School Mission Statement
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Admissions
Our Lady Queen of Peace is a Catholic School under the trusteeship of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. It is maintained by Lancashire County Council. As a Voluntary Aided School, the Governing Body is the Admissions Authority and is responsible for taking decisions on applications for admissions. The co-ordination of admissions arrangements is undertaken by the Local Authority. The school asks all parents applying for a place here to respect this ethos and its importance to the school community. This does not affect the rights of parents who are not of the faith of this school to apply for and be considered for a place here. For the school’s year commencing September 2025, the Governing Body has set its admissions number at 185.
How to apply:
Parents must complete a Local Authority Preference Form or apply online via the website Lancashire | Schools. All preferences listed will be considered on an equal basis and, where there are more applications than the number of places available, the following set of OVERSUBSCRIPTION CRITERIA will be applied:
- Looked after children and previously looked after children. This includes children who appear to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
- Baptised Catholic children who have a sibling in the school at the time of admission.
- Baptised Catholic children resident in the parish of St Richard.
- Other baptised Catholic children.
- Other children who have a sibling in the school at the time of admission.
- Children attending one of the following Catholic Feeder Primary Schools in the parishes named in criterion 3 above:
- St Edmund’s, Skelmersdale
- St Francis of Assisi, Skelmersdale
- St James’, Skelmersdale
- St John’s, Skelmersdale
- St Richard’s, Skelmersdale
- Children from other Christian denominations. Proof of Baptism in the form of a Baptismal Certificate or confirmation in writing that the applicant is a member of their Faith community from an appropriate Minister of Religion is required.
- Children of other faiths. An appropriate Faith Leader would need to confirm in writing that the applicant is a member of their faith group.
- Other children.
Supplementary Faith Form
It is very important that a Supplementary Faith Form is completed if parents wish their application to this Catholic school to be considered against the priority faith criteria. This form, along with proof of baptism (in the form of a Baptismal Certificate) should be returned to school by 31st October each year.
Deadline for Applications
The deadline for applications to secondary schools is 11:59pm 31 October each year. To apply for a place, follow the link below (You can change your preferences once you have submitted up until the application deadline):
Follow this link to: Apply Now
Appeals
If your child does not receive a place at our school, in any year group, due to oversubscription, you have the right to appeal. Please click the link below for details about the appeals process. Your appeal will be dealt with by Lancashire County Council and you will have to complete the paperwork contained within the Appeals Website.
Follow this link for: Appeal for a school place - Lancashire County Council
In-Year Admissions
In Year Admissions are admissions to school which take place during the school year outside the normal admissions rounds (for Year 7).
If you are new to the area and require a school place or if you already reside in the area and you want to move your child from their current local school to our school, your application should be made directly to our school and the child will be admitted where there are available places.
Applying for a place as an In-year Admission
To apply for a place, please complete our In-Year Admissions form, (below) and return to mail@olqp.lancs.sch.uk. Please also complete a Supplementary Faith Form (below) and evidence of baptism, if you would like your application considered against the faith criteria of the school.
If you have any questions in relation to in-year admissions, please contact us either by email at mail@olqp.lancs.sch.uk or by phone on 01695 725635.
You may ring the school office to confirm that the form (and any accompanying evidence) has been received. Your application will be acknowledged upon receipt and we will advise you of the outcome within a maximum of 15 school days.
Where places are available but we have more applications than places, the published oversubscription criteria will be applied, to ensure the correct child/children are offered the places. If there are no places available, the child will be added to the waiting list and you have the right of appeal. Please see below for appeal information. Please note, that the waiting list does NOT guarantee a place at our school and if your child is currently not in education you should either make an appeal to our school and/or apply for a place at an alternative school.
Further information on how to apply for a local school can be found on the Lancashire County Council website.
In-Year Appeals
The school's admission appeals are supported by Lancashire County Council. If the Governing body cannot offer a school place, parents have the right to make an appeal. This appeal should be submitted using the link below within twenty days of refusal of admission. The appeal provides you with an opportunity to explain why you wish to register your child at our school. The appeal forms and advice on how to complete them is available on the Appeal for a school place - Lancashire County Council.
Lancashire County Council will contact you in respect of your appeal application and inform you of the arrangements. The outcome of the appeal will be notified to you in writing. The decision of the Independent Appeal Panel is binding to all parties, i.e. the family and the school. Please note that this right of appeal against the Governors’ decision does not prevent you from making an appeal in respect of any other school.
Managed Transfers
If your child is joining the school through a Managed Transfer system, the person responsible for these types of admissions is Mrs Downing and she can be contacted via email at ra.downing@olqp.lancs.sch.uk. Managed Transfer students remain on their original school's roll until the transfer is deemed successful. For further information, please contact the school on 01695 725635.
Looked After Children
Mr G. Diamond is responsible for our Looked After Children. Please contact us on the number above or alternatively email Mr Diamond at g.diamond@olqp.lancs.sch.uk