St Mary's College, Voluntary Catholic Academy
About St Mary's College, Voluntary Catholic Academy
If you're a parent weighing up St Mary's College, the numbers suggest other families are already voting with their feet. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 588 first-preference applications for 344 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 3.31 — meaning more than three families wanted each spot. Of those first-preference applicants, 342 were offered places, so competition is real but not impossible. The school doesn't publish a parent-view recommendation percentage in this data, but the sheer demand is a strong signal in itself. With 2,438 pupils on roll against a capacity of 2,400, it's running slightly over its official limit, which tells you it's a popular choice locally. Headteacher Maria Stead leads a Roman Catholic secondary that's also a Voluntary Academy, and the school's most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023 gave it Outstanding across every category — quality of education, behaviour, personal development, leadership, and sixth-form provision all scored top marks.
Key Details
The full report on this school
The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.
- Ofsted inspection in plain EnglishStrengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
- Parent View survey resultsWhat parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
- Where Ofsted and parents disagreeGaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
- Admissions & catchmentAdmission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
- Nearby schools comparedBackup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
- Attendance & behaviour dataPersistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
24 Oct 2023Source: Ofsted, 11 Dec 2023. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
Facilities
13Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
15Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:35
Source: smchull.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St Mary's College, Voluntary Catholic Academy
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
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SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
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Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices