School Chooser

St Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedAcademyChurch of England202 pupils Free breakfast clubBlackburnBlackburn with Darwen
School Chooser Score
8
Well below
similar schools
Likely range 4 to 17
Out of 100. Better than 8% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedNo overall gradeLast Ofsted inspection, October 2024
Reached the expected level at 1146%England 63%
Attendance93.7%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families50%Far more than most schools
Places8 spare202 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher23.5School workforce census

St Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School is a sponsored academy in Blackburn for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 202 pupils and room for 210. About 50 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far more than at most schools in England. We give it 8 out of 100. That puts it well below schools like it, ahead of 8% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was inspected 2024, no overall grade.

Hancock Street, Blackburn, BB2 2LZ0125454866stlukesblackburn.co.ukMr Colin Walton headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 1 October 2024, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Not judged Between September 2024 and November 2025, Ofsted graded each area but stopped giving one overall word.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Requires improvement
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Requires improvement
Early years
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

28 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1146%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level0%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score102.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score100.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 33%33%20172018: 48%48%20182019: 40%40%20192023: 37%37%20232024: 39%39%20242025: 46%46%2025
Since 2017: +13%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017Blackburn with DarwenEngland
Pupils tested282830253130
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths46%39%37%40%48%33%61%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths0%0%0%0%3%0%6%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score102.0100.0101.0100.0103.097.0104.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score100.0100.0100.0101.0101.099.0104.4104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score101.0102.0101.0105.0106.0101.0105.6105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard57%46%47%52%71%40%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard57%54%43%68%68%43%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)57%57%63%60%65%50%
Reading progressReading progress score-1.7-0.8-0.1-4.1
Maths progressMaths progress score-1.2-0.7-2.3-3.3
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged50%41%30%36%42%38%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged43%36%57%45%58%17%

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.

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. 3 of the 4 gaps are 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

Reached the expected level at 11Low-income pupils vs other pupils
50%43%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 21 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
43%50%
Gap 7 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
42%46%
Gap 4 ptsEngland 4 pts
Reached the higher level at 11Low-income pupils vs all pupils
0%0%
No gapEngland 5 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

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 Church of England school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Nearly full203 pupils for 210 places, 2024/25
97% full

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. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

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.

Pupils on roll202Census January 2026
Places21096% full
Pupils from low-income families50%50% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English58%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support19%39 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan5%10 pupils with a plan
Average class size28.97 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils43%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)48%£147,250 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls100 / 102
White British pupils28%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 26.3 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.8 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (31), Autistic spectrum disorder (9), emotional and mental health (4), Physical disability (2), Vision impairment (2), Moderate learning difficulty (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll202204210209199180
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals50%54%53%53%50%48%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language58%53%56%57%57%52%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support18%18%20%19%21%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans4%3%4%2%2%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 93.7% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance93.7%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school18.3%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils5.92024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission2.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence6.3%7.3%7.5%7.4%4.7%4.5%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.6%3.8%4.4%5.2%3.5%2.3%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence2.6%3.5%3.1%2.2%1.2%2.2%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence18.3%23.5%29.4%27.4%13.9%13.9%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate5.94.82.40.04.4
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions10000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers8.6full-time equivalent, 9 people
Pupils per teacher23.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants8.7full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£49,983
Teachers who left in the year28%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher0.72024/25

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.

Spend per pupil£7,402England £7,128. Total £1.5m
Income per pupil£8,681England £7,587. Total £1.8m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,387England £3,405
Money in reserve6%Not much put by: £113k, £552 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£261kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£7,402spent per pupil

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

Crimes within 500 m75912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate170 per 1,000 people86% higher than the England average
Typical house price£169,000Blackburn with Darwen
Nearest bus stop50 mTaylor Street, 27 stops within 500 m

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.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Griffin Park Primary SchoolCouncil610 m232Good 202258Compare
St Aidan's Primary School - A Church of England AcademyAcademy740 m182No overall grade 20257Compare
St Barnabas and St Paul's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolChurch of England850 m419Good 202476Compare
St Peter's Roman Catholic Primary School, BlackburnRoman Catholic920 m408No overall grade 202438Compare
St Anne's Roman Catholic Primary School BlackburnRoman Catholic0.6 miles214Report card 202628Compare
Longshaw Community Junior SchoolCouncil0.6 miles334Good 202246Compare
Wensley Fold CofE Primary AcademyAcademy0.8 miles463Outstanding 202392Compare
Meadowhead Community Infant School and NurseryCouncil0.8 miles169Good 202223Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School with the 50 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 50 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats8%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the bottom of its group. Its score of 8 is 41 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 0 · middle 49 · highest 96100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 50 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School, 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.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
St Anne's Roman Catholic Primary School BlackburnRoman Catholic0.6 miles214Report card 202628Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 8 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 8% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 4 to 17. 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 atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%below
-0.22
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 28 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%well below
-0.36
Ofsted grade, 1.9 years old
Progress pupils make20%in line
-0.03
DfE progress measure; 28 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
+0.03
results and attendance rising year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%below
-0.07
2024/25; 191 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well below
-0.14
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 28 pupils
What parents say0%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 Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School a good school?

The figures are weak. St Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School scores 8 out of 100. That is well below schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 8% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 4 to 17, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School not judged at its last full inspection on 1 October 2024.

How good are St Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 46% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 0% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School have?

202 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 96% full.

Is St Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School 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 Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School?

Pupils were in school 93.7% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 18% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School?

The average class had 28.9 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 43% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

Does St Luke and St Philips Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club?

Yes. It is on the government's free breakfast club programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
Hancock Street, Blackburn, BB2 2LZ
Telephone
0125454866
Website
stlukesblackburn.co.uk
Headteacher
Mr Colin Walton
Free breakfast club
Yes: on the government's programme, so every pupil can have a free half-hour breakfast club before school (listed since September 2026).
Type of school
Sponsored academy (Academy sponsor led, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England, Diocese of Blackburn
Multi-academy trust
Cidari Education Limited (15 schools)
Local authority
Blackburn with Darwen
Ward
Blackburn Central
Constituency
Blackburn
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 May 2014 (new provision)
URN
140559 · LAESTAB 8892004 · UKPRN 10044576
Formerly
St Luke and St Philips Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Where these figures come from