Darwen Aldridge Community Academy

A requires improvement academy sponsor led school in Blackburn with Darwen. Explore Ofsted ratings, admissions information, and performance data for Darwen Aldridge Community Academy.

Darwen, BB33HD Ofsted: Requires Improvement Age 11-19 Mixed intake
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Performance Score

Overall school rating

43

/ 100

Secondary with Sixth Form weighted harmonic mean of 5 indicators

Indicators used for Secondary with Sixth Form schools

Progress 8 score
37.3
/ 100 normalized
Weight: 20.0%
Raw: -0.77
English & Maths grade 4+ %
51.0
/ 100 normalized
Weight: 20.0%
Raw: 53.8%
Continue in education or training
35.2
/ 100 normalized
Weight: 20.0%
Raw: 42.0%
Sustained employment
47.8
/ 100 normalized
Weight: 20.0%
Raw: 22.0%
Ofsted inspection outcome
50.0
/ 100 normalized
Weight: 20.0%
Raw: Requires Improvement

How we weight each phase

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Primary schools

  • KS2 pupils meeting expected standard 40.0%
  • KS2 pupils exceeding expected standard 30.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 30.0%

Secondary schools

  • Progress 8 score 40.0%
  • English & Maths grade 4+ % 30.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 30.0%

All-through schools

  • Progress 8 score 25.0%
  • English & Maths grade 4+ % 20.0%
  • KS2 pupils meeting expected standard 20.0%
  • KS2 pupils exceeding expected standard 15.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 20.0%

Secondary with Sixth Form schools

  • Progress 8 score 20.0%
  • English & Maths grade 4+ % 20.0%
  • Continue in education or training 20.0%
  • Sustained employment 20.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 20.0%

Sixth Form Only schools

  • Continue in education or training 40.0%
  • Sustained employment 30.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 30.0%

Special schools

  • Ofsted inspection outcome 100.0%

Alternative Provision schools

  • Ofsted inspection outcome 100.0%

Independent schools

  • Ofsted inspection outcome 100.0%

Ofsted Inspection

Official inspection outcomes

Requires Improvement
Overall effectiveness
Requires Improvement
Last inspected
14 December 2022
Previous grade
Good
Quality of education
Requires Improvement
Behaviour & attitudes
Requires Improvement
Personal development
Good
Leadership & management
Requires Improvement
Safeguarding
Effective

Source: Ofsted inspection outcomes. Grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate.

Contact Information

How to reach this school

Source: GIAS
Address
Sudell Road
Darwen, BB33HD
Phone
1254819500
Website
daca.uk.com/

Location

Find the school on the map

Source: Geocoding
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School Information

Basic details and characteristics

Source: GIAS
URN
135580
Type
Academy sponsor led
Phase
Secondary with Sixth Form
Address
Sudell Road, Darwen, BB3 3HD
Website
http://www.daca.uk.com/
Age range
11-19
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Does not apply
School status
Open
Trust/MAT
ALDRIDGE EDUCATION
Capacity
1600 pupils
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Sixth Form
Yes
Nursery
No

School Performance Data

Official government statistics

Source: DfE

School Demographics

Total Pupils
1,068
Free School Meals
33.2% (355 pupils)
Special Educational Needs
1.1% (12 pupils)

Daily Attendance

Attendance Rate
88.7%
Needs improvement
Persistent Absence
35.0%
Missing 10%+ of school days

Detailed Performance Metrics

Attainment 8 Scores
Attainment 8:
39.0
Ebacc Attainment 8:
10.9
English Attainment 8:
8.7
Maths Attainment 8:
7.7
Open Subjects Attainment 8:
11.7
EBacc Subject Performance
Ebacc Attainment 8:
10.9
Ebacc English:
95.2%
Ebacc Entry:
7.2%
Ebacc Humanities:
54.8%
Ebacc Languages:
35.6%
Ebacc Maths:
96.2%
Ebacc Sciences:
94.7%
Progress Measures
Progress 8:
-0.77
Progress 8 Range:
-0.97 to -0.58
University Progression:
42.0%

Real Success Rates

What happens to students after they leave this school

Continue Education
42.0%
University, college, or sixth form
Enter Employment
22.0%
Full or part-time jobs
Start Apprenticeships
10.0%
Learning while earning
Not in Education or Work
17.0%
NEET - needs support

Sixth Form University Progression

Where sixth form students go after graduation

University Progression
42%
Quality: Average
Sixth Form Size
60 students
Per cohort
Apprenticeships
10.0%

Calculated Fields

Derived insights and analysis

Source: Calculated

Class Size Information

Average Class Size
60 pupils
Large Classes
Pupils per Year Group
119
Average across all year groups
Total School Size
1,068 pupils
11-19

Subjects This School Excels At

Subjects where students perform significantly above national average

Religious Studies (GCE A level)
★★★★ ★
(10 students)
History (GCE A level)
★★★ ★★
(12 students)
Social Science (VRQ Level 3)
★★★ ★★
(12 students)
Psychology (GCE A level)
★★ ★★★
(20 students)
Sociology (GCE A level)
★★ ★★★
(6 students)

Strong performance in 5 subjects

From the School Website

Information extracted from the school's own website

Source: School Website

Ethos & Values

passion creativity teamwork determination risk-taking problem-solving

Head Teacher's Message

Welcome to Darwen Aldridge Community Academy, a school at the heart of the Darwen community. We are part of the Aldridge Education family of schools and colleges, and our mission is to ensure that every DACA student is given the best opportunity and support to realise their full potential and develop those skills and qualities needed to make good choices and go on to lead happy and successful lives.

Extracurriculars

Clubs

Fashion Factory STEM club

Curriculum Highlights

Five year Learning Journey KS3 Mastery programme focuses on knowledge acquisition and development of skills At KS4 in Design Technology we follow the Eduqas specifications Each unit has key vocabulary (tier 2) and subject-specific terminology (tier 3) ACMO (mark making) is used to assess progress; retrieval practice and low-stakes quizzes Homework is set through Bedrock and Seneca; enrichment through clubs (e.g., Fashion Factory, STEM club) and external visits From September, students have opportunities to visit external STEM/engineering events (e.g., Equal Engineers Technology & Engineering Careers Day, IET Faraday Challenge) Careers education is emphasised with pathways to further education and careers (e.g., Engineering, Design, etc.)

Admissions Criteria

Year 7 admissions information includes an Open Evening for prospective intake, a deadline for applications (31 October 2025 for Sept 2026) and that applications are made through the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council BwD application process; historically, first-preference applications have secured a place.

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