UKSchoolSearch
OpenPrimaryURN 119503

St James' Church of England Primary School

Voluntary aided school · Darwen · BB3 0QP

Compare school

Phase

Primary

Age range

Ages 4–11

Pupils

202

Local authority

Blackburn with Darwen

Age range

Ages 4–11

05111619

Provision snapshot

Based on official GIAS characteristics

0 / 6

  • NurseryNo Nursery Classes
  • Sixth formDoes not have a sixth form
  • BoardingNo boarders
  • Special school
  • Independent
  • Academy

Local context

How this school sits among open establishments in its area, using official GIAS records. These are counts, not rankings.

Mixed voluntary aided school (primary), Ages 4–11, in Darwen, Blackburn with Darwen, 202 pupils on roll. Free school meals: 25.2%. Religious character: Church of England. Diocese: Diocese of Blackburn.

Open schools in Darwen
19
Primary schools in Darwen
14
Academies among open schools in Darwen
37% (7)
Open schools in BB3
21
Primary in BB3
14
Open schools in Blackburn with Darwen LA
89
Primary in Blackburn with Darwen LA
56

Nearby primary schools

Open schools within about 3 miles, prioritising the same phase where possible. Distances are approximate from GIAS coordinates.

Compare with theseAll in DarwenNear BB3

Overview

School type
Voluntary aided school
Phase
Primary
Age range
4–11
Gender
Mixed
Status
Open
URN
119503

Location

Address
Off Stopes Brow, Lower Darwen
Postcode
BB3 0QP
Town
Darwen
County
Lancashire
Local authority
Blackburn with Darwen
District
Blackburn with Darwen
Constituency
Rossendale and Darwen
Urban/rural
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Size & intake

Pupil numbers and free school meals come from the GIAS school census fields. Capacity fill is calculated when both pupils and capacity are published. Census date: 15 Jan 2026.

Pupils on roll
202
Boys / girls
98 / 104
School capacity
210
Capacity fill
202 / 210 (96%)
Free school meals
25.2%
FSM pupils
51
Gender
Mixed

School characteristics

Nursery provision
No Nursery Classes
Sixth form
Does not have a sixth form
Boarding
No boarders
Special classes
No Special Classes
Religious character
Church of England
Diocese
Diocese of Blackburn
Governance
Voluntary aided school

Contact

Headteacher
Miss Melissa Tindall
Telephone
01254698656
Website
www.stjameslowerdarwen.co.uk

Official links

Ofsted

Latest inspection outcomes from Ofsted monthly management information. Report-card grades use the current framework where published; older OEIF grades are shown when that is the latest graded inspection.

Headline

Not judged

Inspection date

2024-10-29

Overall effectiveness
Not judged
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding effective
Yes

Read the Ofsted report

Source: Ofsted monthly management information

Performance

Official school-level results from DfE school and college performance tables. Figures are not rankings — suppressed or unavailable values are omitted.

Key stage 2 (2023/24)

Expected standard (RWM)
52%
Higher standard (RWM)
7%
Avg scaled score — reading
105.0
Avg scaled score — maths
104.0
Avg scaled score — GPS
102.0

Source: DfE school and college performance tables

Absence

Pupil absence rates from DfE pupil absence in schools in England. Persistent absence means 10% or more of sessions missed; severe absence means 50% or more. Lower figures are better.

Academic year 2023/24

Overall absence

6.2%

Persistent absence

19.9%

Unauthorised

1.4%

Authorised absence
4.8%
Severe absence (50%+)
0.0%
Enrolments in measure
171

Recent years

2022/23
Overall 6.0% · Persistent 18.5%
2021/22
Overall 7.0% · Persistent 24.0%

Source: DfE pupil absence in schools in England