Mount St Mary's Catholic High School
104%
Capacity
940
Pupils
3.5x
Demand
About Mount St Mary's Catholic High School
Mount St Mary's Catholic High School in Leeds has been rated Outstanding in every category of its most recent Ofsted inspection, a significant upgrade from its previous Good rating. The inspection, which took place in March 2025, awarded top marks for quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. But the most telling academic metric is the school's Progress 8 score of 0.86, which is classified as well above average. That figure places Mount St Mary's third out of 42 secondary schools in the Leeds local authority, putting it in the top five per cent nationally. To put that in context, the average Progress 8 score for Leeds secondary schools is 0.07, meaning pupils here make substantially more academic progress between age 11 and 16 than their peers across the city.
The school's Attainment 8 score sits at 51.8, and 68.8 per cent of pupils achieved a grade 4 or above in both English and maths. The English department is a particular strength, with a Progress 8 score of 0.91, while maths comes in at 0.35. The EBacc average point score is 4.41, though only 23.3 per cent of pupils entered the EBacc suite of subjects. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 99 per cent of the 91 respondents would recommend the school, and 95 per cent strongly agreed that their child does well there. The school is heavily oversubscribed, with 635 applications for 180 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, and 140 of those offers went to first-preference applicants out of 152 who put it top of their list.
Mount St Mary's is a Roman Catholic secondary for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form on site. It has a notably high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 44.3 per cent, and the school's SEND provisions cover a wide range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, and social, emotional and mental health support. Facilities include a swimming pool, astro turf, sports hall, theatre, and a chapel. Clubs range from coding and chess to gardening and debate. This is a school that suits families who prioritise strong academic progress and a supportive, faith-based environment, and who are comfortable with a highly competitive admissions process.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Ellerby Road, Leeds, Leeds, LS9 8LA |
| Headteacher | M Cooper |
| Local Authority | Leeds |
| Number of Pupils | 940 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 44.3% |
| School Capacity | 940 / 900 (104% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
25 Mar 2025Quality of Education
Outstanding
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 6 May 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.86)
147th of 3,141
Nationally
6th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
3rd of 42
In Leeds
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make significantly more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
Ofsted Parent View
91 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
12Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed180
635
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
152 families put this school as their 1st choice (24% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Among the highest-disadvantage schools.
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British18.9%
- White (other)13.4%
- Asian8.4%
- Mixed6.6%
- Black2.0%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
15
Total schools
12
Oversubscribed
8
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mount St Mary's Catholic High School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
Ellerby Road, Leeds
Leeds, LS9 8LA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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