Audley Junior School Review 2026: A high-performing junior school with a strong reading culture

A junior school that starts at Year 3 changes the rhythm of primary education. Children arrive at seven, ready for Key Stage 2, and Audley Junior School makes that transition feel purposeful rather than daunting, with routines, enrichment and clear academic expectations from the start.

This is a state school, so there are no tuition fees. Results are a clear strength: in 2024, 86% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the England average of 62%. The school’s overall performance places it comfortably within the top 25% of primary schools in England (FindMySchool ranking).

The most recent Ofsted inspection (27 and 28 September 2022) confirmed the school continues to be Good and safeguarding is effective.

Audley Junior School is explicit about what it wants children to become by the end of Year 6: independent, resilient learners who are ready for the next stage. That aim shows up in the way the school talks to parents, the way it structures rewards, and the way it frames learning as something pupils actively do, not something that happens to them. The school motto, “Growing and learning together”, is more than a strapline, it is used as a shared language for behaviour and belonging.

Leadership is stable and clearly visible in public-facing information. The headteacher is Mrs Susan Aldred, and the school also sets out the wider leadership team, including the deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher, which helps parents understand who to speak to for different concerns.

Day-to-day culture is strongly shaped by high expectations of behaviour and learning. Pupils are expected to take pride in their work and to treat others with respect. The language of “pride points” links effort and learning behaviours to tangible rewards, which tends to work well at junior age when children are old enough to reflect on choices but still benefit from concrete reinforcement.

Reading sits at the centre of the school’s identity. The inspection evidence points to a school where reading is treated as a gateway skill across the curriculum, and the school’s emphasis on a new library reinforces the message that books matter here. The practical implication for families is that children who arrive as reluctant readers are likely to be picked up early, while keen readers will find plenty of encouragement to read widely.

Audley’s 2024 Key Stage 2 outcomes are notably strong across the headline measures. In reading, writing and maths combined, 86% of pupils reached the expected standard, compared with an England average of 62%. That is the kind of gap that parents notice, not just statistically, but in everyday classroom confidence and the pace at which teachers can move through material. (England averages are included here as context for parents.)

At the higher standard, 24.67% of pupils achieved greater depth in reading, writing and maths, compared with an England average of 8%. This matters because it suggests the school is not only getting most pupils over the expected threshold, it is also stretching a meaningful proportion into the top band of attainment.

Scaled scores reinforce the picture. Reading is 106, maths 108, and grammar, punctuation and spelling is 108. These are all above typical national benchmarks and align with the wider attainment pattern. (All figures are the most recent published outcomes in the provided dataset.)

In FindMySchool’s primary ranking, Audley Junior School is ranked 2,750th in England and 9th in Blackburn for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places it above England average, within the top 25% of primary schools in England.

What this means in practice is that families choosing a junior school route are not trading away academic standards for convenience. If anything, the structure of a dedicated junior school can suit children who benefit from a clear Key Stage 2 focus from Year 3, with specialist routines and a strong assessment culture.

Parents comparing options across Blackburn with Darwen can use the FindMySchool Local Hub comparison tool to view these results side by side with other nearby primaries and juniors, using consistent measures.

The curriculum narrative emphasises breadth with a deliberate push for “real life experiences”, plus trips, visitors and speakers to make learning stick. The inspection evidence supports the idea of an ambitious curriculum overall, with teachers who know their subjects and check learning carefully to spot misconceptions early.

Reading is treated as an engine for the whole curriculum rather than a discrete subject that sits in a single timetable slot. Teachers reading aloud is positioned as a normal part of school life, and the library is presented as a shared resource rather than a “special treat”. For many children, this is what turns reading from a task into a habit, because it shows up in multiple parts of the day.

Computing is unusually specific for a junior school, and that specificity is helpful because it signals what children actually do, not just what the school aspires to. The prospectus references Bee Bots, Lego WeDo, Lego Mindstorms and Scratch programming, plus a mix of devices such as laptops, iPads and desktop computers. The implication for pupils is that computing is likely to feel practical and hands-on, with a pathway from simple control and logic in Year 3 to more complex problem-solving by Year 6.

Religious education (RE) is framed in a way that fits a community school: taught through the Blackburn with Darwen agreed syllabus, broad in content, and linked to understanding beliefs and values in modern Britain. For families in a mixed-faith area, that tends to land well when it is handled with clarity and respect, rather than assuming a single religious starting point.

There is also a clear thread of learning behaviours. Growth mindset language is explicit, and the reward system is designed to reinforce perseverance and reflection. In a junior setting, this can be a practical bridge between the more informal early years approach and the more formal demands of secondary school.

One important nuance from the latest inspection evidence is that, while most subjects are well sequenced, a small number of subjects were identified where curriculum content was too packed, leaving insufficient time for consolidation. For parents, this is worth reading as a refinement issue rather than a fundamental weakness, but it does point to the importance of recap and retrieval in helping all children retain learning securely.

