St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
111%
Capacity
1,213
Pupils
4.6x
Demand
About St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic voluntary academy in Leeds, delivers academic results that stand well above the local authority average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.41 is significantly higher than the Leeds average of 0.07 for secondary schools, meaning pupils here make nearly half a grade more progress per subject than their peers across the city. This places the school 15th out of 42 secondaries in Leeds, comfortably in the top 25% nationally. The Attainment 8 score of 56.5 further underlines strong outcomes, with 82.9% of pupils achieving a grade 4 or above in English and maths. The school's EBacc average point score of 5.21 and a 74.4% entry rate into the EBacc suite of subjects show a clear academic focus. At A-level, the school's value-added score of 0.16 is rated 'above average', with students averaging a B- grade per entry, and 26% achieving at least AAB in two facilitating subjects.
Ofsted's most recent inspection in February 2025 awarded the school Outstanding across every graded category, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision. This is a step up from its previous Outstanding rating in 2014, where sixth-form provision was rated Good. The parent view, based on 301 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, shows strong support: 78% of parents agree or strongly agree that their child is happy, 83% feel their child is safe, and 83% agree the school has high expectations. However, opinions are more divided on SEND support, with 50% of parents agreeing or strongly agreeing and 44% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing. On bullying, 59% of parents marked the question as not applicable, suggesting it is not a widespread concern.
The school is heavily oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 932 applications for 202 places, a ratio of 4.61 applicants per place, with 213 first-preference applications for 194 first-preference offers. Facilities include a chapel, theatre, sixth-form centre, astro turf, science labs, and music rooms. Sports on offer range from rowing and rugby to martial arts and gymnastics, while clubs include the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, debate, coding, and Model UN. The school supports a range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder, and speech, language and communication needs. With a lower-than-average free school meals rate of 7.2%, St. Mary's Menston is a strong choice for families seeking a high-performing, faith-based secondary with a clear academic ethos and a sixth form that adds real value.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Bradford Road, Ilkley, Leeds, LS29 6AE |
| Headteacher | Margaret Hattersley |
| Local Authority | Leeds |
| Number of Pupils | 1,213 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 7.2% |
| School Capacity | 1,213 / 1,096 (111% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
4 Feb 2025Quality of Education
Outstanding
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 11 Mar 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.41)
638th of 3,141
Nationally
55th of 306
In Yorkshire and the Humber
15th of 42
In Leeds
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make 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.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
38.6
'22/23
39.4
'23/24
36.2
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2364%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 205 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)64%
- FE college20%
- Sixth form college8%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Employment1%
- Not sustained1%
99% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2350%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 125 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
32%
Russell Group
35%
Top-third HE
3%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)50%
- Employment28%
- Apprenticeship10%
- Further education4%
- Not sustained4%
- Other education1%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Psychology39
- History30
- Biology27
- Mathematics24
- Religious Studies24
- Chemistry21
- Economics20
- Geography17
- English Language16
- Government and Politics14
- Physics12
- English Literature9
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
301 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
11Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed202
932
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
213 families put this school as their 1st choice (23% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 14:40
Source: stmarysmenston.org. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British82.9%
- White (other)6.6%
- Mixed5.6%
- Asian1.7%
- Black0.1%
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
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
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.
5
Total schools
5
Oversubscribed
3
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
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
Bradford Road, Ilkley
Leeds, LS29 6AE
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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