Admissions

Admissions: How do I apply?

We are a voluntary aided school and the admission authority is our Governing Body. The school’s admission authority sets the admission policy every year. You can read our school’s admission policies by clicking the appropriate link from the panel on the right of this page.

Applications for Year 7 places in September 2025:

Read our Admission Policy (2025) and accompanying SIF (2025).

Please also read the Application Timetable for Year 7 2025 by clicking the appropriate link from the panel on the right of this page.

Parents must register their secondary school preferences online with the education authority (you must apply to the local authority who empties your bins) between 1 September and 31 October 2024 by going to https://www.leeds.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions. This website provides all of the information that you will need to apply for a school place.

Please make sure you list Mount St Mary’s as one of your preferences. If you do not, you will not have made a valid application for this school.

Please also complete the Mount St Mary’s supplementary information form (SIF) for 2025 and return it to Mount St Mary’s Catholic High School, Ellerby Road, Leeds LS9 8LA by 31 October 2024.

National Offer Day is the 3rd March 2025 (first working day after 1st March 2025). This is the date that the local authority will notify you as to which school your child has been allocated.

In Year Applications:

Read our Admission Policy (2024) and accompanying SIF (2024).

If you are moving into Leeds or wish to change schools in Leeds, you need to make a school transfer (in year application).

We are part of the Leeds coordinated in-year application scheme. Applications should be made online via the Leeds City Council website by going to https://www.leeds.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions/before-you-move-schools. You can apply for places at our school and most other Leeds schools at the same time on this form. This webpage provides all of the information you will need to apply for an in-year place.

We have to offer places by applying our admission policy criteria to your child’s application. Leeds City Council will contact you with our decision no later than 15 school days from when you apply. If they cannot offer your child a place at our school, they will

add your child to our waiting list in case a place becomes available during the school year
send you a letter to explain the reasons we cannot offer a place (usually that we are full) and tell you how you can appeal.

Our waiting lists are kept until the end of each school year. You will need to make a new application if you want to be on the waiting list for the following school year.

Appeals:

If we cannot offer you a place, you will have the right of appeal. The appeal panel is independent of the school and council and their decision is legally binding. Before you appeal you:

should accept any place that you have been offered in case your appeal is not successful
should think about why you are appealing and check if it is likely to be successful
could read the advice for appealing school places on GOV.UK
could get independent advice on making an appeal from a charity

Leeds City Council arranges our appeals and you can find the appeal form at https://www.leeds.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions/school-appeals.

You are entitled to appeal when you wish your child to attend a particular school. An appeal is successful if the panel agree that the reasons for your appeal outweigh the school’s decision not to admit any more children.

If you are appealing for a year 7 place for September 2025, you need to submit your appeal form by any deadline set out in the Application Timetable which you can read by clicking the appropriate link from the panel on the right of this page to ensure the appeal will be heard before the summer holidays.

If parents need more information about the online application process or have any other admission queries, the education authority can be contacted on 0113 2224414. Alternatively, please contact Mrs A Campleman at Mount St Mary’s on 0113 21992482 (extension 108) or a.campleman@mountstmarys.org.uk.

Want to visit? Want to know more?

For further information please contact Mrs A Campleman at Mount St Mary’s on 0113 21992482 (extension 108) or a.campleman@mountstmarys.org.uk

Moving in... Moving on...

We work very hard with our feeder primary schools in the parishes to make the big step to high school as easy as possible. A programme of visits, joint activities and information evenings all make for a smooth transition.

We have recently asked our Year 7 students about their experience of moving from primary school to high school and about their first year at Mount St Mary’s.

They tell us that the visits last year were very helpful and that they have made lots of new friends. They feel that they are making good progress and understand lesson objectives and their own targets. They appreciate good home/school communication and know who to approach in school if they have a problem. Work is harder than it was in primary school, homework is set and marking helps to improve understanding.

The reward scheme in school is very popular and most students even admit to enjoying coming to school.

Useful Links

Leeds City Council School and Education Information page for parents: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/schools-and-education

For those applying for Year 7: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions/before-you-apply

Moving between schools (In-year): https://www.leeds.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions/before-you-move-schools

Appeals: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions/school-appeals

For more information regarding our admissions data, transport information and admissions policy: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions/check-school-details/display-details?schoolid=48

Transition

A child’s transition from primary school to secondary school might very well affect the entire family. This is an exhilarating yet also frightening and frustrating time for a typical child, so parents should recognise that their child may need extra support during this transition.

Taking a child to visit the new school, discussing how to make new friends, helping the child get used to a varied schedule, staying available to assist the child with homework and projects, and encouraging the child to join clubs and teams are all ways that parents can help assist their child with a successful transition.

Visiting the School

Many children feel overwhelmed and anxious about attending secondary school for the first time, even though they might not necessarily admit to these feelings. Whether they ask to visit their new school or not, parents might consider insisting on it by saying that they would like to re-acquaint themselves with the grounds or the facilities.

This can be an easy ‘out’ for children who don’t want to tell others that they are feeling anxious. If touring the grounds or attending an orientation is not possible, parents can at least drive their children past the school so that even the entry-way doesn’t seem as formidable on that first day.

Making New Friends

Some children will have gone through primary school without meeting new students or having new students transfer into their classes, so the idea of making new friends in secondary school can be quite scary. To help children with making new friends, parents might want to enrol their kids in summer activities that will force them to meet others, or even roll play how children can introduce themselves to others and help to spark new friendships. Again, this may be a fear that children are not willing to admit, so parents may need to initiate these activities even if a child seems a little reluctant to engage.

Getting Used to a Varied Schedule

Primary schools are often highly structured environments in which children do the same thing at the same time on the same days. In contrast, secondary schools usually run according to a varied schedule that requires children to move classes, change teachers and adjust to different groups of children.

In the summer leading up to secondary school, parents may find that encouraging their children to switch activities frequently helps them cope a little bit better with their schedules when secondary school starts.

Staying On Top of Homework and Projects

Secondary school often brings with it a variety of homework and projects, and while parents should definitely not be completing these tasks for their children they certainly can offer information and advice. Parents can share time management techniques with their children, help them set up an appropriate work area at home and get used to research methods at the local library, on the Internet and with reference books so that when their children do need to start their own work they don’t have to waste any time on these tasks.

Joining Clubs and Teams

Many children are reluctant to join clubs and teams in secondary school if it means that they will have to interact with older, and bigger kids. However, if children avoid these activities, they will lose out on the chance to make new friends, enjoy the sport or subject and hone their skills in these areas. Parents should encourage kids to join clubs and teams even if the children themselves have some doubts, and some parents may even consider volunteering on these activities if they feel that it will benefit their children – or themselves!

Agreeing on Greater Independence

Secondary school students span a vast age range, not to mention a spectrum of maturity levels, so not every child will be ready for greater independence simply because they enter secondary school. Parents may want to discuss their child’s expectations about greater independence at the start of secondary school and then communicate their own thoughts about issues such as dating, parties and curfews. This can be a particularly prickly discussion if parents and children don’t agree on these topics, so you should take particular care to show that you support your children and are only trying to do what is best for them.