Achievements of children growing up in care celebrated
Published on Tuesday 26 November 2024 at 4:17 pm
The annual Celebration of Achievement for Children in our Care and Care Leavers took place at Ewood Park last week.
Schools & education
Blackburn Futures in Film cohort get in on the ‘action’ filming new BBC Wolf Hall drama
Published on Tuesday 26 November 2024 at 10:17 am
How about this for work experience! Impressively, a cohort of trainees from the Blackburn-based ‘Futures in Film Academy’ were invited to join the production team behind the brand-new and critically acclaimed, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light.
Schools tour raises awareness of drug dealing and exploitation
Published on Friday 4 October 2024 at 11:40 am
Schools in Blackburn with Darwen have this week been learning some powerful lessons on effective ways to combat crime and feel safe.
Filed under: Blackburn | Darwen | knife crime | schools
Come along to the community open day!
Published on Thursday 26 September 2024 at 10:46 am
Masjide Noorul Islam, located on Audley Range is opening its doors and extending a warm invite to the local and wider community to deepen their understanding of Islam and visit their mosque.
Big tick for multi-million-pound new Skills and Cyber Campus in Blackburn
Published on Friday 20 September 2024 at 1:44 pm
Ambitious plans have been passed for a Skills and Cyber Campus of national significance in Blackburn.
More schools take advantage of walking or wheeling to school
Published on Tuesday 3 September 2024 at 2:46 pm
Following it’s launch in January, 16 primary schools in the borough are now taking part in a project to get students walking or wheeling to school, with excellent results.
Filed under: Blackburn | Darwen | Living Streets | School | Walk to School | Walk to school outreach | walking | Walking to school | WOW
Ten out of ten! Another ‘outstanding’ judgement for Apple Trees’ children’s home-from-home service
Published on Tuesday 27 August 2024 at 9:52 am
A Council-run short term breaks service for children with disabilities has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.
Filed under: Apple Trees | Blackburn | OFSTED
Council agrees ‘MEGA’ deal with IN4 Group to supercharge technology learning in Blackburn with Darwen
Published on Friday 19 July 2024 at 1:29 pm
Every secondary school in Blackburn with Darwen is set to be part of a pioneering technology educational enrichment and scholarships programme with IN4 Group, one of the UK’s largest technology skills and innovation providers.
Filed under: Cllr Phil Riley | education | partnership
Encouragement for young adults to attend Blackburn with Darwen’s Career Roadshow
Published on Friday 12 July 2024 at 9:30 am
Young adults are being encouraged to attend Blackburn with Darwen’s new and exciting Career Roadshow.
This is a free event aimed at those looking for advice and support when choosing their career path.
Filed under: Career | career advice | Careers and jobs | Jobs and Skilla Fair
Child safety sessions for 10 schools across the borough
Published on Thursday 11 July 2024 at 3:22 pm
This week, many young people from across Blackburn with Darwen are receiving important safety advice to prepare them for independent travelling.
Filed under: Blackburn | Darwen | Highways | Katie Boulton | road safety | safety | School
‘Stroke of luck’ for art lovers as award-winning National Festival of Making returns to Blackburn!
Published on Wednesday 3 July 2024 at 5:18 pm
Nationally renowned artists are set to unveil their specially commissioned works at the Festival of Making this weekend and you can see them all for free!
Plans for new Skills and Cyber Campus in Blackburn revealed
Published on Friday 28 June 2024 at 1:24 pm
New plans have been revealed for a Skills and Cyber Campus of national significance in Blackburn.
Get ready for blast off – our guide to family fun at the National Festival of Making!
Published on Tuesday 25 June 2024 at 10:52 am
Looking for fun for all the family? Look no further than the National Festival of Making!
‘Mini police’ programme for 180 primary school children comes to a close
Published on Wednesday 19 June 2024 at 2:59 pm
Pupils from 10 primary schools across Blackburn with Darwen have had experience in various police matters as part of a pilot launched by Lancashire Police with the help of the council.
Happy 150th birthday Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery!
Published on Thursday 13 June 2024 at 5:15 pm
The history books describe the laying of the cornerstone for Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery as a grand affair filled with ‘pride and pomp.’
Celebrating 150 years of Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery
Published on Friday 7 June 2024 at 4:18 pm
As Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery celebrates its 150th anniversary, we take a look at how the magnificent wrought iron gates came to open for the very first time on June 11th 1874.
Travelling sustainably to school gets a big tick in the borough
Published on Friday 10 May 2024 at 10:20 am
Since being launched in January, a project which encourages travelling sustainably to school has been a huge success for ten of the borough’s schools.
