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OpenPrimaryOfsted: Standards maintainedURN 119667

St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Darwen

Voluntary aided school · DARWEN · BB3 2SG

Ages 4–11 · 165 pupils · Blackburn with Darwen

School website

Ofsted

Standards maintained

KS2 expected (RWM)

40%

Overall absence

6.4%

Admissions demand

1.00 · Balanced demand

Ofsted

Latest published inspection outcomes — not a ranking.

Read full report

Headline

Standards maintained

Inspection date

2025-03-04

Source: Ofsted monthly management information

Performance

Official school-level results. Figures are not rankings — suppressed values are omitted.

Key stage 2 (2023/24)

Expected standard (RWM)40%
Higher standard (RWM)5%
Avg scaled score — reading
105.0
Avg scaled score — maths
102.0
Avg scaled score — GPS
101.0

Source: DfE school and college performance tables

Absence

Academic year 2023/24. Persistent absence means 10%+ of sessions missed. Lower figures are better.

Overall absence6.4%
Persistent absence (10%+)14.6%
Unauthorised2.2%
Authorised absence
4.2%
Severe absence (50%+)
2.5%
Enrolments in measure
157

Absence trend

2021/22

2022/23

2023/24

  • Overall
  • Persistent (10%+)

Source: DfE pupil absence in schools in England

Admissions demand

Coordinated admissions for primary entry (2024/25 cycle, national offer day). Demand ratio compares families who listed this school 1st with total offers made — not a catchment or distance guarantee.

Demand ratio

1.00 · Balanced demand

1st preferences

12

Places offered

12

1st-preference offers

12

Total preferences (any rank)
40
Preferred offers (top 3)
12
Applications from outside LA
1
Offers to outside-LA applicants
0

Source: DfE primary and secondary school applications and offers. Figures reflect offers on national offer day; late applications, appeals and waiting lists are not included.

Size & intake

From the GIAS school census (15 Jan 2026).

Capacity fill79%

165 pupils · 210 places

Pupils on roll
165
Boys / girls
87 / 78
School capacity
210
Capacity fill
165 / 210 (79%)
Free school meals
15.2%
FSM pupils
25
Gender
Mixed
School type
Voluntary aided school

Age range

Ages 4–11

05111619

Provision

Official GIAS characteristics

0 / 6

  • Nursery
  • Sixth form
  • Boarding
  • Special school
  • Independent
  • Academy

School characteristics

Religious character
Roman Catholic
Diocese
Diocese of Salford
Special classes
No Special Classes
Governance
Voluntary aided school
Headteacher
Mrs Leanne Brown

Location

Address
Limes Avenue
Postcode
BB3 2SG
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

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, 165 pupils on roll. Free school meals: 15.2%. Religious character: Roman Catholic. Diocese: Diocese of Salford.

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

  • Holy Trinity VC School

    Ofsted: Not judged

    Voluntary controlled school · Primary

    Darwen · BB3 2RW · Blackburn with Darwen

    Ages 4–11

    • KS229%
    • Absence9.2%
    • FSM47.9%
    • Demand1.00

    0.4 miles away

  • Ashleigh Primary School

    Ofsted: School remains Good

    Foundation school · Primary

    Darwen · BB3 2JT · Blackburn with Darwen

    Ages 4–11

    • KS274%
    • Absence4.0%
    • FSM14.5%
    • Demand0.90

    0.6 miles away

  • Darwen Aldridge Sudell Primary

    Ofsted: Needs attention

    Academy converter · Primary

    Darwen · BB3 3EB · Blackburn with Darwen

    Ages 4–11

    • KS213%
    • Absence9.3%
    • FSM50.3%
    • Demand0.94

    0.7 miles away

  • Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy

    Ofsted: School remains Good

    Academy converter · Primary

    Darwen · BB3 2JA · Blackburn with Darwen

    Ages 4–11

    • KS267%
    • Absence4.5%
    • FSM8.7%
    • Demand1.13

    0.9 miles away

  • Darwen St James CofE Primary Academy

    Ofsted: Not judged

    Academy converter · Primary

    Darwen · BB3 0EY · Blackburn with Darwen

    Ages 3–11

    • KS228%
    • Absence9.5%
    • FSM41.5%
    • Demand1.00

    0.9 miles away

  • Avondale Primary School

    Ofsted: School remains Good

    Community school · Primary

    Darwen · BB3 1NN · Blackburn with Darwen

    Ages 4–11

    • KS267%
    • Absence4.7%
    • FSM28.0%
    • Demand0.97

    1.0 miles away

New to reading school data? See Ofsted ratings explained and how to compare schools.

Contact

Headteacher
Mrs Leanne Brown
Telephone
01254706264
Website
www.stjosephsrcp.co.uk/

Official links