St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy is a mainstream secondary school in Ilkley, Leeds, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 166 of its 1,211 pupils (13.7%) were getting SEN support and 22 (1.8%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,211 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Leeds.
13.7% get SEN support
166 of 1,211 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
1.8% have an EHC plan
22 of 1,211 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia58
- Social, emotional and mental health48
- Autism34
- Speech, language and communication14
- Moderate learning difficulty11
- Hearing impairment6
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,211 (places for 1,096)
- Headteacher
- Miss Margaret Hattersley
- Part of
- The Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust
- Faith
- Roman Catholic
- Free school meals
- 7.9% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Leeds
- School reference (URN)
- 139351
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Leeds council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, February 2025
Inspected in February 2025. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Sixth formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Bradford Road, Menston, Ilkley, LS29 6AE
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Green Meadows Academy Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Titus Salt School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted report card (2026) 3.8 miles
- Holybrook Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Outstanding 4.0 miles
- Hazelbeck Special School Special school · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 4.9 miles
Other mainstream schools
Questions about St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy
How many pupils at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 166 of the 1,211 pupils (13.7%) were getting SEN support and 22 (1.8%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (58 pupils), social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (48 pupils) and autism (34 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Through Leeds council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
You can ask for St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Titus Salt School, about 3.8 miles away.
Where is St. Mary's Menston, a Catholic Voluntary Academy?
Bradford Road, Menston, Ilkley, LS29 6AE, in Leeds.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.