Audley Junior School

About Audley Junior School

Audley Junior School is a state primary for children aged 7 to 11, located in the Blackburn with Darwen local authority. It ranks 5th out of 52 primary schools in the area, placing it comfortably within the top 10% locally. The three highest-scoring peers in the same authority are The Olive School, Blackburn, followed by Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary and St Gabriel's Church of England Primary School. Audley sits just behind these, with a ranking score of 78 based on the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. The school is rated Good by Ofsted, a grade it has held across both its most recent graded inspection in 2013 and an ungraded inspection in 2022, which confirmed it remains Good. With 389 pupils on roll against a capacity of 420, it is close to full. Just over 30% of its pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average and reflects the school's inclusive intake.

Academically, Audley Junior School performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 78% of pupils achieved the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Blackburn with Darwen average of 59%. This places the school in the top 25% nationally for this measure. In maths, 93% of pupils met the expected standard and 37% reached the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 108. Reading saw 84% at the expected level and 26% at the higher level, with an average score of 106. Writing was slightly lower, with 81% at the expected standard and 11% at the higher level. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points, but the raw outcomes are strong. Ofsted's breakdown from the 2013 graded inspection rated both leadership and management and overall effectiveness as Good, though no separate ratings for behaviour or personal development were recorded.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a dining hall, sports hall, library, gymnasium and a chapel. Sports provision covers tennis, swimming, netball, cricket, rounders and cross country, while clubs include art, science, gardening, choir and book club. For families with children who have additional needs, Audley lists support for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and other difficulties. The school does not have a nursery or sixth form, and is not a boarding school. Given its strong academic results relative to the local authority average, its Good Ofsted rating and its broad SEND offer, Audley Junior School is a strong choice for families in Blackburn with Darwen seeking a well-performing, inclusive junior school that is oversubscribed but not yet at capacity.

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