Darwen Aldridge Community Academy
About the school
Darwen Aldridge Community Academy is an open secondary school in Blackburn with Darwen.
Latest Ofsted inspection
Published Ofsted information, current as at 31 July 2026. Inspection outcomes are not performance rankings.
- Latest inspection
- 20 May 2025
- Published
- 9 July 2025
- Inspection type
- Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1
- Latest outcome
- Not judged
Previous inspection framework
These judgements are retained by Ofsted from an earlier inspection framework.
Overall effectiveness
Not judged
Quality of education
Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Yes
Early years
Not applicable
Sixth form
Good
Results and school context
GCSE and key stage 4
Attainment 8
- School
- 36.5
- Blackburn with Darwen
- 45.4
- England
- 46.1
Progress 8
The DfE has not published this measure for 2024/25.
- School
- N/A
- Blackburn with Darwen
- N/A
- England
- N/A
English and maths grade 5+
- School
- 23.60%
- Blackburn with Darwen
- 43.90%
- England
- 45.40%
English and maths grade 4+
- School
- 49.70%
- Blackburn with Darwen
- 63.40%
- England
- 64.80%
EBacc entry
- School
- 17.30%
- Blackburn with Darwen
- 39.10%
- England
- 40.50%
EBacc average point score
- School
- 3.01
- Blackburn with Darwen
- 3.98
- England
- 4.09
A levels and sixth form
Average A-level grade
- School
- C-
Average A-level points
- School
- 25
AAB or better
- School
- 0.00%
Pupil context and attendance
DfE context data for 2024/25. These characteristics provide context and are not quality ratings.
Pupils on roll
1065
Girls
46.29%
Boys
53.71%
SEN support
13.43%
Education, health and care plan
1.41%
English as an additional language
16.70%
Eligible for free school meals in the past six years
36.75%
Overall absence
11.13
Persistent absence
35.71
Pupil destinations
DfE destination measures from the 2024/25 release. These outcomes are published after a time lag.
After Key Stage 4
Cohort
210
Sustained education or employment
87%
Education
80%
Apprenticeship
3%
Employment
4%
Not sustained
11%
After 16–18 study
Cohort
67
Sustained education or employment
79%
Higher education
40%
Further education
4%
Apprenticeship
10%
Employment
24%