Blackburn St Thomas' Church of England Primary School

About Blackburn St Thomas' Church of England Primary School

Blackburn St Thomas' Church of England Primary School sits within the Blackburn with Darwen local authority, where it ranks 13th out of 52 primary schools — comfortably inside the top quarter of its peers. Among the highest-scoring schools in the area are The Olive School, Blackburn, Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary, and St Gabriel's Church of England Primary School, all of which sit above St Thomas' in the local rankings. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in February 2024, confirmed that it remains Good, a rating it has held consistently since at least its previous graded inspection in 2013. Leadership and management were also judged Good. With 459 pupils on roll against a capacity of 420, the school is clearly popular locally, and its Church of England character gives it a defined place in the community. The headteacher, Yusra Arshad, leads a school that serves a diverse intake, with 22.2% of pupils eligible for free school meals.

Academically, St Thomas' performs well above the local average. At Key Stage 2, 72% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Blackburn with Darwen average of just 59%. In maths, 90% met the expected standard and 26% reached the higher standard, while the average maths score was 107. Reading saw 77% at expected and 30% at higher, with an average score of 105. Writing was slightly lower, with 79% at expected and only 5% reaching the higher standard. Nationally, the school sits in the top 25% of all primaries for the combined expected standard metric, and in the North West it ranks 497th out of 2,065 schools. The school does not have a sixth form, and its nursery provision means children can join from age three.

The school offers a solid range of facilities, including a library, music rooms, a sensory room, a gymnasium, playing fields and a chapel. Sports on offer include athletics, football, swimming and netball, and clubs extend to drama, science club, choir and book club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school provides support for moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, and other difficulties. Admissions for 2025/26 show the school is oversubscribed: 110 applications for 58 places, with 54 first-preference offers made from 56 first-preference applications — an oversubscription ratio of 1.9. This is a school that suits families looking for a well-regarded Church of England primary with strong academic outcomes, a broad set of activities, and clear SEND support, all within a popular and competitive local market.

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