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Welcome to St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham

Welcome to the final years of your education, the moment you can focus on the subjects you love and value, whilst acquiring the skills you will need to make that leap to the adult world. The ethos in the Sixth Form is a step up from the main school; we encourage you to develop independence of thought and action, to gain a sense of responsibility and respect for the community. These last vital years will make you the kind of young adult who can take their place confidently in the wider world: the best version of you that you can be. Current students on the brink of leaving say they can feel how proud their teachers are of their progress, and that they have been treated with kindness and respect through all the ups and downs of becoming themselves. These are exciting times for you, as you take responsibility for making your future a reality, and the tutors and teachers are here to support you, every step of the way.Jane Bird, Head of Sixth Form

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Boarding Type

No Boarder

School Type

Academy converter

Suitable Ages

11 to 18

Gender

Mixed

No. of Students

1,260 Total

No. of Boys

616 (48.9%)

No. of Girls

644 (51.1%)


Academic Excellence

GCSE Results

Latest Examination

13.6%

Students achieving A*/A grades (9/8/7)

A-Level Results

Sixth Form Performance

A* grades

7.8%

A*/A grades

26.44%


Leavers' Destinations

Destinations after GCSEs

Staying in education

92%

School

79%

England

Apprenticeships

4%

School

3%

England

Further education

School:19%
England:51%

School sixth form

School:73%
England:19%

Sixth form college

School:0%
England:7%

Other education destinations

School:0%
England:2%

Destinations after A-Levels

UK higher education

68%

School

1%

England

Apprenticeships

9%

School

19%

England

Higher education or training

School:92%
England:63%

Further education

School:2%
England:4%

Employment

School:14%
England:35%

Not sustained in education/employment

School:5%
England:26%


Exciting Events Ahead!

A detailed admissions process on ApplicaaOne is coming soon.

Please see our website for more information on our admissions process.


Admissions Process

Start Application
Oct 2025Nov 2025Dec 2025Jan 2026Feb 2026Mar 2026

Year 12 Preparatory Assessments

Sixth Form Open Evening

Year 13 Preparatory examinations

Year 13 Parents’ Evenings

Year 12 Parents’ Evening

Year 13 Parents’ Evenings

Key Dates & Deadlines

Oct 6, 2025

Year 12 Preparatory Assessments

Oct 9, 2025

Open Evening

Oct 13, 2025

Year 13 Preparatory Examinations

Nov 10, 2025

Year 13 Parents’ Evenings

Feb 2, 2026

Year 12 Parents’ Evening

Feb 9, 2026

Mock Examinations

Mar 23, 2026

Year 13 Parents’ Evenings

Jun 15, 2026

Mock Examinations


Term Dates & Half-Term Holidays

Planning ahead for school holidays? Below are the term dates and half-term dates for the 2026/2027 academic year.

Autumn

1 terms

Half Term 1

Sep 1 - Oct 24

Spring

1 terms

Half Term 1

Jan 5 - Feb 20

Summer

2 terms

Half Term 1

Apr 20 - May 1

Half Term 2

Jun 1 - Jul 20

Half-Term & Holiday Dates

Autumn Half Term

Oct 27 - Oct 31

Christmas

Dec 20 - Jan 5

Spring Half Term

Feb 21 - Mar 2

Easter

Apr 2 - Apr 20

May Day

May 1 - May 5

Summer Half Term

May 22 - Jun 1

Summer

Jul 20 - Sep 1


Alumni Stories

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Updates Coming Soon!

We’ll be sharing information about the destinations of our alumni here soon.


Enrichment Activities

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Enrichment is at the heart of St Leonard’s school. We are dedicated to providing opportunities so that all pupils can benefit from opportunities outside of the classroom. This ranges from Public Speaking to Rowing; from Chess Club to Rugby; from Musical Performance to the Duke of Edinburgh; and from Cyber Security to Ancient Greek.

Boat Club
Established in the early 1970s by Mr Parker the St Leonard’s Boat Club really took off and was soon winning medals in national competitions. The club has several notable alumni including Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell, a double world champion and European gold medallist who was part of the men’s rowing team at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Duke of Edinburgh
We have a very large uptake of pupils participating in the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme, with over 100 in some year groups singing up to the award. Pupils start on the Bronze Scheme and can move through to the Gold scheme. The weather isn’t always kind on these outdoor trips, but it never seems to lessen the pupils’ spirits!
Educational Visits
We run many educational visits throughout the year to enhance our pupils’ experience and give our pupils an opportunity to learn outside of the classroom. Most of these trips would take place in final week of the academic year in July, as part of our Activities Week celebrations.

About School

RegionNorth East
Local AuthorityCounty Durham
Ofsted RatingRequires improvement
Gender TypeMixed