Best primary schools in Darwen (2026)
Darwen has 10 ranked primary schools with published results. The top-ranked is Avondale Primary School, in the top 31% in England. The average reading, writing & maths here in 2025 was 59%, against 62% for England. 0 are in England's top 10%, and 0 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted.
| Rank | School | Reading, writing & maths (2023–2025 average) | Reading, writing & maths 2025 | Trend | Higher standard | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Top 31% in England |
Avondale Primary School Darwen |
68% | 72% | 12% | No rating | |
2 Top 32% in England |
Ashleigh Primary School Darwen |
69% | 66% | 7% | No rating | |
3 Top 36% in England |
St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Darwen · Roman Catholic |
70% | 70% | 3% | No rating | |
4 Top 39% in England |
Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy Darwen · Church of England |
67% | 65% | 0% | No rating | |
5 Bottom 28% in England |
Darwen St Peter's Church of England Primary School Darwen · Church of England |
55% | 43% | 10% | Report card | |
6 Bottom 22% in England |
St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Darwen Darwen · Roman Catholic |
53% | 70% | 4% | No rating | |
7 Bottom 15% in England |
Holy Trinity VC School Darwen · Church of England |
46% | 62% | 10% | Not judged | |
8 Bottom 3% in England |
Darwen Aldridge Sudell Primary Darwen |
35% | 64% | 0% | Report card | |
9 Bottom 2% in England |
St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School Darwen · Church of England |
32% | 38% | 0% | Requires improvement | |
10 Bottom 1% in England |
Darwen St James CofE Primary Academy Darwen · Church of England |
28% | 37% | 0% | Not judged |
Other towns in Lancashire
- Accrington
- Adlington (Chorley)
- Bacup
- Bamber Bridge
- Barnoldswick
- Barrowford
- Blackburn (Blackburn with Darwen)
- Blackpool
- Brierfield
- Burnley
- Burscough
- Carnforth
- Chorley
- Clayton-le-Moors
- Clitheroe
- Colne
- Coppull
- Euxton
- Fleetwood
- Fulwood
- Great Harwood
- Haslingden
- Heysham
- Lancaster
- Leyland
- Longridge (Ribble Valley)
- Longton
- Lytham St Anne's
- Morecambe
- Nelson (Pendle)
Also see
Questions
What is the best primary school in Darwen?
On exam results over the last three years, Avondale Primary School is the top-ranked primary school in Darwen, in the top 31% of schools in England.
How are the schools ranked?
By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.