St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School
Darwen, BB3 0HY · Blackburn with Darwen · primary school
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49th 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 — 0.6/10 against 2,106 of them, against 0.8/10 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 | 38.0 · 7 | 40% | 0.27 |
| Ofsted | 3 | 35% | 0.10 |
| 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.
St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 38.0% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, compared with the national median of 64%. The higher standard was reached by 0.0%, against a national median of 7%. Ofsted rated the school Requires improvement in July 2024. 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 (0.6 out of 10 against similar schools, 0.8 out of 10 against all schools).
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join Rotakids, Forest School, Eco Club, School Council, and the Worship Group, with an after-school club also available.
Getting in
The published school roll is 184 pupils against a stated capacity of 225. 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 plan to raise attainment to the national median in the coming years? What specific support is available for pupils who are not yet meeting expected standards? How does the Forest School curriculum integrate with the core academic subjects?
What Ofsted said about St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School
Overview
Following a period of staffing turbulence and pandemic disruption, the school is “beginning to raise its expectations” and is described as being “back on the right track” with the “capacity to bring about further improvements.” However, recent national test results show pupils have “not attained well,” and there is “variability in how well subject curriculums are delivered” due to ongoing refinement of new teaching approaches.
Strengths
- Early years provision is judged “Good,” with children getting a “positive start” and being “better prepared for the next stage of their education than is the case elsewhere in the school.”
- Pupils are “happy and safe,” with a “range of extra-curricular opportunities” including sports, drama, and charitable initiatives that they actively enjoy.
- Staff feel “supported by leaders” and value changes to workload and marking policies, while new governors and senior leaders are “becoming increasingly effective.”
- Attendance is a “high priority,” with “effective systems in place to support families” and remove barriers to regular school attendance.
Areas to improve
- The school must ensure subject leaders have the expertise to oversee curriculum delivery and respond quickly to weaknesses, as it currently lacks “sufficient insight into how well the curriculums are delivered in practice.”
- Phonics instruction requires improvement; staff need better training to ensure pupils read books matched to their sound knowledge and receive effective support to become “confident and fluent readers.”
- Behaviour expectations and personal development need strengthening, specifically to address “unkind words and behaviours” and ensure pupils have a “secure knowledge of, and appreciation for, fundamental British values.”
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 | 25% |
| 2023/24 | 32% |
| 2024/25 | 38% |
| 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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