Learn 4 Life School is an independent special school in Skelmersdale, St.
- Ages 11–16
- 16 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Independent special school
- Ages
- 11 to 16
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 16 (places for 16)
- Headteacher
- Mr James McAlpine (Headteacher)
- Opened
- 17 August 2005
- Council
- St. Helens
- School reference (URN)
- 129571
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often St. Helens council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- An offer, and the council’s agreement
As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it doesn’t have to accept a place: the school has to offer one, and the council has to agree to name it in the plan.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Good, April 2025
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in April 2025.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Independent school standards: all standards met.
Contact and getting there
64a Rectory Road, Ashton in Makerfield, Skelmersdale, WN4 0QD
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Rectory CofE Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.1 miles
- Martha H School Independent · Ages 5–18 0.3 miles
- Cansfield High School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
All SEND schools in St. Helens
By need in St. Helens: Autism (6) · SEMH (3) · Speech and language (2) · Moderate learning (2) · Severe learning (2) · PMLD (2) · Dyslexia and SpLD (2) · Hearing (2) · Vision (2) · Multi-sensory (2) · Physical (2)
Questions about Learn 4 Life School
How do I get a place at Learn 4 Life School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Learn 4 Life School. As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it has to offer a place and the council has to agree to name it.
What ages does Learn 4 Life School take?
Aged 11 to 16, boys and girls.
What is Learn 4 Life School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Learn 4 Life School?
64a Rectory Road, Ashton in Makerfield, Skelmersdale, WN4 0QD, in St. Helens.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, 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.