Elm Tree Community Primary School, Skelmersdale
Elm Tree Community Primary School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Skelmersdale. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2023 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2017)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Elm Tree Community Primary School in detail
Elm Tree Community Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I hope that it gives you a flavour of our school community and a preview of the wonderful people that make our community so special."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, basketball, dance, cooking and art.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Elm Tree Community Primary School are Hope High School (1.1 miles, Good); Moss View School (1.6 miles); Kingsbury Primary Special School (1.9 miles, Outstanding); and West Lancashire Community High School (2 miles, Good).
Hope High SchoolMoss View SchoolKingsbury Primary Special SchoolWest Lancashire Community High School
Who goes there
60.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 1.3% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (89%) and Mixed (5%).
Almost every pupil at Elm Tree Community Primary School has an education, health and care plan (150 of 150 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Elm Tree Community Primary School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Upholland Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Eversley (by), 280 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 186 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Elm Tree Community Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from September 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Outstanding.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its September 2017 inspection - up from Good.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
60.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEMH
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 23% to 11% (2024 to 2025), while maths has remained stable at around 3% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Elm Tree Community Primary School
SEND Newsletter
1 Oct 2026
School Newsletter
25 Sep 2026
Upcoming Event: Book Fair, Parent/Carer Coffee Morning & Pyjama Day (21st-25th Sept)
14 Sep 2026
Derian House Fundraiser
17 Jul 2026
Year 6 Graduation
17 Jul 2026
History WOW Day
14 Jul 2026
From Elm Tree Community Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Elm Tree Community Primary School
Before and after school care
Elm Tree Community Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Lancashire
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Elm Tree Community Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Elm Tree Community Primary School is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 2 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
111%
Over capacity
150 pupils
135 places
15 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Skelmersdale
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Skelmersdale
Across Lancashire council
Places available
14,702
Applications
13,782
Got 1st preference
87.1%
Got preferred school
97.2%
All secondary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
150
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Elm Tree Community Primary School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
150
Total Pupils
131
Boys
19
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
6.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,034
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.9%
Overall absence
20.3%
Persistent absence
153
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Elm Tree Community Primary School
Questions parents ask about Elm Tree Community Primary School
What are SATs results like at Elm Tree Community Primary School?
Of the pupils at Elm Tree Community Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 11% reached the expected standard in reading and 3% did so in maths.
What is Elm Tree Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Elm Tree Community Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Elm Tree Community Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Elm Tree Community Primary School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Elm Tree Community Primary School?
Elm Tree Community Primary School has around 150 pupils on roll. 61% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Elm Tree Community Primary School have specialist SEN provision?
Elm Tree Community Primary School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at Elm Tree Community Primary School?
7.9% of sessions were missed at Elm Tree Community Primary School in 2024/25. 20.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Elm Tree Community Primary School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Elm Tree Community Primary School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
Does Elm Tree Community Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Elm Tree Community Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near Elm Tree Community Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 2 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Elm Tree Community Primary School?
Elm Tree Community Primary School is at Elmers Wood Road, Tanhouse, Skelmersdale, Lancashire, WN8 6SA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)