St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale Catchment Area
St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale is a voluntary aided primary school in Skelmersdale, Lancashire , serving pupils aged 2-11, with 235 pupils, and a capacity of 210 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
2-11
Age range
235
Pupils
210
Capacity
112%
Fill rate
Good
Ofsted 2023
St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale?
The catchment area for St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale is the geographic zone Lancashire uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Lancashire publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Admission to St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale is managed by Lancashire and typically includes both faith criteria and catchment area proximity. The weighting given to each criterion depends on the school's published oversubscription policy, which is reviewed annually.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Lancashire publishes the 2027 St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale numbers →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Lancashire before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Lancashire catchment area documents →St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale: heavily oversubscribed at 112% capacity
St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale has a published admission number of 210 places. 235 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 112%. At 112% capacity, the school is heavily oversubscribed. Lancashire allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. Living within the catchment area is a strong but not guaranteed advantage, as the last distance offered shrinks each year as applications rise.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 14% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of Skelmersdale.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Lancashire publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Lancashire Council school admissions (official) →
St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale: School Information
- Full address
- Ashurst Road, Ashurst, Skelmersdale, WN8 6TN
- Local authority
- Lancashire
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Phase of education
- Primary
- Age range
- 2-11 years
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Free school meals
- 14% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 119588
Other Primary Schools in Skelmersdale
If St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale is oversubscribed, these primary schools in Skelmersdale are the next closest alternatives.
Crawford Village Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · WN8 9QP
Little Digmoor Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · WN8 9NF
Hillside Community Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · WN8 6DE
Delph Side Community Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · WN8 6ED
Holland Moor Primary School Catchment Area
Community school · WN8 9AG
Cobbs Brow School Catchment Area
Community school · WN8 6SU
Other Roman Catholic Schools in Lancashire
St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale shares its religious character with these Roman Catholic schools across Lancashire. Faith criteria typically sit alongside catchment distance in each school's admissions policy.
St Anne's Catholic Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · Leyland
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · Morecambe
St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School, Lancaster Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · Lancaster
St Catherine's RC Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · Leyland
Nearest primary schools by distance
These are the primary schools closest to St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · St Helens · 4.2 miles away
St Aidan's CofE Primary School Billinge Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · Wigan · 5.4 miles away
St Mary's Catholic Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary aided school · Nr Wigan · 5.6 miles away
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale
What is the catchment area for St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale? ▾
The catchment area for St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale is the geographic zone Lancashire uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Lancashire publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale currently has 235 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 210 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale? ▾
St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale uses both faith criteria and catchment area proximity in its admissions policy. The weighting is reviewed annually and published by Lancashire before each admissions cycle.
What age range does St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale cover? ▾
St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale is a primary school in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, serving pupils aged 2-11. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.
What is the Ofsted rating for St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale? ▾
St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale was rated Good by Ofsted in 2023. Full inspection reports are available at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.