Holy Trinity VC School
32%
Capacity
133
Pupils
3.8x
Demand
About Holy Trinity VC School
Holy Trinity VC School in Blackburn with Darwen was rated Requires Improvement in its most recent Ofsted inspection in March 2025, a drop from its previous Good rating in 2019. The inspection judged the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all as requiring improvement, while personal development remained Good. The most telling academic metric comes from the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results: only 29% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That figure is well below the local authority average of 59% and places the school 50th out of 52 primary schools in Blackburn with Darwen, putting it in the bottom 50 tier nationally. Individual subject scores tell a similar story — 54% reached the expected standard in maths, 50% in reading, and 58% in writing — with just 4% achieving the higher standard across all three subjects.
The school is small, with 133 pupils against a capacity of 420, and a high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 52.6%. Despite the academic challenges, parent feedback is notably positive. In the Parent View survey from September 2024 to September 2025, 91% of respondents said they would recommend the school. Every parent agreed their child is happy and feels safe, and 100% agreed the school ensures good behaviour. Strong majorities also felt the school has high expectations for their child (81% agreed or strongly agreed) and supports wider personal development (91% agreed or strongly agreed). However, 18% of parents disagreed that the school makes them aware of what their child will learn, and 9% disagreed that their child does well — suggesting some communication gaps around academic progress.
Holy Trinity is a Church of England primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 4 to 11, led by headteacher Susannah Burgess. The school offers a range of facilities including a library, sensory room, chapel, gymnasium, and playing fields, with sports such as cricket, football, gymnastics and netball, plus clubs for art, coding and drama. It provides SEND support across seven categories including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and social, emotional and mental health difficulties. The school was oversubscribed for 2025/26 reception places, with 23 applications for 6 places and all first-preference applicants offered a spot. For families prioritising a supportive, community-focused environment over raw academic scores, Holy Trinity may be a good fit — though those seeking strong exam outcomes may want to look at nearby schools like Hoddlesden St Paul's, rated Outstanding and just 2.5 km away.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Bank Top, Darwen, Blackburn with Darwen, BB3 2RW |
| Headteacher | Susannah Burgess |
| Local Authority | Blackburn with Darwen |
| Number of Pupils | 133 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 52.6% |
| School Capacity | 133 / 420 (32% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
18 Mar 2025Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 8 May 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (29%)
13300th of 13,686
Nationally
1995th of 2,065
In North West
50th of 52
In Blackburn with Darwen
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
29%
Expected Standard
4%
Higher Standard
'22/23
48%
'23/24
29%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
Ofsted Parent View
11 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
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
9Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed6
23
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
6 families put this school as their 1st choice (26% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British71.4%
- Asian12.1%
- Mixed3.9%
- White (other)2.3%
- Black2.3%
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.
11
Total schools
9
Oversubscribed
8
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.
Frequently Asked Questions About Holy Trinity VC School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Bank Top, Darwen
Blackburn with Darwen, BB3 2RW
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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