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catchment.school

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy Catchment Area

Reviewed by the catchment.school editorial team · Last updated 15 March 2026

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy is an academy sponsor led secondary school in Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen , serving pupils aged 11-16, with 812 pupils, and a capacity of 821 places. The school is operating close to capacity, and catchment area boundaries apply when the school is oversubscribed.

11-16

Age range

812

Pupils

821

Capacity

99%

Fill rate

Requires improvement

Ofsted 2023

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy Catchment Area Information

What is the catchment area for Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy?

The catchment area for Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy is the geographic zone Blackburn with Darwen uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Blackburn with Darwen publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.

Admission to Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy is managed by Blackburn with Darwen and typically includes both faith criteria and catchment area proximity. The weighting given to each criterion depends on the school's published oversubscription policy, which is reviewed annually.

Operating near capacity: 99% of places are currently filled. Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.

Get an alert if Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy goes oversubscribed for 2027 →

The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Blackburn with Darwen before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.

Find Blackburn with Darwen catchment area documents →

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy: 821 places, 99% filled: nearing capacity

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy has a published admission number of 821 places. 812 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 99%. The school is operating close to its limit. In years where applications exceed 821, Blackburn with Darwen's admissions team applies distance-based tiebreakers. Families within the school's historical catchment boundary are well placed, but a boundary check with the council is recommended before applying.

The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 44.3% of pupils at Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy are eligible for free school meals, above the national average of around 24%. This reflects the school's role in a higher-deprivation area of Blackburn.

To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.

Blackburn with Darwen publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Find Blackburn with Darwen school admissions →

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy: School Information

Full address
North Road, Blackburn, BB1 1PY
Local authority
Blackburn with Darwen
School type
Academy sponsor led
Phase of education
Secondary
Age range
11-16 years
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Admissions policy
Non-selective
Free school meals
44.3% of pupils
DfE URN
150308

Other Secondary Schools in Blackburn

If Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy is oversubscribed, these secondary schools in Blackburn are the next closest alternatives.

Other Roman Catholic Schools in Blackburn with Darwen

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy shares its religious character with these Roman Catholic schools across Blackburn with Darwen. Faith criteria typically sit alongside catchment distance in each school's admissions policy.

Nearest secondary schools by distance

These are the secondary schools closest to Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.

Frequently Asked Questions: Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy

What is the catchment area for Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy?

The catchment area for Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy is the geographic zone Blackburn with Darwen uses to prioritise admissions when this secondary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Blackburn with Darwen publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.

Is Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy oversubscribed?

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy is operating close to its capacity of 821 places (99% full). Catchment boundaries are likely to apply when the school is oversubscribed at the next intake.

What is the admissions policy for Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy?

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy uses both faith criteria and catchment area proximity in its admissions policy. The weighting is reviewed annually and published by Blackburn with Darwen before each admissions cycle.

What age range does Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy cover?

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy is a secondary school in Blackburn, Blackburn with Darwen, serving pupils aged 11-16. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.

What is the Ofsted rating for Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy?

Our Lady and St John RC High School, a Voluntary Academy was rated Requires improvement by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.

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