OFSTED
24 February 2026
Latest inspection
Latest published outcome
Met
Renewed framework
Safeguarding
Met
Inclusion
Needs attention
Curriculum & teaching
Needs attention
Achievement
Needs attention
Attendance & behaviour
Needs attention
Personal development
Needs attention
Leadership & governance
Needs attention
INSPECTION HISTORY
Previous Ofsted activity
4 November 2021
Ungraded inspection
School remains Good
Published
16 January 2022
SCHOOL DETAILS
About this school
School type
Academy converter
Phase
Secondary
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Does not apply
Local authority
Blackburn with Darwen
Trust
ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH COLLABORATION TRUST
Census date
15 January 2026
PUPIL PROFILE
2025/26
School community
Latest published pupil characteristics for 2025/26.
Total pupils
1,243
1,243 full-time ·
0 part-time
Female pupils
595
47.9% of pupils
Male pupils
648
52.1% of pupils
Free school meals
Pupils eligible for free school meals.
17.0 pts
above England
School
41.8%
Blackburn with Darwen
25.6%
North West
28.5%
England
24.8%
English as an additional language
Pupils whose first language is not English.
44.1 pts
above England
School
64.4%
Blackburn with Darwen
36.4%
North West
18.1%
England
20.3%
Young carers
Pupils recorded as young carers.
0.5 pts
below England
School
0.5%
Blackburn with Darwen
0.4%
North West
0.8%
England
1.0%
Ethnicity
Largest recorded pupil groups.
Pakistani
41.6%
517
White British
17.3%
215
Indian
11.7%
146
Any other White background
5.3%
66
Any other ethnic group
4.5%
56
Any other Asian background
4.4%
55
Council, regional and national comparisons
are pupil-weighted using published school
census counts.
ADDITIONAL NEEDS
2025/26
Special educational needs
Pupils receiving SEN support or with an education, health and care plan.
Pupils with SEN
15.7%
195 of
1,243 pupils
5.1 pts
below England
England:
20.8%
England
14.8%
0.8 pts
below
England
6.0%
4.3 pts
below
PRIMARY NEEDS
Pupils
Most common identified needs
SEN comparisons are pupil-weighted using published 2025/26 Department for Education school-level data. Primary needs combine pupils receiving SEN support and pupils with EHC plans.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
2024/25
Key stage 4 outcomes
Published Department for Education results for 2024/25.
ATTAINMENT 8
Average attainment score
40.3
1.1 pts
above England
Latest published: -0.70 · 2023/24
Comparisons are averages of published school-level results for open schools. They are not pupil-weighted official local authority attainment rates.
ATTENDANCE & ABSENCE
2024/25
Attendance profile
Published Department for Education absence data for 2024/25. Lower absence rates are generally better.
ABSENCE RATE
9.16%
Overall absence
Percentage of possible sessions missed.
2.94 pts
higher than
England
School
9.16%
Blackburn with Darwen
6.47%
North West
6.25%
England
6.22%
ABSENCE RATE
26.35%
Persistent absence
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
10.53 pts
higher than
England
School
26.35%
Blackburn with Darwen
17.93%
North West
15.89%
England
15.82%
ABSENCE RATE
3.28%
Severe absence
Pupils missing 50% or more of sessions.
1.47 pts
higher than
England
School
3.28%
Blackburn with Darwen
1.96%
North West
1.75%
England
1.80%
Council, regional and national
comparisons are averages of published
school-level percentages rather than
pupil-weighted official absence rates.
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?
School context
Comparison with open secondary schools.
CAPACITY
Capacity utilisation
101.1%
8.7 pts
above England
Witton Park Academy
101.1%
Blackburn with Darwen
94.1%
North West
91.8%
England
92.3%
Benchmarks use open schools in the
same phase. Capacity utilisation is
calculated from published pupil and
capacity figures.