Our Lady's Catholic College is a mainstream secondary school in Lancaster, Lancashire, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 204 of its 981 pupils (20.8%) were getting SEN support and 26 (2.7%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 981 pupils
- Ofsted: Requires improvement
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Lancashire.
20.8% get SEN support
204 of 981 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Higher than the England average.
2.7% have an EHC plan
26 of 981 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health75
- Moderate learning difficulty52
- Speech, language and communication37
- Autism27
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia13
- Physical disability6
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Voluntary aided school
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 981 (places for 1,148)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Helen Seddon
- Faith
- Roman Catholic
- Free school meals
- 40.4% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Lancashire
- School reference (URN)
- 119798
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Lancashire council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Requires improvement, March 2024
Rated Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, in March 2024.
- Quality of educationRequires improvement
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Morecambe Road, Lancaster, LA1 2RX
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- The Loyne Specialist School Special school · Ages 4–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.4 miles
- Beaumont College - A Salutem/Ambito College Independent · Ages 18–25 0.9 miles
- Morecambe Bay Community Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 2.6 miles
- Carnforth Community Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 5.2 miles
Other mainstream schools
- St Josephs Catholic Primary School, Lancaster Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 16%, EHC plans 3.5% 0.4 miles
- Lancaster Ryelands Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 21.3%, EHC plans 5.5% 0.5 miles
- Willow Lane Community Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 20.6%, EHC plans 3.5% 0.5 miles
All mainstream schools in Lancashire SEND schools in Lancashire
Questions about Our Lady's Catholic College
How many pupils at Our Lady's Catholic College have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 204 of the 981 pupils (20.8%) were getting SEN support and 26 (2.7%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Our Lady's Catholic College?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (75 pupils), moderate learning difficulties (52 pupils) and speech, language and communication needs (37 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Our Lady's Catholic College?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Our Lady's Catholic College?
Through Lancashire council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Our Lady's Catholic College?
You can ask for Our Lady's Catholic College to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Our Lady's Catholic College have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Morecambe Bay Community Primary School, about 2.6 miles away.
Where is Our Lady's Catholic College?
Morecambe Road, Lancaster, LA1 2RX, in Lancashire.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.