Primary school

St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale

  • Voluntary Aided School
  • ages 2–11
  • Mixed
  • Roman Catholic
  • Lancashire
  • WN8 6TN
Ofsted Good · inspected Feb 2023

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Results · 2024/25

Ranked 2,442 of 15,057 primaries in England · top 17%

Top % in England, by year
2015/16: top 6%6%2016/17: top 24%2017/18: top 29%2018/19: top 38%2022/23: top 58%2023/24: top 21%2024/25: top 17%No exams

Against North West

Expected standard, RWM78% · North West 63%Small cohort: 23 pupils in 2024/25 (under 30)
Higher standard, RWM9% · North West 6%Small cohort: 23 pupils in 2024/25 (under 30)
Reading score105 · North West 105Small cohort: 23 pupils in 2024/25 (under 30)
Maths score106 · North West 105Small cohort: 23 pupils in 2024/25 (under 30)
Show KS2 results by year

No exams 2019/20–21Not published 2021/22

Expected standard, RWM
2015/16: 82% · 22 pupils · North West 55%2016/17: 75% · 16 pupils · North West 64%2017/18: 75% · 28 pupils · North West 68%2018/19: 72% · 25 pupils · North West 67%2022/23: 58% · 26 pupils · North West 61%2023/24: 74% · 27 pupils · North West 63%2024/25: 78% · 23 pupils · North West 63%82%58%No exams
Higher standard, RWM
2015/16: 5% · 22 pupils · North West 3%2016/17: 6% · 16 pupils · North West 7%2017/18: 11% · 28 pupils · North West 8%2018/19: 4% · 25 pupils · North West 9%2022/23: 8% · 26 pupils · North West 6%2023/24: 15% · 27 pupils · North West 5%2024/25: 9% · 23 pupils · North West 6%15%4%No exams
Reading score
2015/16: 106 · 22 pupils · North West 1022016/17: 104 · 16 pupils · North West 1042017/18: 103 · 28 pupils · North West 1052018/19: 103 · 25 pupils · North West 1042022/23: 104 · 26 pupils · North West 1052023/24: 105 · 27 pupils · North West 1052024/25: 105 · 23 pupils · North West 105106103No exams
Maths score
2015/16: 105 · 22 pupils · North West 1032016/17: 104 · 16 pupils · North West 1042017/18: 106 · 28 pupils · North West 1052018/19: 105 · 25 pupils · North West 1052022/23: 102 · 26 pupils · North West 1042023/24: 105 · 27 pupils · North West 1042024/25: 106 · 23 pupils · North West 105106102No exams

Getting in · 2026

First-choice families who got in76.3%
29 of 38 who put it first2014 · 100.0%2026 · 76.3%
By preference
ChoiceAppliedOffered
1st3829
2nd270
3rd150

Last distance offered: London only

Inspections · 2005–2023

  1. 2005Satisfactory
  2. 2008Good
  3. 2013Good
  4. 2017Ungraded visit
  5. 2023Good

5 strong areas

  • Personal development
  • Quality of education
  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Early years provision
  • Effectiveness of leadership and management

0 weak areas

5 areas graded · safeguarding effective

Pupils · 2024/25

On roll · Jan 2026229
Free school meals (past 6 years)18.0%
First language not English8.9%
SEN support14.5%
EHC plan1.3%
Absence (sessions missed)6.7%
Persistently absent pupils19.5%

Girls 53.6%Boys 46.4%

109% full · 210 places

Parent View

Not published for this school

Workforce · 2025/26

Pupils per teacher24.7
Pupils per adult9.8
  • Classroom teachers 7.3
  • Leadership 2
  • Teaching assistants 12
  • Other support 6.2

Teachers 9.3 FTE · Whole workforce 27.4 · 40 people

Financials · 2025/26

Income per pupil£6,809
Spend per pupil£6,907
Staff spend per pupil£5,674
Reserve per pupil£354
  • +£80,981revenue reserve
  • −£22,494in-year balance

Grants £6,492 · self-generated £316 · premises £296 per pupil