St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy, Ilkley
St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Ilkley, part of The Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 4th-highest of the 46 schools in Leeds with published results, and 391st of 3,298 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
- Progress (2024)
- Above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Leeds (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy in detail
Results
In 2026, pupils at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 56.6, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.7 in Leeds and 47 across England.
71% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 48% in Leeds and 47% in England.
That is up from 55 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.41: pupils made above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.
Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 39.2, against 58.6 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 19.4 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 23 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Religious Studies, Combined Science and French.
Getting a place at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 179 families put St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 892 named it as one of their preferences, for 201 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 9 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy are Guiseley School (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 53); Benton Park School (2.5 miles, Attainment 8 47.5); Otley Prince Henry's Grammar School Specialist Language College (2.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 52.3); and Immanuel College (2.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 41.8).
St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy's 2026 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Guiseley SchoolBenton Park SchoolOtley Prince Henry's Grammar School Specialist Language CollegeImmanuel College
The trust
St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is one of 16 schools run by The Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
301 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy (as of September 2025): 70% would recommend the school, 78% say their child is happy there and 49% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (83%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (49%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 199 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 92% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 18% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 1% into work.
Of the 101 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 61% went on to university or other higher education, 5% to apprenticeships and 23% into work. 41% went to one of the most selective third of universities.
Who goes there
7.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (82%) and Mixed (5%).
In 2026, 166 pupils (13.7%) received SEN support and 22 (1.8%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Guiseley Rail Station, about 1030 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Moorland Crescent, 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 76 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Leeds (229).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy issued 108 suspensions, 8.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy are Tranmere Park Primary School (0.7 miles), Guiseley Primary School (0.8 miles), Menston Primary School (0.8 miles) and St. Oswald's CofE Primary School (1.1 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
Tranmere Park Primary SchoolGuiseley Primary SchoolMenston Primary SchoolSt. Oswald's CofE Primary School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from November 2014, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St. Mary's Menston is an outstanding school where pupils achieve results well above the national average and develop into confident, resilient learners. The school places inclusivity at its heart, with excellent care and support for all pupils including those with additional needs. Pupils benefit from a rich personal development programme that develops their leadership skills and prepares them thoroughly for university and beyond, with many sixth-form students progressing to top universities including Oxford and Cambridge.
Key Strengths
- Highly ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum with teachers who are experts in their subjects and adapt lessons to meet individual needs
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, with bespoke provision enabling them to access the curriculum successfully
- Exceptional personal development programme including leadership roles, school parliament with 150 pupils, and structured careers advice from key stage 3 onwards
- Strong focus on reading as a priority, with effective support helping struggling readers become confident and fluent
- Outstanding sixth-form provision with wide range of options and enrichment opportunities including Our Lady of Mount Carmel Diploma and partnership with local football club
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
School parliament, key stage 4 sport leader qualifications, enrichment afternoon, partnership with local football club, South Africa partner school visits and fundraising, form time reading activities, big read each half term, key stage 3 baccalaureate, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Diploma
St. Mary's Menston is an exceptional Catholic secondary school where pupils consistently achieve outcomes significantly above national averages and display exemplary conduct. The school has exceptionally high expectations for academic achievement and personal development, with pupils well prepared for their next steps in education.
At a Glance
7.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
301 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has declined from 0.56 to 0.41 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has declined from 57.2 to 56.6 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 67% to 71% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 56.6 | 71% |
| Disadvantaged(21) | - | 39.2 | 33.3% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(179) | - | 58.6 | 75.4% |
| Boys(103) | - | 57.7 | 74.8% |
| Girls(97) | - | 55.4 | 67% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(15) | - | 64.6 | 86.7% |
| Non mobile(198) | - | 56.9 | 71.7% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 3 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 199 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
0
Permanent exclusions
0.00%
Exclusion rate
108
Suspensions
8.90%
Suspension rate
40 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 1,213 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Keep up with St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
Term dates
St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Leeds's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is in Leeds; for families living there:
Apply to Leeds for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 3 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Leeds is 18.5 (the median across 308 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
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What the report includes for St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy:
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- Applications, first choices and offers at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Leeds got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
97%
Near capacity
1,206 pupils
1,248 places
42 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Ilkley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ilkley
Across Leeds council
Places available
10,015
Applications
9,313
Got 1st preference
83.2%
Got preferred school
95.4%
All secondary applications across Leeds council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
166
SEN Support
22
EHC Plans
15.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
1,211
Total Pupils
602
Boys
609
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
78
Teachers
15.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,492
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,465
Per pupil
£6628k
Total funding
£76k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.1%
Overall absence
18.2%
Persistent absence
1,005
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
Questions parents ask about St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
What are GCSE results like at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 56.6. 71% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?
St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is oversubscribed, Leeds allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Classes at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy average 19.1 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy has around 1211 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
7.1% of sessions were missed at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy in 2024/25. 18.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Apply through Leeds's coordinated admissions process, naming St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 3 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Leeds is 18.5 (the median across 308 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is at Bradford Road, Menston, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, LS29 6AE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)