St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
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St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is a converter academy in Darwen for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 198 pupils and room for 208. About 18 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 41 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 35% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2020.
Blackburn Road, Darwen, BB3 0AA01254 701616stedwardsrcdarwen.co.ukMrs Vannessa Knowles headteacherAll details
What Ofsted found
A shorter visit on 23 January 2020 found nothing to change the school's grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.
Good overall. A shorter follow-up visit found nothing to change that. The last full inspection was before September 2019, which is as far back as Ofsted's public records go, so we can't show its date or the grades for each area.
This inspection is more than 6 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.
Results
Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025
30 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.
All Year 6 measures, year by year
| Measure | 2025 | 2024† | 2023† | 2019† | 2018† | 2017† | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils tested | 30 | 30 | 28 | 31 | 28 | 30 | – | – |
| Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 70% | 70% | 68% | 61% | 57% | 40% | 61% | 63% |
| Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths | 3% | 0% | 11% | 3% | 0% | 13% | 6% | 8% |
| Reading scoreReading average scaled score | 103.0 | 106.0 | 106.0 | 102.0 | 102.0 | 101.0 | 104.8 | 105.6 |
| Maths scoreMaths average scaled score | 103.0 | 105.0 | 104.0 | 105.0 | 99.0 | 103.0 | 104.4 | 104.6 |
| Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score | 103.0 | 105.0 | 104.0 | 105.0 | 100.0 | 101.0 | 105.6 | 105.2 |
| Expected level: readingReading expected standard | 77% | 77% | 86% | 71% | 71% | 47% | – | – |
| Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard | 70% | 70% | 82% | 87% | 68% | 67% | – | – |
| Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed) | 77% | 73% | 71% | 81% | 64% | 70% | – | – |
| Reading progressReading progress score | – | – | +1.2 | -1.5 | -0.4 | -3.0 | – | – |
| Maths progressMaths progress score | – | – | +0.1 | +0.7 | -2.4 | -1.1 | – | – |
| Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged | – | – | – | 40% | 14% | 14% | – | – |
| Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged | – | – | – | 71% | 71% | 48% | – | – |
There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.
† These results are for St Edward's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn, the school this one replaced in April 2024. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Does every child do well here?
A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. None of the gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.
At the end of primary school, 2025
Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.
Getting a place
Admissions policy not published. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.
Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference.
Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Blackburn with Darwen council's admissions booklet, send it to us.
Who goes here
Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.
Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.7 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 27.3 (England 27.3).
The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Specific learning difficulty (12), emotional and mental health (11), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (6), language and communications needs (5), Autistic spectrum disorder (2), Physical disability (2).
How the mix of pupils has changed
| Census | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Pupils on roll | 198 | 201 |
| Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals | 18% | 15% |
| Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language | 7% | 9% |
| Pupils getting extra supportSEN support | – | 18% |
| Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans | – | 2% |
Attendance and behaviour
In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.5% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.
Attendance year by year
| Measure | 2024/25 | 2023/24† | 2022/23† | 2021/22† | 2020/21† | 2018/19† | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sessions missedOverall absence | 4.5% | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.8% | 1.9% | 3.5% | 5.2% |
| Missed with permissionAuthorised absence | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.6% | 4.3% | 1.8% | 3.0% | – |
| Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence | 1.1% | 1.2% | 1.1% | 0.5% | 0.2% | 0.4% | – |
| Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence | 7.3% | 9.1% | 11.1% | 9.3% | 3.9% | 2.8% | 12.8% |
| SuspensionsSuspension rate | 3.5 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
† These attendance figures are for St Edward's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn, the school this one replaced in April 2024. Same building and the same children. It got a new registration number, usually because it joined an academy trust.
Staff and money
From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.
Money
From the academy accounts return, year to August 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.
Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.
The area around the school
Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.
