Ofsted: Special Measures trending_up Places Available emoji_events #49 in Blackburn with Darwen public Top 95% UK

Darwen St James CofE Primary Academy

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMiss Laura Peckson

corporate_fareCIDARI EDUCATION LIMITED

location_onDarwen, BB3 0EY

language Visit Website phone 1254703260

verified

Ofsted

Special Measures

Inspected 2025

groups

Students

218

school

Expected Standard

37%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.0x

summarize

Darwen St James CofE Primary Academy is a Academy converter primary school in Darwen, serving ages 3-11. Ranks in the top 95% of primary schools nationally.

article

School Summary

Darwen St James CofE Primary Academy is an academy converter in Darwen, Blackburn with Darwen, admitting pupils aged 3-11. It is part of CIDARI EDUCATION LIMITED. The school has approximately 194 pupils on roll, of whom 55% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 37% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined. The school ranks #49 of 51 primaries in Blackburn with Darwen and #13,644 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2025. The school's current overall rating is Special Measures. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 22.6:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 10.6 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

37%

LA 61%

Reading53% LA 73%

Writing47% LA 70%

Maths63% LA 74%

Read SS

Maths SS

100

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

28%

LA 57%England 61%

Reading38% LA 70% · Eng 74%

Writing34% LA 67% · Eng 72%

Maths34% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

19%

LA 57%England 60%

Reading27% LA 70% · Eng 73%

Writing31% LA 69% · Eng 71%

Maths38% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

Progress (0 = national avg)

-8.4

Read

LA -0.5

-11.0 to -5.9

-7.2

Write

LA 0.0

-9.5 to -4.8

-7.6

Maths

LA -0.1

-10.0 to -5.3

2019

R/W/M Expected Standard

39%

LA 63%England 65%

Reading39% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing61% LA 77% · Eng 78%

Maths44% LA 79% · Eng 79%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

101

Progress (0 = national avg)

-4.2

Read

LA 0.4

-7.5 to -1.0

0.9

Write

LA 0.4

-2.1 to 3.9

-1.9

Maths

LA 0.8

-4.8 to 0.9

2018

R/W/M Expected Standard

35%

LA 62%

Reading47% LA 73%

Writing59% LA 75%

Maths53% LA 76%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

-3.2

Read

LA 0.1

-6.3 to -0.1

-1.4

Write

LA 0.4

-4.4 to 1.6

-4.1

Maths

LA 0.6

-6.9 to -1.3

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

09 July 2025

Inspection Report

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05 November 2024

Inspection Report

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24 April 2024

Inspection Report

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22 February 2023

Inspection Report

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24 October 2017

Inspection Report

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01 October 2014

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

5 Evaluations

2025-07-09

Schools into Special Measures Visit 3 EIF

Not Judged

info

Why no overall grade?

From autumn 2024, Ofsted stopped issuing a single headline grade (Outstanding / Good / RI / Inadequate). Instead, each inspection area is graded individually. This follows a major review after the death of headteacher Ruth Perry in 2023. The overall effectiveness field is left as "Not judged" in the published data.

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2023-02-22

S5 Inspection EIF

Inadequate

Education

Inadequate

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Inadequate

2017-10-24

None Legacy

No Judgement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

Development

Leadership

2011-12-06

S5 Inspection Legacy

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2009-01-22

None EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

gavel

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

6.7%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

4.6%(9 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 194 pupils. During this period, there were 13 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 6.7%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	194	13	6.7%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	206	30	14.6%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	222	12	5.4%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	208	6	2.9%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	208	13	6.2%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	217	5	2.3%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	218	1	0.5%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	202	2	1.0%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	213	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	213	0	0.0%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	200	0	0.0%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	192	1	0.5%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	183	0	0.0%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	184	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	194	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	194	0	0.0%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	196	0	0.0%	0.6%
2018/19 (Summer term)	200	0	0.0%	0.4%
2018/19 (Spring term)	200	1	0.5%	0.5%
2018/19 (Autumn term)	196	4	2.0%	0.5%
2017/18 (Summer term)	186	1	0.5%	0.5%
2017/18 (Spring term)	189	1	0.5%	0.4%
2017/18 (Autumn term)	184	0	0.0%	0.5%
2016/17 (Summer term)	179	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Spring term)	172	0	0.0%	0.4%
2016/17 (Autumn term)	180	0	0.0%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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psychology_alt

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 22 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 12 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 2 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 2 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

Visual Impairment 1 pupils

Physical Disability 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

91.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

92.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

34.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree43%

agree30%

disagree17%

strongly disagree9%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree57%

agree22%

disagree22%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree39%

agree22%

disagree13%

not applicable26%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree48%

agree30%

disagree9%

don't know13%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree65%

agree30%

disagree4%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree65%

agree26%

disagree9%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree52%

agree35%

disagree4%

don't know9%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree65%

agree30%

disagree4%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree52%

agree35%

disagree13%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes70%

no30%

Top Primary Schools in Blackburn with Darwen

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

Daisyfield Primary School

Good

location_on Blackburn, BB1 5LB

emoji_events #1 in LA

Lammack Primary School

Good

location_on Blackburn, BB1 8LH

emoji_events #2 in LA

Griffin Park Primary School

Good

location_on Blackburn, BB2 2PN

emoji_events #3 in LA

Brookhouse Primary School

Good

location_on Blackburn, BB1 6NY

emoji_events #4 in LA

Wensley Fold CofE Primary Academy

Outstanding

location_on Blackburn, BB2 6LX

emoji_events #5 in LA

Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn

Good

location_on Blackburn, BB2 3UG

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in Blackburn with Darwen arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Church of England)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in Blackburn with Darwen

Daisyfield Primary School

Lammack Primary School

Griffin Park Primary School

Brookhouse Primary School

Wensley Fold CofE Primary Academy

Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn