Witton Park Academy
Secondary · Academy converter · Ages 11–16 · Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen
Last distance offered · Year 7 2026
Every applicant was offered a place
From Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council · offers on 2 March 2026
Nearby schools' earlier years 🔒
Witton Park Academy is a secondary school in Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen for ages 11–16 (academy converter). Blackburn with Darwen has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2026 entry.
Witton Park Academy catchment area: last distance offered
Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.
| Entry | Last distance offered |
|---|---|
| Year 7 2026 | Every applicant was offered a place |
What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment
What the figures show
- In 2024/25, 37% of pupils got grade 5 or above in GCSE English and maths (England 45%), and the Attainment 8 score was 40.3 (England 46).
- Year 7 2026 saw 67 first-choice applications for 219 offers; every first-choice family was offered a place, and 152 offers went to families who ranked it second or lower.
- Its 0.3 first choices per offer for Year 7 2026 was the lowest of 11 Blackburn with Darwen secondary schools, and every applicant was offered a place.
- Free school meal eligibility is 41.8% of pupils, against a middle figure of 24% across the 8 nearest secondary schools in Blackburn with Darwen.
Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Blackburn with Darwen schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.
Key facts
- Address
- Buncer Lane, Blackburn, BB2 6TD
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–16
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Pupils on roll
- 1,243 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 41.8% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 15.1
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
No Ofsted grade Inspected 24 February 2026
Strengths
- “Pupils enjoy positive relationships with staff and benefit from some enriching experiences.”
- “Pupils are beginning to value the new 'Witton Way' curriculum, which includes enrichment activities such as careers fairs, theatre trips and museum visits.”
- “Most pupils behave well, and bullying is usually dealt with appropriately.”
To improve
- “However, they do not receive a consistently well-taught curriculum.”
- “Teaching varies too much across subjects, which means that pupils do not build their knowledge securely over time.”
- “As a result, their achievement is uneven and some pupils are not well prepared for their next steps.”
Safeguarding: met
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 6 May 2026 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.
Exam results
| Measure | School | England |
|---|---|---|
| GCSE English and maths, grade 5 or above (2024/25) | 37% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 40.3 | 46 |
Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Applications and offers
- 2026 Year 7 entry: 67 first-preference applications, 219 offers in total, 67 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Blackburn with Darwen.
- St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy 0.7 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School 0.8 mi Outstanding Last distance published
- Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School 0.9 mi Outstanding
- Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School 1.0 mi Some aspects not as strong Last distance published
- St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn 1.1 mi Not judged Last distance published
- Blackburn Central High School 1.7 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Pleckgate High School 2.0 mi Outstanding Last distance published
- Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy 2.4 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published