Nearby schools
The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School | Church of England | 550 m | 184 | Requires improvement 2024 | 2 | Compare |
| Avondale Primary School | Council | 0.6 miles | 400 | Good 2023 | 78 | Compare |
| Lower Darwen Primary School | Council | 0.8 miles | 382 | Good 2023 | 10 | Compare |
| Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary | Church of England | 1.0 miles | 416 | No overall grade 2024 | 97 | Compare |
| Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn | Roman Catholic | 1.0 miles | 180 | Report card 2026 | 67 | Compare |
| Darwen St James CofE Primary Academy | Academy | 1.1 miles | 203 | No overall grade 2025 | 3 | Compare |
| St James' Church of England Primary School | Church of England | 1.2 miles | 202 | No overall grade 2024 | 42 | Compare |
| Longshaw Infant School | Council | 1.2 miles | 203 | Report card 2026 | 12 | Compare |
Compared with schools like it
Our score compares St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy with the 49 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.
Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher
Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.
| School | Type | Distance | Pupils | Ofsted | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christ The King Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy | Academy | 10.4 miles | 208 | Not inspected | 64 | Compare |
| St Andrew's Church of England Primary School, Radcliffe | Church of England | 11.2 miles | 223 | Good 2023 | 76 | Compare |
| Hollins Grundy Primary School | Council | 12.8 miles | 211 | Good 2023 | 64 | Compare |
| All Souls Church of England Primary School | Church of England | 13.8 miles | 234 | Outstanding 2023 | 95 | Compare |
| Wardley CofE Primary School | Church of England | 14.2 miles | 219 | No overall grade 2025 | 95 | Compare |
| Shade Primary School | Council | 15.5 miles | 178 | Good 2023 | 73 | Compare |
How the score was worked out
The score is out of 100. A 41 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 41% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 16 to 74. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.
| What we looked at | How much it counts | Against schools like it | Effect on the score | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results over three years | 25% | in line | -0.05 | 2025 results; 30 pupils |
| Ofsted inspection | 11% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old) | in line | +0.01 | Ofsted grade, 6.6 years old |
| Progress pupils make | 20% | below | -0.09 | Contextualised attainment (no DfE progress measure available); 30 pupils |
| Direction of travel over five years | 0% | no data | – | |
| Attendance and behaviour | 10% | above | +0.08 | 2024/25; 178 pupils |
| Results, allowing for the mix of pupils | 10% | below | -0.05 | Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 30 pupils |
| What parents say | 0% | no data | – |
Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.
Questions parents ask
Is St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy a good school?
It is about average. St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy scores 41 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 35% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 16 to 74, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.
What is St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?
Ofsted rated St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy good at its last full inspection on 23 January 2020. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.
How good are St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's SATs results?
In summer 2025, 70% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 3% went further and reached the higher level.
How many pupils does St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy have?
198 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 208 places, so it is 95% full.
Is St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy oversubscribed?
Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.
What is attendance like at St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Pupils were in school 95.5% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 7% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.
How big are the classes at St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
The average class had 28.3 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 14% of classes had more than 30 pupils.
These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.
Contact and details
- Address
- Blackburn Road, Darwen, BB3 0AA
- Telephone
- 01254 701616
- Website
- www.stedwardsrcdarwen.co.uk
- Headteacher
- Mrs Vannessa Knowles
- Type of school
- Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
- Phase
- Primary school, ages 4-11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic, Diocese of Salford
- Multi-academy trust
- Romero Catholic Academy Trust (18 schools)
- Local authority
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Ward
- Darwen West
- Constituency
- Rossendale and Darwen
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 1 April 2024 (academy converter)
- URN
- 150080 · LAESTAB 8893778 · UKPRN 10093002
- Formerly
- St Edward's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
Where these figures come from
- School details: Department for Education, Get Information About Schools, refreshed daily (this page rebuilt 13 September 2026).
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, monthly; latest publication in our data 27 August 2026.
- Year 6 results: DfE key stage 2 tables, 2024/25.
- Attendance: DfE pupil absence in schools in England, 2024/25 full year.
- Pupil characteristics: DfE school census, January 2026.
- Staff: DfE school workforce census, November 2025.
- Class sizes: DfE schools, pupils and their characteristics, January 2026.
- Pupil premium: DfE allocations and conditions of grant, 2026 to 2027.
- Money: DfE financial benchmarking and insights tool, academy accounts return 2024/25.
- Neighbourhood: police.uk street-level crime, HM Land Registry price paid data, NaPTAN bus stops, English Indices of Deprivation 2025.
- All under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Full list and update calendar.