St Stephen's Church of England Primary School

About St Stephen's Church of England Primary School

For the 2025/26 intake, St Stephen's Church of England Primary School received 81 applications for 48 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.69. All 46 families who listed the school as their first preference were offered a place, which suggests that while the school is popular, applying as a first choice is a sensible strategy. The school does not publish a parent-view survey result, so there is no 'would recommend' percentage to draw on, but the application numbers alone indicate a solid local reputation. St Stephen's is a state primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 5 to 11 with a Church of England religious character, led by headteacher Jacquelyn Young. It currently has 400 pupils on roll, close to its 420 capacity, and 26 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, a figure above the national average that gives a sense of the school's intake.

Academically, St Stephen's performs above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 66 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the Blackburn with Darwen average of 59 per cent. The school's average scores were 106 in reading and 107 in maths, both above the national average. However, only 5 per cent of pupils achieved the higher standard in all three subjects, which is modest. In the local authority rankings, St Stephen's sits 26th out of 52 schools, placing it in the top 50 per cent. Its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2022 rated the school Good overall, with personal development judged Outstanding — the only category to reach that top grade. Behaviour and attitudes, leadership, and the quality of education were all rated Good, and early years provision was also Good, a step up from its previous inspection in 2015 where early years was graded Requires Improvement.

The school offers a practical range of facilities including a library, chapel, sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields and an ICT suite, plus clubs such as book club, coding, chess and eco club. Sports on offer include tennis, rounders, football, cricket and netball. For families with children who have additional needs, St Stephen's lists a broad set of SEND provisions, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language needs, hearing and visual impairments, and physical disability. The school is oversubscribed, so applying as a first preference is advisable. It suits families who value a Church of England ethos, want a school with strong personal development and good behaviour, and are comfortable with a diverse intake. For those seeking an Outstanding-rated alternative, the nearest is Wensley Fold CofE Primary Academy, 3.1 km away.

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