Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #19 in Blackburn with Darwen public Top 54% UK

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy

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

person Mr Tonino Passarello

corporate_fareROMERO CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST

location_onBlackburn, BB1 1PY

phone 01254588388

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Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2023

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Students

770

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Attainment 8

36.6

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GCSE Rank

#18 in Blackburn with Darwen

#3,313 of 4,024 nationally

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Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy is a Academy sponsor led secondary school in Blackburn, serving ages 11-16. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards.

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School Summary

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy is an academy sponsor led in Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen, admitting pupils aged 11-16. It is part of ROMERO CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST. The school has approximately 770 pupils on roll, of whom 48% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2026, pupils achieved an Attainment 8 score of 36.6, placing the school #18 in Blackburn with Darwen and #3,313 of 4,024 nationally. 24.70% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and Maths. 10.1% of all GCSE entries were graded 9–7.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement, personal development Requires improvement, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 0.7× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 18.3:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were 4 permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 31.3 per 1,000 pupils per term.

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

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

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Secondary Performance Trends (KS4)

2026

Attainment 8 Score

36.6

across 8 GCSE slots

Grade 5+ E&M

24.70%

Grade 4+ E&M

41.10%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)10.1%

5+ GCSEs (4+ incl. E&M)38.40%

Triple Science Entry13.70%

EBacc Slot Score10.4 / 30

2025

Attainment 8 Score

37.2

across 8 GCSE slots

Grade 5+ E&M

22.50%

Grade 4+ E&M

42.10%

Grade 9–7 (all GCSEs)9.3%

Entering EBacc32.60%

EBacc APS3.16

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Ranking History & Trajectory

National & Local Authority position based on DfE performance data · Methodology

Year	Secondary Overall (Nat)	LA Rank	GCSE Attainment	Progress 8 Rank
2026	#3,573 / 4,024	#19	#3,313	#1
2025	#3,375 / 3,948	#18	#3,193	#1

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

Inspection Report

Inspection History

2 Evaluations

2023-05-16

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 3 EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Requires improvement

Development

Requires improvement

Leadership

Requires improvement

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

2019-10-08

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Good

verified_user Safeguarding: Met

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

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

Suspension Rate

31.8%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 7.3% for this term (secondary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

10.3%(84 pupils)

Spring term 2025

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

Permanent Exclusions

3pupils

gavel Exclusion recorded

National average: 7.398% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 812 pupils. During this period, there were 258 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 31.8%, which is above the termly national average of 7.3%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg	Perm. Excl.
2024/25 (Spring term)	812	258	31.8%	7.3%	3
2024/25 (Autumn term)	806	248	30.8%	7.8%	1
2023/24 (Summer term)	816	214	26.2%	7.4%	4
2023/24 (Spring term)	821	489	59.6%	7.1%	5
2023/24 (Autumn term)	0	98	-	8.2%	0

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

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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.

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 69 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 60 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 20 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 17 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 15 pupils

Physical Disability 9 pupils

Hearing Impairment 5 pupils

Visual Impairment 3 pupils

Severe Learning Difficulty 1 pupils