Ranked: Blackburn with Darwen 2023 high school league table

The annual school league tables have been published for 2023, showing which schools in the borough are performing best.

A total of 24 institutions in the borough are included in the list, though for some the ranking may be misleading due to the schools being private or for children with special educational needs or disabilities.

Schools are ranked by their Progress 8 score, which shows how much progress pupils at a school made between the end of key stage 2 and the end of key stage 4, compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

Our rankings also include the percentage of pupils at a school who achieved a Grade 5 (a strong C in old money) or above in their English and maths GCSEs.

Tauheedul Islam Boys' High came second on the list and ninth nationally

The results come following the release of the primary school league tables in Blackburn with Darwen last weekend.

Outstanding-rated Tauheedul Islam Girls’ and Boys’ High Schools took the top two spots in Blackburn with Darwen, with TIGHS ranked second in England among state schools for success, with TIBHS ninth nationally. Both schools are part of the Star Academies Trust.

Preston New Road-based TIGHS boasts a Progress 8 score of 2.29, well above average, while at TIBHS, in Sumner Street, it is 1.47, also well above average. At TIGHS, 94 per cent of girls achieved a Grade 5 in English or maths, while at the boys’ school the figure was 83 per cent.

Other schools in the borough’s top five were Pleckgate High, with a Progress 8 score of 0.27 (above average), St Wilfrid’s CE Academy with 0.21 (above average), and St Bede’s RC High School with -0.11 (average).

The average Progress 8 score in Blackburn with Darwen was -0.07, which ranks as in line with the average for the country, with 44 per cent of students getting a 5 in English and Maths, higher than the national average of 42 per cent.

Shahnaz Aktar, principal at TIGHS, said: “We are delighted that our pupils continue to make exceptional progress and achieve life-changing outcomes.

“For our performance to have ranked in the top two schools nationally once again is incredibly rewarding and inspires us every day to aim for new heights.

“Our pupils’ devotion to their studies and their exceptional hard work is a great source of pride for everyone in the school community.”

Majid Ditta, principal at TIBHS, added: “For the achievements of TIBHS’ pupils to be amongst the top 10 highest-performing state schools in England is truly humbling.

“To see the effort and dedication of our talented pupils and staff being recognised with such exceptional results give me great pride.

“Their successes would not have been possible without the support of their devoted parents and our fantastic teachers and support staff.”

Results for age 16 to 18 performance will be published by the Government in February 2024.