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Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy

Blackburn with Darwen, BB3 2JAPrimaryAges 4–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Mar 2023
KS2 Results
67%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.1×
Oversubscribed
34 1st-choice / 30 places
Ranking
#5,158
of 13,686 nationally

About Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy

Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy is a Church of England state primary for mixed pupils aged 4 to 11, located in the Blackburn with Darwen local authority. With 205 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210, the school is effectively full, and the demand is clear: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 86 total applications for just 30 places, with 34 first-preference applications for those 30 spots, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.87. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals sits at 9.8%, which is notably below the national average for primary schools, suggesting a relatively less disadvantaged intake compared with many schools in the area. The school is led by headteacher Rebecca Ham and was rated Good in its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2017, with a subsequent ungraded inspection in 2023 confirming that the school remains Good.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range4 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressKnowlesly Road, Darwen, Blackburn with Darwen, BB3 2JA
HeadteacherRebecca Ham
Local AuthorityBlackburn with Darwen
Number of Pupils205
Free School Meals (FSM)9.8%
School Capacity205 / 210 (98% 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
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

29 Mar 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Good

Latest monitoring visit (29 Mar 2023): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 20 Oct 2017. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

6
Forest SchoolSensory RoomPlaying FieldsDining HallOutdoor PlaygroundChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

9

Sports

Cross CountryTennisAthleticsGymnasticsSwimmingCricket

Clubs & Activities

CodingChessGardening

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

SEND Support

DyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy

Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.