Darwen Vale High School

About Darwen Vale High School

Darwen Vale High School is an academy sponsor led in Darwen, Blackburn with Darwen, England, for pupils aged 11–16. It has 1,071 pupils on roll. It is part of ALDRIDGE EDUCATION. Its most recent Ofsted inspection (30 January 2024) rated it Good. At GCSE, pupils achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 39 (2025/26). 31.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.8% have English as an additional language.

School Information

Local Authority

Blackburn with Darwen →

School Type

Academy sponsor led

Phase

Secondary

Age Range

Ages 11–16

Gender

Mixed

Pupils / Capacity

1,071 / 1,200 (89%)

Sixth Form

Does not have a sixth form

Nursery

No Nursery Classes

Religious Character

Does not apply

Admissions Policy

Non-selective

Last Ofsted Inspection

30 January 2024

Who attends this school — useful context if you’re considering teaching here.

Source: DfE School Census, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Official Department for Education results, pupil destinations and attendance.

Progress 8 isn’t published for this year group: their Key Stage 2 baseline (2021 SATs) was cancelled during the pandemic, so a progress measure can’t be calculated. GCSE figures are provisional and may be revised.

Source: Department for Education performance tables, 2025/26, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Some independent schools’ qualifications (e.g. IGCSEs) are not all reflected in these figures.

Staffing at this school, with the trend over recent years — useful if you’re considering working here.

Data for the 2024/25 academic year (trend lines show 3 years). Source: DfE School Workforce Census, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. State-funded schools only.

How this school is funded and where the money goes — per pupil.

Source: DfE school finance returns (CFR for council-maintained schools, AAR for academies), 2024-25, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Per-pupil figures are calculated from total income/expenditure.

Contact Details

Address

Blackburn Road, Darwen, Blackburn with Darwen, BB3 0AL

Phone

01254223000

Head Teacher

Jessica Giraud

Website

www.darwenvale.com

Academy Trust

Frequently asked questions

What type of school is Darwen Vale High School?

Darwen Vale High School is an academy sponsor led in Darwen, Blackburn with Darwen, England, for pupils aged 11–16.

How many pupils does Darwen Vale High School have?

Darwen Vale High School has 1,071 pupils on roll, according to Department for Education data.

What is Darwen Vale High School's Ofsted rating?

Darwen Vale High School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection (30 January 2024).

How does Darwen Vale High School perform at GCSE?

Pupils at Darwen Vale High School achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 39 in 2025/26.

Is Darwen Vale High School part of an academy trust?

Yes — Darwen Vale High School is part of ALDRIDGE EDUCATION.

Where is Darwen Vale High School?

Darwen Vale High School is located at Blackburn Road, Darwen, Blackburn with Darwen, BB3 0AL.