Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio, Darwen
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 8 months agoReport card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
This school specialises in helping young people who have struggled in traditional education settings. Staff build positive relationships quickly, helping pupils regain confidence and see school as a fresh start. The curriculum is uniquely designed around real career pathways with hands-on experience from industry experts, preparing pupils well for employment, training or further education.
Key Strengths
- Strong inclusive practices with personalised approaches to meet individual pupil needs
- Effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs, resulting in outcomes close to national averages
- Creative curriculum delivered by industry experts, with excellent work experience and employer engagement
- Nurturing culture where pupils feel safe, known and understood, leading to improved behaviour and attendance
- Excellent pastoral care and careers guidance helping pupils progress to education, employment or training
Areas for Improvement
- Some checks on pupil understanding are not as effective as they could be, occasionally causing teachers to move on before all pupils are ready
- Published Key Stage 4 examination outcomes do not fully reflect the progress pupils make from their starting points
- Some pupils still do not attend regularly enough despite improved attendance trends
- In a minority of areas, leaders are not precise enough in identifying strategies for rapid improvement
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
University visits, residential visits, trips to local attractions, filmmaking with visiting filmmakers, workplace visits, art competitions, healthcare app design competition, personal development award enrichment activities
Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio is an alternative provision for pupils joining in Year 9, many of whom have had negative previous experiences of education. The school has created a nurturing environment with specialist career pathways in creative, game design and care sectors.
At a Glance
46.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
21.3
Avg class size
10
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Commute Calculator
Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply
What are my chances?
Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
92%
Near capacity
275 pupils
300 capacity
25 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Darwen
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Darwen
Admissions Demand - Blackburn with Darwen
Places available
2,291
Applications
2,109
Got 1st preference
82.0%
Got preferred school
95.4%
Secondary admissions across Blackburn with Darwen (2025/26)
Inspection History(3)
House Prices
Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost
SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
18.2009%
Overall absence
56.33803%
Persistent absence
213
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio
Holy Trinity VC School
St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Darwen
Darwen St James CofE Primary Academy
Avondale Primary School
Darwen Aldridge Sudell Primary
Darwen St Peter's Church of England Primary School
St Cuthbert's Church of England Primary School
Ashleigh Primary School
St Edward's RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
Darwen, St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Nearby Schools
Do you work at this school?
Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.