Voluntary aided school · Lancashire

St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale

2–11Ages
229Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
119588URN

Ashurst Road, Ashurst, Skelmersdale, WN8 6TN · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Feb 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.8per place

close to Lancashire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Lancashire

80 applications for 29 places · 133rd of 366 in Lancashire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

78%met the expected standard

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 22 February 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.8applications per place, Reception

close to Lancashire median (2.6) 0.6 above England median (2.2)

80 applications · 29 places offered · 38 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.8; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 3.0; Lancashire median median 2.5
2021 2.0; Lancashire median median 2.6
2020 4.5; Lancashire median median 2.7
2019 4.8; Lancashire median median 2.6
2018 3.2; Lancashire median median 2.7
2017 3.3; Lancashire median median 2.5
2016 3.6; Lancashire median median 2.6
2015 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.5
2014 2.6; Lancashire median median 2.4

This school
Lancashire median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	29	80	2.8	38	1.31
Sep 2025	30	73	2.4	31	1.03
Sep 2024	30	74	2.5	29	0.97
Sep 2023	30	66	2.2	29	0.97
Sep 2022	23	68	3.0	23	1.00
Sep 2021	25	50	2.0	25	1.00
Sep 2020	13	59	4.5	13	1.00
Sep 2019	11	53	4.8	10	0.91
Sep 2018	18	58	3.2	16	0.89
Sep 2017	19	62	3.3	14	0.74
Sep 2016	19	68	3.6	18	0.95
Sep 2015	23	55	2.4	23	1.00
Sep 2014	21	54	2.6	17	0.81

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 91% · Writing 87% · Maths 87% → all three 78% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard78%62nd of 444 in Lancashire

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard91%

Lancashire 77% England 78%

Higher standard30%

Lancashire 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard87%

Lancashire 74% England 75%

Greater depth17%

Lancashire 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard87%

Lancashire 76% England 77%

Higher standard26%

Lancashire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Lancashire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	78%	9%	105	106
2023/24	74%	15%	105	105
2022/23	58%	8%	104	102

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St James' Catholic Primary School, SkelmersdaleThis school
This school

Good2023

2.8applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Dalton St Michael's Church of England Primary School
0.7 km · Lancashire

Good2023

2.4applications per place
Cobbs Brow School
0.9 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.0applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Woodland Community Primary School
1.0 km · Lancashire

Requires improvement2024

1.4applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
St John's Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale
1.5 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2022

3.4applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Crow Orchard Primary School
1.7 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2023

3.6applications per place 92%met the SATs standard
St Edmund's Catholic Primary School
1.8 km · Lancashire

Good2024

2.7applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
Delph Side Community Primary School
2.1 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.9applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Trinity Church of England/Methodist School
2.1 km · Lancashire

Standards maintained2024

2.6applications per place 55%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 119588 · 888/3614
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 229 on roll
Free school meals: 16.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Ashurst Road, Ashurst, Skelmersdale, WN8 6TN
Local authority: Lancashire · West Lancashire

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources