Voluntary aided school · Lancashire

St Richard's Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale

3–11Ages
230Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
119684URN

Sandy Lane, Skelmersdale, WN8 8LQ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Sep 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.5per place

close to Lancashire median (2.6)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Lancashire

76 applications for 30 places · 184th of 366 in Lancashire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

54%met the expected standard

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 24 September 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
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

2.5applications per place, Reception

close to Lancashire median (2.6) 0.3 above England median (2.2)

76 applications · 30 places offered · 32 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.5; Lancashire median median 2.6
2025 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.7
2024 1.9; Lancashire median median 2.6
2023 2.1; Lancashire median median 2.6
2022 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.5
2021 2.4; Lancashire median median 2.6
2020 2.6; Lancashire median median 2.7
2019 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.6
2018 2.2; Lancashire median median 2.7
2017 2.7; Lancashire median median 2.5
2016 3.0; Lancashire median median 2.6
2015 2.3; Lancashire median median 2.5
2014 2.4; 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	30	76	2.5	32	1.07
Sep 2025	26	54	2.1	26	1.00
Sep 2024	30	58	1.9	32	1.07
Sep 2023	30	63	2.1	28	0.93
Sep 2022	22	49	2.2	20	0.91
Sep 2021	30	72	2.4	34	1.13
Sep 2020	30	78	2.6	31	1.03
Sep 2019	26	60	2.3	25	0.96
Sep 2018	30	67	2.2	30	1.00
Sep 2017	30	80	2.7	29	0.97
Sep 2016	30	89	3.0	44	1.47
Sep 2015	30	69	2.3	33	1.10
Sep 2014	36	87	2.4	51	1.42

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 64% · Writing 82% · Maths 75% → all three 54% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard54%306th of 444 in Lancashire

Lancashire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard64%

Lancashire 77% England 78%

Higher standard11%

Lancashire 30% England 33%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard82%

Lancashire 74% England 75%

Greater depth14%

Lancashire 11% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard75%

Lancashire 76% England 77%

Higher standard7%

Lancashire 22% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (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	54%	0%	102	102
2023/24	69%	14%	106	106
2022/23	75%	11%	104	106

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 Richard's Catholic Primary School, SkelmersdaleThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.5applications per place 54%met the SATs standard
Brookfield Park Primary School
0.5 km · Lancashire

Special measures 2026

2.3applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Trinity Church of England/Methodist School
0.8 km · Lancashire

Standards maintained2024

2.6applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Crow Orchard Primary School
1.2 km · Lancashire

Remains Good2023

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

Good2024

2.7applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
Cobbs Brow School
2.0 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.0applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Delph Side Community Primary School
2.4 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.9applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Little Digmoor Primary School
2.6 km · Lancashire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.6applications per place 32%met the SATs standard
Woodland Community Primary School
2.8 km · Lancashire

Requires improvement2024

1.4applications per place 69%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 119684 · 888/3804
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 230 on roll
Free school meals: 27.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Sandy Lane, Skelmersdale, WN8 8LQ
Local authority: Lancashire · West Lancashire

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