Primary school

St James' Church of England Primary School Blackburn

  • Voluntary Aided School
  • ages 2–11
  • Mixed
  • Church of England
  • Blackburn with Darwen
  • BB1 8EG
Ofsted Good · inspected Apr 2013

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 7,038 of 15,057 primaries in England · top 47%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 20%20%2016/17: top 46%2017/18: top 39%2018/19: top 76%2022/23: top 56%2023/24: top 74%2024/25: top 47%No exams

Against North WestArrows: North West rank change since 2018/19

Expected standard, RWM66% · North West 63%6/10 Middle+34.8 pts
Higher standard, RWM2% · North West 6%2/10 Well below North West−45.4 pts
Reading score107 · North West 1057/10 Above+58.7 pts
Maths score108 · North West 1059/10 Top 20%+59.1 pts
Show KS2 results by year

No exams 2019/20–21Not published 2021/22

Expected standard, RWM
2015/16: 70% · 61 pupils · North West 55%2016/17: 65% · 62 pupils · North West 64%2017/18: 71% · 58 pupils · North West 68%2018/19: 56% · 59 pupils · North West 67%2022/23: 59% · 59 pupils · North West 61%2023/24: 52% · 56 pupils · North West 63%2024/25: 66% · 58 pupils · North West 63%71%52%No exams
Higher standard, RWM
2015/16: 5% · 61 pupils · North West 3%2016/17: 13% · 62 pupils · North West 7%2017/18: 10% · 58 pupils · North West 8%2018/19: 12% · 59 pupils · North West 9%2022/23: 7% · 59 pupils · North West 6%2023/24: 7% · 56 pupils · North West 5%2024/25: 2% · 58 pupils · North West 6%13%2%No exams
Reading score
2015/16: 105 · 61 pupils · North West 1022016/17: 104 · 62 pupils · North West 1042017/18: 105 · 58 pupils · North West 1052018/19: 101 · 59 pupils · North West 1042022/23: 104 · 59 pupils · North West 1052023/24: 104 · 56 pupils · North West 1052024/25: 107 · 58 pupils · North West 105107101No exams
Maths score
2015/16: 106 · 61 pupils · North West 1032016/17: 105 · 62 pupils · North West 1042017/18: 105 · 58 pupils · North West 1052018/19: 104 · 59 pupils · North West 1052022/23: 104 · 59 pupils · North West 1042023/24: 105 · 56 pupils · North West 1042024/25: 108 · 58 pupils · North West 105108104No exams

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in100.0%
43 of 43 who put it first2014 · 100.0%2026 · 100.0%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st4343
2nd341
3rd321

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2007–2022

  1. 2007Good
  2. 2009Satisfactory
  3. 2013Good
  4. 2017Ungraded visit
  5. 2022Remains Good

4 strong areas

  • Quality of teaching
  • Achievement of pupils
  • Leadership and management
  • Behaviour and safety of pupils

0 weak areas

4 areas graded

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 2026395
Free school meals (past 6 years)20.5%
First language not English98.4%
SEN support20.9%
EHC plan1.1%
Absence (sessions missed)6.6%
Persistently absent pupils20.2%

Girls 50.7%Boys 49.3%

82.3% full · 480 places

Parent View

Not published for this school

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher17.2
Pupils per adult10.0
  • Classroom teachers 17
  • Leadership 5
  • Teaching assistants 13
  • Other support 6.5

Teachers 22 FTE · Whole workforce 41.5 · 65 people

Financials · 2025/26

Income per pupil£7,198
Spend per pupil£7,107
Staff spend per pupil£5,839
Reserve per pupil£232
  • +£87,890revenue reserve
  • +£34,299in-year balance

Grants £6,864 · self-generated £343 · premises £334 per pupil