West Lancashire Community High School, Skelmersdale
West Lancashire Community High School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Skelmersdale. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2024 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
West Lancashire Community High School in detail
West Lancashire Community High School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Thank you for showing an interest in our school, it is a pleasure to welcome you to West Lancashire Community High School. We are an 11-19 provision for students with generic learning difficulties. We believe at West Lancashire Community High School that everything should start with the young person."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to West Lancashire Community High School are Kingsbury Primary Special School (0.2 miles, Outstanding); Moss View School (1.2 miles); Elm Tree Community Primary School (2 miles, Outstanding); and Hope High School (2.5 miles, Good).
Kingsbury Primary Special SchoolMoss View SchoolElm Tree Community Primary SchoolHope High School
Where pupils go next
Of the 15 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 7% to a further education college.
Who goes there
38.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 5.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at West Lancashire Community High School has an education, health and care plan (176 of 176 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
West Lancashire Community High School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Rainford Rail Station, about 2.6 miles away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Turnberry (opposite), 110 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
West Lancashire Community High School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from November 2014, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its November 2014 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
38.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Hearing +6
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with West Lancashire Community High School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to West Lancashire Community High School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. West Lancashire Community 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
- 3
- Children hurt
- 1
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, 3 serious and 3 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
1 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
98%
Near capacity
176 pupils
180 places
4 spare places
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(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
176
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
West Lancashire Community High School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
176
Total Pupils
120
Boys
56
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
7.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,551
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.7%
Overall absence
30.8%
Persistent absence
104
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
West Lancashire Community High School
Showing 10 of 12 linked schools
Questions parents ask about West Lancashire Community High School
What are GCSE results like at West Lancashire Community High School?
In the 2025 results, pupils at West Lancashire Community High School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.2. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is West Lancashire Community High School's Ofsted rating?
West Lancashire Community High School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for West Lancashire Community High School?
No fixed boundary. When West Lancashire Community High School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to West Lancashire Community High School?
West Lancashire Community High School has around 176 pupils on roll. 38% are eligible for free school meals.
Does West Lancashire Community High School have specialist SEN provision?
West Lancashire Community High School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at West Lancashire Community High School?
12.7% of sessions were missed at West Lancashire Community High School in 2024/25. 30.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to West Lancashire Community High School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming West Lancashire Community High 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.
How many road collisions happen near West Lancashire Community 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, 3 serious and 3 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 1 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 West Lancashire Community High School?
West Lancashire Community High School is at School Lane, Chapel House, Skelmersdale, Lancashire, WN8 8EH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)