Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School is proposed to close (Saturday 31 October 2026).
The Department for Education lists this school as open but proposed to close. Check with the school or the council before applying.
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School, Skelmersdale
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Skelmersdale. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2020. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in April 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 67th-highest of the 82 schools in Lancashire with published results, and 2,712th of 3,298 across England. It was 87% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2020)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
- Progress (2024)
- Well below average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School in detail
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School in its own words
In its own words: "Our Lady Queen of Peace is a special place. It is a proud Catholic school guided by Gospel values. We recognise each individual as being made 'in God's image and likeness' and as such each person, regardless of their own faith perspective, is welcomed and valued for who they are."
From the headteacher's welcome: "Our Lady Queen of Peace is a proud and popular, fully inclusive Catholic school in Skelmersdale that welcomes pupils of all abilities and backgrounds. The school is on a journey of continual rapid improvement and is ambitious working relentlessly to achieve high standards and expectations, provide outstanding pastoral care, excellent personal development opportunities, a robust curriculum and high academic standards."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include dance, STEM and Duke of Edinburgh.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 39.5, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Lancashire and 47 across England.
24% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 44% in Lancashire and 47% in England.
That is up from 38.1 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.73: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 34.6, against 42.9 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.3 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and History.
Getting a place at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School
For September 2026 entry, 72 families put Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School as their first choice and 252 named it as one of their preferences, for 131 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School are Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School (under 0.1 miles); Lathom High School : A Technology College (0.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.6); Maharishi Free School (0.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 35.5); and Ormskirk School (3.1 miles, Attainment 8 42.3).
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School's 2026 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High SchoolLathom High School : A Technology CollegeMaharishi Free SchoolOrmskirk School
What parents say
72 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School (as of September 2025): 50% would recommend the school, 58% say their child is happy there and 44% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (75%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (44%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 175 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 85% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 64% to a further education college, 3% to an apprenticeship and 3% into work.
Who goes there
42.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 140 pupils (17.8%) received SEN support and 14 (1.8%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Parbold Rail Station, about 2.1 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Our Ladys RCHS (by), 80 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School issued 468 suspensions, 55.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 4 permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School are Cobbs Brow School (0.4 miles); Crow Orchard Primary School (0.6 miles); Trinity Church of England/Methodist School (0.8 miles); and St James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Cobbs Brow SchoolCrow Orchard Primary SchoolTrinity Church of England/Methodist SchoolSt James' Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2020, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's April 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Our Lady Queen of Peace is working hard to transform itself into a supportive community where pupils feel valued and safe. The school excels at building strong relationships between staff and students, and has made excellent progress with reading support through targeted programs. The school is increasingly consistent in applying behavioral expectations, creating a calmer learning environment where pupils can thrive.
Key Strengths
- Staff build strong, supportive relationships with pupils, making most feel safe and happy at school
- Reading support is prioritized with effective tiered phonics and comprehension programs, plus a well-resourced library
- Behavioral standards are being applied more consistently, with most pupils behaving well in lessons and around school
- The interim executive board provides effective governance and strong systems to evaluate leadership actions
- Personal development program covers important topics including healthy relationships, British values, and careers guidance
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum implementation remains inconsistent across subjects, with teaching strategies not yet fully embedded in all areas
- Support for pupils with SEND is variable, meaning some struggle to access learning and fall behind
- Some parents feel the school doesn't communicate effectively about changes, particularly around staffing and behavior
- Persistent absenteeism among certain pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, hinders their learning
- Not all pupils achieve as well as they should due to inconsistent teaching quality
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils reporting they have adults to talk to about concerns and feeling safe at school.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, reading buddy programs, school council
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Engineering College in Skelmersdale has made notable improvements from its previous Inadequate rating, with pupils increasingly proud of the school and positive behavioral changes. However, the quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management all require improvement, with inconsistent curriculum delivery and attendance concerns remaining.
At a Glance
42.6%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
72 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has improved from -1.04 to -0.73 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 38.8 to 39.5 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has remained stable at around 24% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 39.5 | 24.1% |
| Disadvantaged(69) | - | 34.6 | 18.8% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(101) | - | 42.9 | 27.7% |
| Boys(83) | - | 36.5 | 22.9% |
| Girls(87) | - | 42.4 | 25.3% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(7) | - | 32.9 | 28.6% |
| Non mobile(162) | - | 40.5 | 25.3% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 1 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 175 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
4
Permanent exclusions
0.47%
Exclusion rate
468
Suspensions
55.12%
Suspension rate
157 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 849 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Latest from Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School
From Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School
Term dates
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Lancashire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High 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
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 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
Your chances of a place at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School
Will you get a place at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Lancashire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Lancashire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
87%
Available places
851 pupils
979 places
128 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
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.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(11)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
140
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
19.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
786
Total Pupils
399
Boys
387
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
55
Teachers
14.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,416
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,585
Per pupil
£6946k
Total funding
£371k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.7%
Overall absence
33.4%
Persistent absence
899
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School
What are GCSE results like at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 39.5. 24% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School's Ofsted rating?
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in April 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2020, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School?
No fixed boundary. When Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School?
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School was not full in 2025: it ran at 87% of its 979 places.
How big are the classes at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School?
Classes at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School average 20.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School?
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School has around 786 pupils on roll. 43% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School?
10.7% of sessions were missed at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School in 2024/25. 33.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 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 Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School?
Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic High School is at Glenburn Road, Skelmersdale, Lancashire, WN8 6JW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)