Maharishi Free School, Ormskirk

From the headteacher's welcome: "Maharishi Free School is a wonderful place to be, situated in beautiful rural surroundings within easy reach of the motorway networks and the towns and villages of West Lancashire, Liverpool and Greater Manchester. Children aged from 4 to 16 receive a uniquely effective system of Consciousness-based Education."

The school runs after-school care.

Coming up: an open day on Saturday 16 January 2027, an open day on Wednesday 27 January 2027, an open day on Tuesday 9 March 2027 and an open day on Saturday 24 April 2027. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2026, pupils at Maharishi Free School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 35.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.

21% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Lancashire and 47% in England.

That is down from 54.1 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.28: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 8 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were History, Combined Science and Art and Design.

Across Lancashire, 87% of families were offered their first-choice secondary school for 2026 entry, and 97% were offered one of the schools they named.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Maharishi Free School are Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School (0.6 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 39.5); Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School (0.6 miles); Lathom High School : A Technology College (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.6); and Burscough Priory Academy (3.4 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.6).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Maharishi Free School.

Maharishi Free School is run by its own single-school academy trust.

80 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Maharishi Free School (as of September 2025): 64% would recommend the school, 69% say their child is happy there and 27% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (71%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (27%).

Of the 16 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 81% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 50% to a further education college and 13% to an apprenticeship.

1.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (88%) and Mixed (7%).

In 2026, 42 pupils (18.3%) received SEN support and 6 (2.6%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.

Maharishi Free School had 17 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Parbold Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cobbs Clough Road (opposite), 30 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 37 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and drug offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109).

In 2024/25, Maharishi Free School issued 10 suspensions, 4.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Maharishi Free School are St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale (0.6 miles); Cobbs Brow School (0.7 miles); Dalton St Michael's Church of England Primary School (0.8 miles); and Woodland Community Primary School (1.1 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.