 0.9/10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expected standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 41.0 · 9 | 40% | 0.35 |
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.82 |
| Higher standard (RWM) 2024/25 | 0.0 · 10 | 25% | 0.26 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Lower Darwen Primary School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 41.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths, compared to the national median of 64%. The higher standard was reached by 0.0%, against a national median of 7%. Ofsted rated the school Good in May 2023. Its results are much the same when the comparison narrows to schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds, so the gap is not explained by intake (0.5 out of 10 against similar schools, 0.9 out of 10 against all schools).
Getting in
The published school roll is 382 pupils against a stated capacity of 420. 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 maths? What specific strategies are used to raise attainment in writing? How does the school maintain its Good Ofsted rating while addressing the gap in higher standard results?
What Ofsted said about Lower Darwen Primary School
Overview
Pupils are “happy to attend each day” and feel “supported well by their teachers,” creating a safe and proud school community. Leaders have designed an “ambitious and well-ordered curriculum” that ensures pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve well across most subjects. The school is described as sitting “at the heart of the local community,” with strong parental support and effective safeguarding arrangements.
Strengths
- Pupils behave “calmly and courteously,” with staff dealing with bullying “quickly and effectively.”
- The curriculum is “informed by the needs of pupils,” allowing them to “achieve well across the curriculum.”
- Phonics teaching is robust, ensuring “almost all pupils can read with accuracy and fluency by the end of Year 2.”
- Pupils with SEND are identified early and are “fully involved in all aspects of school life.”
- Leaders foster personal development, helping pupils build “self-belief, determination, integrity, courage, leadership and entrepreneurship.”
Areas to improve
- In a small number of subjects, leaders must ensure “building blocks of knowledge” are clear enough for teachers to design learning that builds logically on prior knowledge.
- Leaders should ensure all staff receive sufficient training and support to deliver all aspects of the curriculum with confidence, particularly in subjects where some teachers currently lack expertise.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with leaders working closely with outside agencies to provide “timely and appropriate support” to vulnerable pupils and their families.
Results over time
Expected standard (reading, writing, maths), the years we hold.
| Year | Expected standard (reading, writing, maths) |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 31% |
| 2023/24 | 35% |
| 2024/25 | 41% |
| 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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