Decade of adidas Spezial to be celebrated in curator Gary Aspden’s hometown of Darwen
Published on Wednesday 20 March 2024 at 8:00 pm
The Lancashire market town of Darwen is set to host an international adidas exhibition to celebrate 10 years of its successful Spezial range.
Work set to start on doubling the size of Darwen Youth Centre
Published on Monday 18 March 2024 at 2:15 pm
The doors are set to temporarily close on Darwen Youth Centre to allow for a £3.3m transformation.
Darwen Youth Centre 2024
Published on Monday 18 March 2024 at 2:13 pm
Darwen Youth Centre will temporarily close its doors on March 31st for an impressive £3.3m transformation.
Government announces £20m of new Levelling Up funding for Blackburn with Darwen
Published on Friday 1 March 2024 at 12:48 pm
Blackburn with Darwen Council has successfully secured £20m of new Levelling Up funding from Government – taking the grand total to more than £125m.
Impressive £350,000 playgrounds unveiled at Blackburn’s flagship park
Published on Wednesday 28 February 2024 at 4:27 pm
The ribbon has been officially cut on two playgrounds at Blackburn’s popular Witton Park following a £350,000 transformation.
Seeing double: £4m plans revealed for youth facilities in Blackburn with Darwen
Published on Tuesday 3 October 2023 at 1:05 pm
Darwen Youth Centre could almost double in size as part of impressive £3m plans revealed today.
New Go Ape swings into action in Blackburn!
Published on Thursday 20 July 2023 at 11:44 am
The brand new Go Ape Treetop Adventure in Witton Park is now open!
Our Leader, Deputy Leader, Chief Executive and Deputy Mayor were amongst those invited to the official opening on Saturday (July 15th).
National inspection to identify children in need – praises partnerships in Blackburn with Darwen
Published on Friday 14 July 2023 at 10:11 am
A national inspection has highlighted the strength of partnership processes in Blackburn with Darwen to identify children in need or at risk of harm, praising partners as ‘aspirational’ and ‘committed’.
Filed under: joint targeted area inspection | JTAI
Four Family Hubs open in Blackburn with Darwen
Published on Thursday 22 June 2023 at 3:47 pm
There has been lots of excitement this week as four of the eight children’s centres in the borough were launched as Family Hubs.
Filed under: Family Hub | Family Hubs
If I Were King or Queen competition winners announced
Published on Friday 28 April 2023 at 4:00 pm
The winners of the Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s Coronation-themed If I Were King/Queen competition have been announced.
Family Hubs rollout will support local families and young children
Published on Thursday 9 February 2023 at 4:42 pm
Families across England will be offered help and support with issues such as infant feeding and mental health as the government announce the roll out of Family Hubs and the Start for Life programme today.
Filed under: children | Children Centres | families | Family Hubs
Apprentice drive is back to recruit home-grown talent in Blackburn with Darwen
Published on Tuesday 7 February 2023 at 5:04 pm
Blackburn with Darwen’s apprentice drive is back and once again the Council wants to grow its own local talent and encourage residents to work within the borough.
Filed under: Apprenticeships | Careers and jobs | skills
John Lewis Foundation’s £100,000 Christmas gift to Youth Zone Darwen
Published on Wednesday 23 November 2022 at 9:32 am
Christmas really has come early for Youth Zone Darwen thanks to a £100K funding boost from the John Lewis Foundation Trust.
Keeping BwD children safe during Road Safety Awareness Week
Published on Tuesday 15 November 2022 at 9:30 am
Children in Blackburn were given a lesson in road safety and council leaders praised the programme being delivered this Road Safety Awareness Week.
Filed under: Children and Young People | Councillor Julie Gunn | road safety | Road Safety Week
Blackburn is Hiring event hailed a success
Published on Friday 23 September 2022 at 6:16 pm
The 2022 Blackburn is Hiring event took place at King George’s Hall on the 21st of September.
Filed under: careers advice | Careers and jobs | Careers Fair | Schools and Education
Funding announced for new roof at Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery
Published on Saturday 12 March 2022 at 7:41 am
Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery is set to benefit from £365K of Government funding to help replace its aging roof and safeguard the museum’s 148 year old extensive collection.
Children helped to ‘Give Up Loving Pop’ and cut sugary drinks in new campaign
Published on Thursday 3 March 2022 at 1:31 pm
Blackburn Rovers Community Trust has teamed-up with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and public health organisations Healthy Stadia and Food Active to help children cut back on sugary drinks in 2022.
Filed under: Blackburn Rovers Community Trust | Blackburn with Darwen Council | Councillor | Gulp | jackie floyd | sugary drinks
Blackburn-born entrepreneur brings Skills City to the town
Published on Tuesday 1 March 2022 at 9:08 am
Led by Blackburn-born entrepreneur Mo Isap, Skills City, the largest digital Skills Bootcamp operation in the UK, is now recruiting for its Data Analytics Bootcamp in Blackburn – with a commitment to provide over 60 jobs in data and tech.
