Aldridge UTC DarwenDarwen Vale High School
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Darwen.
Summary of the comparison
Aldridge UTC Darwen and Darwen Vale High School are secondary schools in Darwen.
Aldridge UTC Darwen scores 42 out of 100 (grade D, below average) and Darwen Vale High School scores 52 out of 100 (grade D, below average). Darwen Vale High School is ahead on our composite score.
Aldridge UTC Darwen was judged the expected standard and Darwen Vale High School was judged Good.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 31.7 for Aldridge UTC Darwen and 39.0 for Darwen Vale High School.
GCSE Attainment 8 has fallen at Aldridge UTC Darwen (33.9 in 2021-22, 31.7 in 2025-26) and has fallen at Darwen Vale High School (44.2 in 2021-22, 39.0 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | DarwenAldridge UTC Darwen | DarwenDarwen Vale High School | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | D42/100 | D52/100Stronger figure | |
| Local ranking | 10th of 12 in Blackburn with Darwen | 8th of 12 in Blackburn with Darwen Stronger figure | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Expected | Ofsted: Good | |
| School type | Studio schools | Academy sponsor led | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 13-19 | 11-16 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 275 | 1,039 | |
| Capacity | 300 | 1,200 | |
| Location | Darwen, BB3 1AF | Darwen, BB3 0AL | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 31.7 | 39.0 Stronger figure | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 19.4% | 28.2% Stronger figure | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 35.5% | 54.0% Stronger figure | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 62 | 163 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 17 | Not reported | |
| A-level average points | 37.0 | Not reported | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | B- | Not reported | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 25.7 | Not reported | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 0.0% | Not reported | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 264 | 1,071 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 47.1% | 33.1% | |
| English as an additional language | 2.3% | 4.8% | |
| SEN support | 29.9% | 18.9% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 6.1% | 1.7% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 18.2% | 10.2% Stronger figure | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 56.3% | 29.1% Stronger figure | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Aldridge UTC Darwen
Darwen Vale High School
Full profiles: Aldridge UTC Darwen · Darwen Vale High School