Blackburn St Thomas' Church of England Primary School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 3 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Newton Street, Blackburn, BB1 1NEOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

Blackburn St Thomas' Church of England Primary School is a primary school in Blackburn for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 88 schools in Blackburn with Darwen. It ranks 17th of 49 primary schools in Blackburn. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in September 2013.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 18 September 2013, report published 10 October 2013

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 February 2024

Pupils thrive in this welcoming school. Pupils, staff, and parents and carers talked about it as being 'the heart of the community'. Warm relationships are at the centre of this inclusive school. Pupils said that they feel safe and happy. They know that adults care about them. They value the wide range of support that they receive. They trust that there is always an adult available to help them if they are worried. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), rise to the school's high expectations of their achievement. Many pupils speak English as an additional language. The school is successful at making sure that this is not a barrier to learning. Pupils are eager and confident learners. Most achieve well in a range of subjects. Pupils behave well. They live out the school values, such as showing respect and kindness, in the way that they play and talk with each other. Examples of this are helping someone who may have fallen over in the playground or talking to peers who might feel lonely. Pupils learn to be valuable and responsible members of the school community. They enjoy the wide range of experiences that staff organise to bring the curriculum alive. These include trips to museums and the theatre and residential trips to London and France.

What the school should improve

  • Too many pupils are absent or persistently absent from school. As a result, they miss important learning and do not achieve as well as they could. The school should strengthen strategies to improve pupils' attendance.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

60 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths72%

72%, 10 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths5%

5%, 3 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score105

105, 1 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score107

107, 2 above the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score107

107, 2 above the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

464 pupils on roll, with places for 420

Eligible for free school meals18.3%

18.3%, 8.2 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language62.7%

62.7%, 41.1 percentage points above the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support17.2%

17.2%, 2.4 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan3.2%

3.2%, 2.8 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near Blackburn St Thomas' Church of England Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
St Matthew's Church of England Primary School0.4 milesReport card: Needs attention to expected standard53% met the expected standard
Audley Infant School0.4 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Audley Junior School0.4 milesOfsted: Good73% met the expected standard
St Alban's Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn0.6 milesOfsted judgements: Good62% met the expected standard
Daisyfield Primary School0.6 milesOfsted: Good78% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Voluntary controlled school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
3 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Miss Yusra Arshad
Address
Newton Street, Blackburn, BB1 1NE
Local authority
Blackburn with Darwen
URN
119355

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.