Blackburn Central High School
Secondary · Academy converter · Ages 11–16 · Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen
Blackburn Central High School is a secondary school in Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen for ages 11–16 (academy converter). Its latest Ofsted outcome is School remains Good, from the inspection on 14 December 2022. Blackburn with Darwen has published a last distance offered for this school for Year 7 2026 entry.
Open on the map Unlock with a pass · £9.99
Key facts
- Address
- Haslingden Road, Blackburn, BB2 3HJ
- Type
- Academy converter
- Phase
- Secondary
- Ages
- 11–16
- Sector
- See recorded establishment type
- Admissions policy
- Non-selective
- Council
- Blackburn with Darwen
- Pupils on roll
- 1,015 January 2026 school census
- Free school meals
- 44% of pupils eligible
- Pupils per teacher
- 17.2
Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026
Ofsted
School remains Good Inspected 14 December 2022
Strengths
- “Pupils are proud to attend this school.”
- “They have warm and trusting relationships with staff.”
- “Pupils told inspectors that they appreciate the family atmosphere of the school, where everyone is equally valued.”
To improve
- “However, in a small number of subjects, teachers provide pupils with a narrow range of activities and resources.”
- “Pupils occasionally encounter some of the same materials in key stage 3 and key stage 4.”
- “This limits the opportunities for pupils to strengthen their understanding by applying the knowledge that they are learning to new scenarios.”
Safeguarding: Effective
Quoted from the Ofsted report published 7 February 2023 (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) | 35% | 45% |
| Attainment 8 score (2024/25) | 41 | 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: 150 first-preference applications, 197 offers in total, 150 offers to first-preference applicants.
Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.
Last distance offered and catchment
A one-off £9.99 pass, no subscription, unlocks for 3 months:
- Last distance offered for Year 7 2026, as Blackburn with Darwen published it, drawn on the map
- Earlier years of applications and offers
- Earlier years of exam results
- Where pupils go after they leave
- Crime, sold prices, broadband and transport around the school
A last distance offered describes one past year and is not a catchment or a promise of a place. Check with the council before you apply.
Nearby secondary schools
Straight-line distance, in Blackburn with Darwen.
- Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy 0.7 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School 0.8 mi Outstanding
- St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy 1.0 mi School remains Good Last distance published
- Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School 1.5 mi Some aspects not as strong Last distance published
- Darwen Vale High School 1.6 mi Good Last distance published
- Witton Park Academy 1.7 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
- Tauheedul Islam Girls' High School 2.1 mi Outstanding Last distance published
- St Bede's Roman Catholic High School, Blackburn 2.1 mi Not judged Last distance published