Meadowhead Junior School

About Meadowhead Junior School

Meadowhead Junior School’s headline KS2 results sit below the local authority average, which is a key point for parents weighing up their options. In the 2023/24 academic year, 45% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Blackburn with Darwen average of 59%. That puts the school 40th out of 52 primaries in the LA, placing it in the bottom half locally and the bottom 50% nationally. Digging into the individual subjects, reading fared best with 67% at expected and an average score of 102, while maths hit 62% at expected with a score of 100. Writing was the weakest area, with 58% at expected and only 2% reaching the higher standard. The school’s overall Ofsted rating is Good, a notable improvement from its previous Requires Improvement judgement in 2017, with leadership, behaviour, personal development and the quality of education all now rated Good following a graded inspection in 2019 and an ungraded visit in early 2025.

The parent view data, based on ten responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, paints a mixed picture. On the positive side, 80% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 80% felt their child does well there. However, only 50% agreed that the school makes sure pupils are well behaved, and just 20% thought bullying is dealt with quickly and effectively, though 40% marked that question as not applicable. Concerns about how the school handles issues are evident: only half of parents felt concerns are dealt with properly, and half disagreed that the school keeps them informed about their child’s progress. Encouragingly, 80% agreed that the school has high expectations for their child, and 90% said their child can take part in clubs and activities. Overall, 70% of parents would recommend the school.

Meadowhead is a state primary for children aged 7 to 11, with 216 pupils on roll against a capacity of 240, so there is some room for growth. A very high proportion of pupils — 61.6% — are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average, reflecting the school’s role in a disadvantaged community. Facilities include a library, outdoor playground, playing fields, sensory room, gymnasium, ICT suite, dining hall and even a chapel. The school offers a range of clubs such as Eco Club, Gardening, Book Club and Science Club, plus sports including swimming, dance, netball, football and rounders. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social emotional and mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, visual impairment, autistic spectrum disorder and other difficulties. This is a school that has improved its Ofsted rating but still faces challenges around behaviour and parental communication, and it may particularly suit families who value the wide range of extracurricular activities and the strong sense of pupil happiness reported by most parents.

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