Free 16-week virtual skills bootcamp
Published on Friday 25 February 2022 at 5:07 pm
Do you want to start a career in the most in-demand tech profession?
Then look no further!
Darwen schoolchildren ‘branch out’ to help tackle climate change
Published on Wednesday 2 February 2022 at 10:40 am
Pupils at a Darwen primary school have helped plant more than 240 trees as part of a new scheme to create more woodland and help tackle climate change.
Christina Gabbitas enters the history books for her love of all things literature
Published on Friday 26 November 2021 at 2:32 pm
Blackburn author Christina Gabbitas has been appointed as patron of Blackburn with Darwen Children and Young People’s Library Service.
Free school meal vouchers return for October half term
Published on Wednesday 20 October 2021 at 1:49 pm
Free school meal vouchers will be available for eligible Blackburn with Darwen children for the October half term.
Filed under: Blackburn Market | Councillor | Darwen Market | free school meals | Government | half term | Help Hub | Julie Gunn | vouchers
2022/23 school applications open today – top tips for applying for a place
Published on Thursday 2 September 2021 at 9:57 am
Applications for September 2022/23 school admissions in Blackburn with Darwen open today (Thursday, 2 September 2021).
Congratulations to all GCSE students in Blackburn with Darwen today
Published on Thursday 12 August 2021 at 9:01 am
Students will be receiving their GCSE results today across Blackburn with Darwen.
We would like to congratulate every student collecting their results today.2021 has been another difficult year for all of our children and teenagers with many changes still in place because of the coronavirus pandemic including changes to exams and how the grades are decided.
Filed under: career advice | congratulations | Councillor | exam results | GCSE | Jayne Ivory | Julie Gunn
Last few free holiday club places available – don’t miss out!
Published on Thursday 22 July 2021 at 12:27 pm
Places on a free holiday club scheme are fast running out – make sure you book your place for fun and activity this summer
The places are being offered this summer to children who qualify for free school meals during the school holidays.
Filed under: Councillor | free school meals | HAF | Holiday Activities and Food | holiday club | Julie Gunn
Continued use of face coverings in schools
Published on Friday 14 May 2021 at 3:11 pm
A letter is being sent to parents and carers of children who go to schools in Blackburn and Darwen advising them that the use of face coverings in these schools will be continuing.
Filed under: face coverings | Letter to parents | schools | variant
Council statement on primary school opening
Published on Monday 4 January 2021 at 12:31 pm
Councillor Julie Gunn, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education and Dominic Harrison, Director of Public Health have made a joint statement.Filed under: coronavirus | Councillor | Dominic Harrison | educations | Julie Gunn | Public Heath | schools
Intack Primary School takes the national spotlight on mental health
Published on Monday 16 November 2020 at 3:47 pm
The Blackburn school had a starring role on The Politics Show on BBC1 and Granada Reports highlighting its pioneering projects around children’s mental health.
Filed under: BBC | Councillor | forest school | Intack Primary School | Julie Gunn | mental health | mindfulness
Kindness Coach live streaming to thousands of schoolchildren to mark national Kindness Day
Published on Tuesday 3 November 2020 at 12:50 pm
Schools throughout Blackburn with Darwen will be taking part in A Kindness Matters Super Learning Day to mark National Kindness Day on November 13.
Filed under: 30 Day Kindness Challenge | John Magee | Kindness Matters | live streaming | schools
Schools ready to welcome back students in September
Published on Friday 28 August 2020 at 2:40 pm
Students across Blackburn and Darwen are getting ready to return to school.
Blackburn with Darwen’s schools and settings have remained open throughout the pandemic for identified children and children of key workers.
Filed under: Councillor | education | Julie Gunn | reopening | schools
Message from borough’s Education chiefs to young people receiving exam results: help and support is available
Published on Thursday 13 August 2020 at 1:51 pm
Well done to all students collecting their A-level results today and GCSE results next week.
Individual schools and colleges have made their own arrangements on how students receive their results following Covid safe guidelines.
Phased return to schools and education update
Published on Thursday 4 June 2020 at 1:23 pm
Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Director of Public Health Professor Dominic Harrison has provided further guidance to all head teachers in the borough this week.
Virtual support for students applying for college, university or apprenticeships
Published on Wednesday 29 April 2020 at 3:49 pm
Lancashire colleges and universities are using the latest technology to help young people and adults to make the right choice about their future education and training ahead of the start of the new academic year in September.
Filed under: Apprenticeship | college | education | university