Official inspection reports and grades
Inspected 6 December 2022
Compared with the local authority and England
The share of pupils reaching the standard expected for their age, and the share going beyond it.
| Measure | School | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing & maths — expected | 66% | 63% | 63% |
| Reading, writing & maths — higher | 2% | 6% | 8% |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling — expected | 90% | 77% | 73% |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling — higher | 55% | 33% | 30% |
A score of 100 is the expected standard; 110 or more is a higher standard.
| Subject | School | Blackburn with Darwen | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 107 | 105 | 106 |
| Maths | 108 | 105 | 105 |
| Grammar, punctuation & spelling | 110 | 106 | 105 |
School workforce census, 2025/26.
St James' Church of England Primary School Blackburn's last overall grade from Ofsted was Good, on 23 April 2013. Ofsted inspected it again on 6 December 2022 without giving a new overall grade.
Apply through the council where you live by 15 January for a Reception place starting that September. Children start Reception in the September after their fourth birthday. You can usually list between 3 and 6 schools in order of preference, and offers are sent on 16 April, or the next working day. A place in its nursery class does not carry on into Reception, so you still need to apply. As a Church of England school it may also ask for a supplementary form, and its admissions policy says whether it does.
No. Distance only counts when St James' Church of England Primary School Blackburn has more applicants than places. Then its admission criteria, set by its governing body, decide who is offered a place first. Children in care or adopted from care come first by law. Most schools put brothers and sisters of current pupils next, then distance or a catchment area. As a Church of England school, it can give priority to children on grounds of faith. How far away the last place went changes every year, depending on who applies.
St James' Church of England Primary School Blackburn had 395 pupils aged 2 to 11 at the latest school census. Its official capacity is 480. It is a mixed school.
Community school
0.3 miles away
Voluntary controlled school
0.4 miles away
Community school
0.5 miles away
Free schools
0.5 miles away
Voluntary aided school
0.6 miles away