Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School, Ormskirk
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Ormskirk. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 6th-highest of the 22 schools in Ormskirk with published results, and 1,154th of 14,452 across England. It was 79% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School in detail
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Westhead Lathom St James’ CE Primary School really is the heartbeat of the local community. We are a smaller than average, semi-rural school with strong links with the local church - St James’ in Westhead - as well as the wider community."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, athletics, dance, choir, chess, Lego and art.
The school runs after-school care until 4:30pm.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 100% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 88% in reading and 69% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 12 families put Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 39 named it as one of their preferences, for 15 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School are Ormskirk Church of England Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 80% reading, 78% maths); Ormskirk Lathom Park Church of England Primary School (1.6 miles, Good, 67% reading, 50% maths); Brookfield Park Primary School (1.8 miles, Requires improvement, 81% reading, 86% maths); and St Richard's Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale (1.8 miles, Outstanding, 64% reading, 75% maths).
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Ormskirk Church of England Primary SchoolOrmskirk Lathom Park Church of England Primary SchoolBrookfield Park Primary SchoolSt Richard's Catholic Primary School, Skelmersdale
What parents say
27 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School (as of September 2025): 89% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Who goes there
6.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 11 pupils (10.5%) received SEN support and 2 (1.9%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ormskirk Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Prince Albert (opposite), 90 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 3 crimes within a mile of the school, most often criminal damage and arson, public order offences and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109).
Suspensions and exclusions
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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 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 · 2 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
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school creates a special community where children are happy, proud, and eager to learn. Staff have high expectations and provide excellent support to help every child succeed academically and socially. The school offers a rich curriculum with wonderful experiences like residential trips and activities that help children develop into confident, well-rounded citizens.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional reading provision with expert staff who develop early language skills and provide well-matched support for struggling readers
- Carefully designed curriculum with clearly identified key knowledge in all subjects, ensuring equality of opportunity for all pupils including those with SEND
- Exemplary pupil behaviour, politeness, and positive relationships throughout the school
- Extensive enrichment opportunities including trips, residentials, canoeing, climbing, and visits that broaden horizons
- Staff receive strong support with well-managed workload and well-being
Areas for Improvement
- A small number of pupils do not attend school as regularly as they should, though the school is working with parents and external agencies to improve this
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school creating an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Dodgeball, bench ball, canoeing, climbing, visits to London and local landmarks, library café, masked readers programme, worry club, playground leadership activities
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School is a small, friendly school where pupils are exceptionally well cared for and flourish in a supportive environment. The school maintains outstanding standards across all key areas including quality of education, behaviour, personal development, leadership, and early years provision.
At a Glance
6.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
27 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 88% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 69% to 100% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 88% to 50% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.5
Avg class size
21.0
Infant (KS1)
26.0
KS2
4
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School.
- Conexus Tuition Ormskirk, Lathom, Billinge and BickerstaffeAt the school · Not yet graded
Term dates
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Lancashire. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England 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
- 3
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 0 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
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
Your chances of a place at Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
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What the report includes for Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Lancashire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary 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
79%
Available places
83 pupils
105 places
22 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Ormskirk
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ormskirk
Across Lancashire council
Places available
15,442
Applications
12,122
Got 1st preference
91.3%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
11
SEN Support
2
EHC Plans
12.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
105
Total Pupils
54
Boys
51
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
21.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,903
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,191
Per pupil
£561k
Total funding
£8k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.7%
Overall absence
6.9%
Persistent absence
72
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School
Questions parents ask about Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 100% did so in maths.
What is Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary 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 Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School?
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 79% of its 105 places.
How big are the classes at Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School average 23.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School?
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School has around 105 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School?
5.7% of sessions were missed at Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 6.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Conexus Tuition Ormskirk, Lathom, Billinge and Bickerstaffe (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School's term dates?
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Lancashire. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 0 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 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 Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School?
Westhead Lathom St James' Church of England Primary School is at 16 School Lane, Westhead, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L40 6HL.
Sources: Lancashire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)