Darwen Aldridge Community Academy
67%
Capacity
1,065
Pupils
1.6x
Demand
About Darwen Aldridge Community Academy
Darwen Aldridge Community Academy sits within the Blackburn with Darwen local authority, where it ranks 9th out of 10 secondary schools on Progress 8, placing it in the bottom 90th percentile locally. The top-performing peers in the area are Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School, Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School, and St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy, all of which post significantly higher Progress 8 scores. The school is a mixed, non-denominational state secondary for pupils aged 11 to 19, with a capacity of 1,600 and currently 1,065 pupils on roll. Over 32% of its students are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2025, the school was not given an overall effectiveness grade, but inspectors rated behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management all as Good, while quality of education remains Requires Improvement. The sixth form provision was also judged Good.
Academically, the school's Progress 8 score of -0.77 is significantly below the local authority average of 0.05, placing it in the 'well below average' band nationally. Its Attainment 8 score sits at 39, and just 31.7% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSEs. The EBacc entry rate is low at 13.5%, and only 5.3% achieved the EBacc at grade 5 or above. At A-level, the picture is more mixed: the sixth form's value added score is -0.07, which is in line with average progress, and the average points per entry is 29.95, equivalent to a C grade. The best three A-levels averaged a C+ grade. The school's parent view survey, based on 87 responses, shows 75% of parents would recommend the school, with strong majorities agreeing their child is happy (75% strongly agree or agree) and does well (84% strongly agree or agree). However, only 56% agreed that SEND children receive the support they need, and 52% felt concerns are dealt with properly.
The school offers a broad range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, sports hall, science labs, and a sixth form centre. Sports on offer include cricket, rowing, martial arts, and athletics, while clubs range from Debate and Model UN to DofE and Young Enterprise. The school's SEND provisions cover a wide spectrum, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. For 2025/26 admissions, the school was oversubscribed, with 246 applications for 150 places and 140 first-preference offers made. This suggests strong local demand despite the mixed Ofsted and academic picture. Darwen Aldridge Community Academy may suit families who value a large, inclusive comprehensive with a good sixth form and a wide range of extracurricular opportunities, but who are aware that core GCSE outcomes are currently below the local average and that the school is working through a period of improvement under new leadership.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 19 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Sudell Road, Darwen, Blackburn with Darwen, BB3 3HD |
| Headteacher | Jessica Giraud |
| Local Authority | Blackburn with Darwen |
| Number of Pupils | 1,065 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 32.8% |
| School Capacity | 1,065 / 1,600 (67% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
20 May 2025Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 9 Jul 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.77)
2906th of 3,141
Nationally
392nd of 445
In North West
9th of 10
In Blackburn with Darwen
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
33.2
'22/23
26.9
'23/24
29.9
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2332%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 214 pupils).
- FE college45%
- School sixth form (stay)32%
- Apprenticeship7%
- Not sustained7%
- Employment6%
- Sixth form college1%
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.
Where school leavers go
2022/2343%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 58 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
4%
Russell Group
8%
Top-third HE
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)43%
- Employment21%
- Not sustained17%
- Apprenticeship10%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics16
- Biology13
- Physics13
- History10
- Chemistry9
- Computer Studies / Computing9
- Sociology9
- Psychology6
- English Literature5
- Art and Design (Photography)4
- Religious Studies4
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
87 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
18Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed150
246
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
140 families put this school as their 1st choice (57% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
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.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British71.7%
- Asian11.4%
- White (other)2.4%
- Mixed2.0%
- Black0.4%
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.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this 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.
10
Total schools
8
Oversubscribed
7
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Darwen Aldridge Community Academy
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
Sudell Road, Darwen
Blackburn with Darwen, BB3 3HD
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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