North Darwen
Summary
North Darwen (E02002628) is part of Blackburn with Darwen local authority (view on map). North Darwen has an approximate population of 6,800 people, of which 18% are children 15 years old and under. It is classified as "urban: nearer to a major town or city".
North Darwen neighbours Beardwood, Pleasington & Livesey, Ewood & Fernhurst, East Darwen, Darwen Town, and Tockholes, Edgworth & Hoddlesden.
Headlines
- 19% of pupils are receiving SEN support, placing it in the top 10% of all areas in England – see more.
Guidance and data sources
Local area pages are based on the middle-layer super output areas (MSOAs) distributed across the country. MSOAs comprise between 2,000 and 6,000 households and have a resident population of, generally, between 5,000 and 15,000 people. MSOAs fit within local authorities. For each area, descriptive statistics are compared with local authority and national averages. For more information about MSOAs, please visit the Office for National Statistics website.
The data displayed is sourced from:
Deprivation
North Darwen is the 7th least deprived area in Blackburn with Darwen (out of 18) with 46% of children living in low-income families, compared to 51% across Blackburn with Darwen and 38% nationally.
State-funded pupil characteristics
Information acquired from the school census.
Free school meals
In North Darwen, 31% of state-funded pupils are eligible for free school meals, compared to 28% in Blackburn with Darwen and 27% nationally.
Contents
Percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals
Table showing the percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals
| % in North Darwen | % in Blackburn with Darwen | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals | 31% | 28% | 27% |
| Not eligible for free school meals | 69% | 72% | 73% |
Special educational needs
In North Darwen, 25% of pupils in state-funded settings have special educational needs (SEN), compared to 19% in Blackburn with Darwen, and 19% nationally.
This includes the number of pupils with an education, health and care (EHC) plan and the number of pupils with SEN support.
Contents
Percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools
Table showing the percentage of pupils with special educational needs in schools
| % in North Darwen | % in Blackburn with Darwen | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No special educational needs | 76% | 81% | 81% |
| Receiving special educational needs support | 19% | 14% | 14% |
| With an education, health, and care plan (EHCP) | 6% | 5% | 5% |
Ethnicity
In North Darwen, 11% of pupils are from a minority ethnic background, compared to 58% in Blackburn with Darwen, and 33% nationally.
Percentages may not sum to 100%, due to small values being suppressed.
Contents
Percentage of pupils by major ethnic groups
Table
| % in North Darwen | % in Blackburn with Darwen | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 88% | 42% | 67% |
| Asian | 4% | 48% | 14% |
| Black | 3% | 2% | 7% |
| Mixed | 2% | 4% | 7% |
| Other | 1% | 3% | 3% |
| Not known | 1% | 1% | 2% |
English as an additional language
The percentage of pupils in North Darwen with English as an additional language is 7%, compared with 39% in Blackburn with Darwen, and 22% nationally.
Numbers may not sum to 100%, due to a small number of pupils with an unclassified language.
Contents
Percentage of pupils with English as an additional language
Table
| % in North Darwen | % in Blackburn with Darwen | % in England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Known or believed to be other than English | 7% | 39% | 22% |
| Known or believed to be English | 92% | 61% | 78% |
Provider information
Jump to:
Registered childcare providers
North Darwen has 6 registered childcare providers.
| Type | Number in North Darwen |
|---|---|
| All childcare providers | 6 |
| Childminders | 3 |
| Pre-school/day nursery/out-of-school care | 3 |
There have been no inspections of childcare providers in North Darwen since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.
State-funded schools
North Darwen has 4 state-funded schools.
| Type | Number in North Darwen |
|---|---|
| All state-funded schools | 4 |
| Nursery schools | 0 |
| Primary and all-through schools | 2 |
| Secondary and all-through schools | 1 |
| Special schools | 1 |
| Registered alternative provision | 0 |
There have been no inspections of schools in North Darwen since the introduction of the renewed education inspection framework in November 2025.
Data sources: