Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn, Blackburn
Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Blackburn. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 31st-highest of the 49 schools in Blackburn with published results, and 9,159th of 14,452 across England. It was 90% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 75 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Blackburn with Darwen (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn in detail
Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn in its own words
In its own words: "Holy Souls is a place where we share our life in Christ, in the growing knowledge that Jesus loves us. Our school is a place where everyone is able to feel welcomed, valued, secure, loved and happy. Everyone who comes into our school will be treated with respect and valued as a unique member of our school family."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Holy Souls is a happy school with our children at the heart of everything that we do and every decision we make. Our Catholic ethos and the Gospel values permeate all aspects of school life - we value our community's different faiths, respecting each other, and living by our Mission Statement of 'Love one another as I have loved you'."
The school runs after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 10 November 2026 at 9.30am, an open day on Wednesday 11 November 2026 at 4pm and an open evening on Friday 18 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Blackburn with Darwen
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn reached the expected standard in reading and 73% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 76% in Blackburn with Darwen and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 69% in reading and 83% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
For September 2026 entry, 17 families put Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn as their first choice and 58 named it as one of their preferences, for 23 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn are St Gabriel's Church of England Primary School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 72% reading, 72% maths); Roe Lee Park Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 84% reading, 84% maths); Cedars Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 83% reading, 93% maths); and Lammack Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 91% reading, 96% maths).
Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
St Gabriel's Church of England Primary SchoolRoe Lee Park Primary SchoolCedars Primary SchoolLammack Primary School
Who goes there
In 2026, 10 pupils (5.3%) received SEN support and 12 (6.3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ramsgreave & Wilpshire Rail Station, about 1140 metres away (roughly a 14-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Knowles Arms (outside), 240 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn issued 1 suspension, 0.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its February 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
18.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 69% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 83% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 76% to 60% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
21.7
Avg class size
17.7
Infant (KS1)
29.7
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
From Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn, with their latest published grades:
- Mi Nursery Tadis House - Day nursery, 0.3 miles
- Fernbank Nursery Ltd - Day nursery, 0.6 milesOfsted, 17 September 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Hami's Daycare - Day nursery, 0.6 milesOfsted, 21 November 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Little Achievers Forest School Nursery - Day nursery, 0.6 milesOfsted, 3 April 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Brownhill Playgroup Ltd - Day nursery, 0.6 milesOfsted, 5 September 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn is in Blackburn with Darwen; for families living there:
Apply to Blackburn with Darwen for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 23
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 18 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Blackburn with Darwen is 24 (the median across 89 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
Will you get a place at Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn?
For 2026 entry it had 17 first choices for 23 places. The report sets your home postcode against these figures.
£9.99 once (inc. VAT; £19.99 for up to three schools), or Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time. What's in the report
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
90%
Near capacity
189 pupils
210 places
21 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Across Blackburn with Darwen council
Places available
2,256
Applications
1,926
Got 1st preference
89.3%
Got preferred school
97.9%
All primary applications across Blackburn with Darwen council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Future places in the local planning area
DfE estimates the Blackburn North Primary planning area (Blackburn with Darwen) will have 477 spare primary places in 2027/28. In the year groups that are short, it estimates 20 additional places needed.
Source: Department for Education, School capacity: Academic year 2024/25 (published 19 March 2026), estimates of future school place demand by planning area. Council pupil forecasts against reported places, counting places councils and DfE plan to add or remove; rounded to whole places. Explore Education Statistics
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
10
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
11.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
189
Total Pupils
100
Boys
89
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
23.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,047
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,545
Per pupil
£1160k
Total funding
£55k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.1%
Overall absence
14.1%
Persistent absence
185
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
Questions parents ask about Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn
What are SATs results like at Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn?
Of the pupils at Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% reached the expected standard in reading and 73% did so in maths.
What is Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn's Ofsted rating?
Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in February 2023.
Is it hard to get a place at Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn?
Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn was not full in 2025: it ran at 90% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn?
Classes at Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn average 21.7 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn?
Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn has around 189 pupils on roll. 18% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn?
6.1% of sessions were missed at Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn in 2024/25. 14.1% of pupils were persistently absent.
How many road collisions happen near Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 23 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 18 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 6 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Blackburn with Darwen is 24 (the median across 89 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn?
Holy Souls Roman Catholic Primary School Blackburn is at Wilworth Crescent, Blackburn, Lancashire, BB1 8QN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)