Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn

About Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn

Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School in Blackburn was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, a rating it has held consistently across both its recent inspections. The school’s most telling exam metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2, which stands at 59%. That figure is exactly in line with the local authority average for Blackburn with Darwen, placing the school in the middle of the pack. Within the local authority, Holy Souls ranks 31st out of 52 primary schools, and nationally it sits in the 59th percentile. While the school does not break into the top tier locally — the nearest Outstanding school, The Olive School, is 2.8 km away — its consistent Good rating and solid expected-standard results provide a reliable baseline for families.

Digging deeper into the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, the picture is mixed but broadly positive. In maths, 83% of pupils met the expected standard, well above the national average, and the average maths score of 105 is strong. Reading saw 69% reach the expected standard, with an average score of 103, while writing came in at 76% expected. Where the school falls short is at the higher standard: only 7% of pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, and just 17% hit the higher threshold in reading alone. The school’s Progress 8 scores are not available, so it is difficult to assess how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points. However, the Ofsted inspection noted Good ratings across all areas — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership — suggesting the school is delivering a solid, well-managed education.

Holy Souls is a small primary with 201 pupils against a capacity of 210, and it is significantly oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 56 applications for just 11 places, a ratio of over five to one. The school has a Roman Catholic religious character and offers nursery provision from age three. Facilities include a chapel, forest school, music rooms, library and playing fields, and the extracurricular programme covers coding, drama, chess, gardening and book club. Sports on offer include swimming, athletics, cricket, gymnastics and dance. The school’s SEND provisions are broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. With 16.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a moderately diverse intake. This is a faith-based, community-focused primary that suits families seeking a Good-rated school with strong maths outcomes and a wide range of enrichment, though competition for places is fierce.

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