Blackburn Central High School
109%
Capacity
984
Pupils
1.8x
Demand
About Blackburn Central High School
Blackburn Central High School sits below the local authority average on the headline measure of Progress 8, with a score of -0.2 compared to the Blackburn with Darwen average of 0.05. That places it fifth out of ten schools in the borough, squarely in the middle of the pack, and nationally it lands in the bottom half of all schools. The school’s Attainment 8 score of 41.2 is modest, and only 36.6 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths, though that rises to 57.6 per cent at the grade 4 threshold. A little over half of students entered the EBacc suite of subjects, with 15.1 per cent achieving the full combination at grade 5 or better. The school is oversubscribed — 365 applications for 202 places — and made 163 offers to first-preference families, suggesting it remains a popular choice locally despite the middling results.
Digging into the Progress 8 breakdown, the school’s weakest area is open subjects, where pupils score -0.38, while maths is closest to the national average at -0.07. English and EBacc subjects sit in between, at -0.14 and -0.17 respectively. The overall Progress 8 banding is rated ‘Average’, which is a fair summary: pupils leave with slightly lower attainment than peers nationally, but the gap is not dramatic. The most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated the school Good overall, with leadership and management also judged Good. That’s a notable improvement from the previous inspection in 2009, when the school was graded Requires Improvement. The ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed the school remains Good, so the trajectory is positive, even if the exam data hasn’t yet caught up to the LA average.
The school serves a community with high levels of disadvantage — 39.3 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. Facilities are strong for a state secondary: there’s a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, sports hall, gymnasium, and dedicated music and art studios. The SEND provision is comprehensive, covering nine categories including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities. There’s no sixth form, so pupils leave at 16. The oversubscription ratio of 1.81 and 163 first-preference offers out of 365 total applications show real demand. This school will suit families who value a broad range of facilities and a Good Ofsted rating, and who are comfortable with results that are slightly below the local average but improving.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | Haslingden Road, Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen, BB2 3HJ |
| Headteacher | Nicola Power |
| Local Authority | Blackburn with Darwen |
| Number of Pupils | 984 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 39.3% |
| School Capacity | 984 / 900 (109% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
14 Dec 2022Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (14 Dec 2022): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 7 Dec 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.20)
2020th of 3,141
Nationally
243rd of 445
In North West
5th of 10
In Blackburn with Darwen
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2320%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 178 pupils).
- FE college61%
- School sixth form (stay)20%
- Sixth form college6%
- Not sustained6%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship2%
93% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed202
365
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
163 families put this school as their 1st choice (45% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 14:55
Breakfast club
08:15-08:45
Source: bchs.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian68.6%
- White British20.4%
- Mixed3.2%
- White (other)2.8%
- Black0.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Permanent exclusion is rare — most schools have none in a given year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
18
Total schools
13
Oversubscribed
13
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blackburn Central High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Haslingden Road, Blackburn
Blackburn with Darwen, BB2 3HJ
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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