Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary

About Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary

Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary was judged Outstanding in every category during its most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2024, a rating it has now held across two consecutive inspections. The school’s academic story is best told through its Key Stage 2 results for the 2023/24 academic year, where 81% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That figure sits well above the local authority average of 59% for Blackburn with Darwen and places the school third out of 52 primary schools in the area, comfortably inside the top 10% nationally. The school also excels at stretching its highest achievers: 16% of pupils reached the higher standard across all three subjects, while 48% hit that mark in reading alone. Average scaled scores of 108 in maths and 109 in reading further underline the strength of core provision.

The Ofsted report awarded top marks across the board — Outstanding for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. The inspection team noted that the school has maintained its Outstanding rating since its previous graded inspection in 2013, a rare consistency in a system where standards have tightened considerably. In the classroom, 93% of pupils achieved the expected standard in both reading and maths individually, and 83% did so in writing. The school’s ranking score of 81 places it second in the local authority behind only The Olive School, Blackburn, and it outperforms every other Church of England primary in the area. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 93% of respondents would recommend the school, and 83% strongly agreed that their child is happy there.

The school operates at near full capacity with 418 pupils against a published capacity of 420, and it is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 160 applications for 60 places, with 74 families listing it as their first preference. The school supports a broad range of SEND needs, including provision for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties, though parent views on SEND support are more mixed than other areas. Facilities include playing fields, a library, music rooms, a chapel and an outdoor playground, while the sports programme covers tennis, swimming, gymnastics and cross country. Clubs such as coding, drama, eco club and book club round out the offer. This is a school that suits families prioritising strong academic outcomes within a Church of England framework, but the oversubscription means early application is essential.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Blackburn the Redeemer CofE Primary

Helpful Guides for Parents