As a junior school, Audley’s main transition points are Year 3 entry from infant settings, and Year 6 progression to secondary school.

Preparation for secondary transition is practical and parent-facing. The school publishes guidance for Year 6 families on the admissions process and has previously run an information meeting in mid-September to walk parents through how to apply for secondary places. It also signposts open evenings for a range of local Blackburn with Darwen secondary schools, typically clustered in mid to late September. The dates change each year, but the pattern is useful: families should expect open events early in the autumn term and plan diaries accordingly.

Academically, the stronger-than-average Key Stage 2 outcomes suggest pupils tend to leave Year 6 well prepared for Key Stage 3 content and the step up in independent study. The school’s focus on reading, plus explicit work on learning behaviours and independence, should transfer well into Year 7 expectations.

Because this is a junior school (Years 3 to 6), the main “normal round” intake is Year 3. Applications are coordinated through Blackburn with Darwen Council rather than handled solely by the school. For September 2026 entry, the council’s published timeline states applications opened on 04 September 2025, with a deadline of 15 January 2026. Places for Reception and junior entry for September 2026 are due to be offered on 16 April 2026 (offer day).

The prospectus also sets out the planned intake size: 105 children admitted each September, aligned with local authority admissions arrangements.

For families thinking beyond the normal admissions round, in-year admissions (mid-year moves) are typically handled through the local authority process. The practical advice is to treat Year 3 applications like Reception applications: be alert to the autumn and January deadlines, and do not assume there will be spare capacity.

If you are trying to judge how realistic a place is based on where you live, the key limiting factor is that last-distance-offered information is not provided for this school. In practice, parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to measure their home-to-school distance accurately, then cross-check against any published local authority allocation data for that year.

Pastoral systems are described in a concrete, operational way. The school identifies its safeguarding team on the website, including the designated safeguarding lead and deputy safeguarding leads, which is a useful transparency signal for parents.

Wellbeing support is also framed as skills-based rather than reactive. The school references mental health education, practical strategies for maintaining wellbeing, and named staff who are trained in Mental Health First Aid. The implication is that wellbeing is treated as a shared responsibility across school life, rather than something that only appears when a child is in crisis.

The residential-visit information also gives a window into the school’s view of personal development. Outdoor residential trips are explained as a way to build independence and teamwork, with Water Park Lakeland Adventure Centre near Coniston used for mid-week stays. That kind of experience can be a big confidence jump for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils, particularly those who have not spent time away from home before.

Audley’s extracurricular picture is best understood as three strands: structured enrichment linked to curriculum priorities, sport and competition, and pupil leadership.

STEM is not left as a vague label. The school has a named STEM Club and shares examples of projects such as a marble run challenge, which signals a practical engineering mindset rather than purely worksheet-based extension. The link to computing resources such as Lego Mindstorms and Scratch helps explain how STEM can become a route into problem-solving and design thinking.

Sport and competition appear regularly. The website lists competitive activities and festivals, including boccia, Jag Tag, dodgeball festivals, girls’ football festival activity, and cross country. Boccia is described as a club designed to lead into competition, which is a useful detail because it shows sport is used to teach tactics and focus, not only fitness.

Pupil leadership is a particularly strong theme for a junior school. The Active Leaders programme describes a 12-week accredited course for Year 6 pupils to develop communication, leadership and management skills, then use those skills to lead playground activities at lunch and break times. This is a good example of personal development that benefits both the leaders and the younger pupils who gain structured play opportunities.

The prospectus sets out a clear school-day structure, with morning and afternoon sessions, and breakfast club opening at 8:00am (children are expected to arrive by 8:30am). It also states a small charge of £3.50 for breakfast club provision.

Lunchtime and after-school clubs are described as running daily, but the website information does not consistently specify whether there is paid after-school childcare beyond clubs. Parents who need wraparound until later in the afternoon should check directly with the school about current arrangements.

• Junior-school entry timing. Entry at Year 3 suits many children, but it does mean a bigger transition at age seven than families experience in an all-through primary. It is worth asking how induction is handled for pupils coming from different infant settings.

• Curriculum consolidation in a few subjects. External evaluation highlights that, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum has been too content-heavy at times, leaving insufficient time for recap before moving on. Families may want to ask how sequencing and retrieval have been strengthened since the last inspection cycle.

• Wraparound clarity. Breakfast club is clearly described, but late-day childcare is less explicit online. If you rely on after-school care, confirm the current finish-time options before committing.

Audley Junior School combines above-average outcomes with a clear, practical approach to building confident learners from Year 3 onwards. Reading is treated as a foundational priority, computing and STEM have unusually concrete shape for a junior school, and there is visible investment in personal development through leadership and residential experiences. Best suited to families who want a focused Key Stage 2 education in a structured environment, with strong academic results and plenty of opportunities beyond lessons.