Classpot

Blackburn Central High School

Blackburn with Darwen, BB2 3HJSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Dec 2022
Progress 8
-0.20
Below average
−20+2
Competition
0.8×
Not oversubscribed
163 1st-choice / 202 places
Ranking
#2,020
of 3,141 nationally

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.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressHaslingden Road, Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen, BB2 3HJ
HeadteacherNicola Power
Local AuthorityBlackburn with Darwen
Number of Pupils984
Free School Meals (FSM)39.3%
School Capacity984 / 900 (109% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
See an example
One-off paymentNo subscriptionStripe checkout

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

14 Dec 2022
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Latest monitoring visit (14 Dec 2022): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 7 Dec 2012. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

11
LibraryTheatrePlaying FieldsMusic RoomsDining HallSports HallICT SuiteGymnasiumSwimming PoolAstro TurfArt Studios

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

13

Sports

TennisCricketCross CountryDanceRoundersGymnasticsBasketballHockey

Clubs & Activities

NewspaperCodingChessModel United NationsScience Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingVisionPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

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.

Was this page helpful?

Frequently Asked Questions About Blackburn Central High School

Blackburn Central High School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.