58%
GCSE 9–4 · 2024/25
40%
GCSE 5+ · 2024/25
43.1
Attainment 8 · 2024/25
11%
EBacc entry · 2024/25
783.8
EBacc APS · 2024/25
1,071
Pupils · 2024/25
5%
EAL · 2024/25
29%
Persistent abs. · 2024/25
Ofsted inspection
Good
Ofsted inspection · 30/01/2024
Inadequate
Requires improvement
Good
Outstanding
Local authorityBlackburn with Darwen
PhaseSecondary
School typeAcademy
Pupil : teacher ratio17.8:1
AdmissionsNon-selective
Religious characterDoes not apply
StatusOpen
Overview of Darwen Vale High School · Secondary · Blackburn with Darwen
Part ofALDRIDGE EDUCATION
How does this school perform?
Key Stage 4 · 2024/25 · trend since 2016/17
GCSE 9–4 incl. Eng & maths
58%
0pp
68%63%58%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 58%
GCSE 5+ incl. Eng & maths
40%
-3pp
43%42%40%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 40%
Attainment 8
43.1
+0.6
44.243.442.5
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 43.1
EBacc entry
11%
-5pp
16%12%8%
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 11%
EBacc APS
783.8
+96.7
783.8614.6445.3
'19'22'23'24'25
'25 · 783.8
Pupils & context
2024/25
Pupils on roll
1,071
Pupil : teacher ratio
17.8
Workforce data · 2025/26
EAL
5%
FSM eligible
33%
SEN
21%
Overall absence
10%
Persistent absence
29%
Contact
Address
Blackburn Road, Darwen, BB3 0AL
Local authority
Blackburn with Darwen
Website
Telephone
Email
—
History
All years · Historical DfE data by academic year
Secondary — Key Stage 4
GCSE attainment and Progress 8 — how pupils progressed from KS2 to KS4.
| Year | GCSE 9–4 | GCSE 5+ | Attainment 8 | Progress 8 | EBacc entry | EBacc APS | EBacc lang entry | Cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 58% | 40% | 43.1 | Not applicable | 11% | 783.8 | 15% | 1,071 |
| 2023/24 | 58% | 43% | 42.5 | -0.29 | 16% | 687.2 | 26% | 1,078 |
| 2022/23 | 63% | 41% | 43.9 | -0.15 | 10% | 555.4 | 23% | 1,044 |
| 2021/22 | 68% | 41% | 44.2 | -0.21 | 8% | 466.0 | 17% | 944 |
| 2018/19 | 62% | 40% | 42.7 | -0.46 | 15% | 445.3 | 26% | 764 |
| 2017/18 | 45% | 23% | 37.8 | -0.91 | 8% | 452.3 | 18% | 756 |
| 2016/17 | 50% | 23% | 42.6 | -0.52 | 4% | — | 14% | 757 |
Pupils & absence
| Year | Pupils | Pupil:teacher | SEN | EAL | FSM ever | Absence | Persistent absence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 1,071 | 17.7 | 21% | 5% | 33% | 10% | 29% |
| 2023/24 | 1,078 | 20.1 | 18% | 6% | 32% | 11% | 29% |
| 2022/23 | 1,044 | 21.3 | 15% | 6% | 34% | 11% | 33% |
| 2021/22 | 944 | 19.8 | 14% | 6% | 37% | 11% | 32% |
| 2020/21 | 916 | 17.8 | 16% | 4% | 39% | — | — |
| 2018/19 | 764 | 18.0 | 14% | 2% | 44% | 8% | 22% |
| 2017/18 | — | 16.2 | — | — | — | 8% | 19% |
| 2016/17 | 757 | 14.3 | 20% | 2% | 41% | 6% | 17% |
School performance data © Crown copyright. Source: Department for Education.