Darwen St Peter's Church of England Primary School

About Darwen St Peter's Church of England Primary School

Darwen St Peter's Church of England Primary School is a mixed state primary for ages 4 to 11, currently home to 257 pupils against a capacity of 315, so there is some room to grow. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 31.9%, which is notably higher than the national average of around 23% and signals a school serving a community with above-average levels of disadvantage. Demand is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 71 applications for just 27 places, with 26 of those coming as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.63. That means nearly three families applied for every place, and all first-preference applicants were offered a spot, suggesting the school is a popular local choice but not impossible to get into if you live nearby. The religious character is Church of England, and the headteacher is Susannah Burgess.

Academically, Darwen St Peter's performs solidly within its local authority. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 63% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is above the Blackburn with Darwen average of 59%. The school's score of 63 places it 28th out of 52 primaries in the LA, putting it in the top half locally and around the 47th percentile nationally. Individual subject scores are respectable: 73% met expectations in reading and in maths, with average scaled scores of 104 and 103 respectively, while writing saw 80% at expected level. Higher-standard attainment is more modest — 25% in reading, 15% in maths, and just 8% in writing. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2022 rated it Good across all categories, a clear improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2018, with leadership and management, behaviour, personal development and early years all judged Good.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a music room, ICT suite, art studios, a sensory room, a gymnasium, library and chapel. Sports provision covers gymnastics, cross country, rounders, athletics and football, while clubs extend to drama, gardening, film club, choir, book club and chess. SEND support is well-documented, with provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. For families seeking a Church of England primary with strong local demand and a Good Ofsted rating, Darwen St Peter's is a realistic option — oversubscribed but not unreachable, and performing above the LA average academically. The nearest Outstanding-rated school is Hoddlesden St Paul's, 1.8 km away, for those considering alternatives.

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