YEAR 7 ADMISSIONS
Your child’s next chapter could start here.
Choosing a secondary school is about much more than results, buildings or a prospectus. It is about finding somewhere your child will be known, encouraged, challenged and genuinely feel they belong.
At Mount Carmel, we want every young person to flourish academically, personally and spiritually, and to leave us ready for whatever comes next.
_-_cropped_smaller_2.jpg)
WHY MOUNT CARMEL?
A school where your child can belong, grow and achieve.
Every family wants something slightly different from secondary school. But some things are universal.
You want your child to be safe. You want them to be noticed. You want teachers to recognise when they need encouragement and when they are ready to be pushed further. You want them to make friends, discover new interests and become increasingly confident about who they are.
That is the experience we work to create at Mount Carmel.
We are committed to ensuring that every young person is known, valued and supported to achieve their full potential.
DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT
What Ofsted found at Mount Carmel
Our November 2025 inspection gives families an independent picture of what it feels like to be a pupil here.
A real sense of belonging
Ofsted found that pupils quickly develop a strong sense of belonging and are welcomed as valued members of the Mount Carmel family.
Starting secondary school is a big transition. Feeling known and included makes an enormous difference.
Relationships that matter
Inspectors highlighted highly positive relationships between staff and pupils and the quality of support this enables.
Children learn better when the adults around them understand them properly.
Remarkable progress
Ofsted reported that pupils generally achieve well and that many make remarkable progress from their starting points.
We care about where a child finishes, not simply where they happened to start.
Opportunities beyond lessons
Personal development was judged a Strong standard, with extensive enrichment and opportunities for pupils to discover talents and interests.
Secondary school should broaden horizons as well as deliver qualifications.
“Pupils are welcomed as valued members of the Mount Carmel family.”Read the full Ofsted report →
COME AND SEE FOR YOURSELF
There is no substitute for walking through the door.
Our Open Evening is your opportunity to see Mount Carmel through your child’s eyes.
Meet the teachers who could teach them. Talk to our pupils. Explore classrooms, facilities and subject areas. Most importantly, get a feel for the atmosphere.
Year 5 and Year 6 families are warmly invited, whether or not your child currently attends one of our partner schools.
WOULD YOU RATHER COME WHEN SCHOOL IS WORKING NORMALLY?
Come and meet Caroline personally.
Open Evening is wonderful, but some families prefer something quieter.
If you would like to talk about your child, ask questions which are specific to your family, or simply see Mount Carmel during an ordinary school day, you can book some time directly with our Headteacher.
We genuinely want you to come and see us.
Book a personal meeting with the HeadteacherREADY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP?
Applying is simpler than it first looks.
Your formal Year 7 application is made through Lancashire County Council, not directly through the Mount Carmel website. Caroline explains exactly what happens before you leave us.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
You’ll leave the Mount Carmel website for Lancashire County Council.
That is completely normal. Lancashire coordinates the secondary school application process for Lancashire families.
Choose your preferred secondary schools.
Complete Lancashire County Council’s online application.
Check whether Mount Carmel needs any additional evidence from you.
This button opens the Lancashire County Council admissions website in a new tab.
If something in the admissions process is unclear, speak to us. We would much rather help you now than have you worrying about whether you have completed something correctly.
Talk to the Headteacher →THE FORMAL BIT
How Year 7 places are allocated
When there are more applications than available places, the Governing Body applies the admissions criteria in the following priority order.
Children in public care
Children in public care and previously looked after children, including IAPLAC, children adopted from state care outside England.
Catholic pupils and partner Catholic schools
a) Baptised Catholic pupils
b) Other pupils who attend a partner Catholic school
Church & Oswaldtwistle Cluster schools
Pupils attending one of the Church & Oswaldtwistle Cluster schools.
Christian faith primary schools
Pupils who attend a Christian faith primary school.
Siblings
A pupil who has a sibling who would be concurrently on roll at the school.
All other pupils
Any other pupil.
CHECK YOUR CATEGORY
Need a little more detail?
Click or tap each section below to see exactly which schools are included or what supporting information may be required.
A Baptised Catholic pupils Click here to see what evidence you need to send
Send a copy of the pupil’s baptismal certificate to:
Mount Carmel R.C. High School
Wordsworth Road
Accrington
BB5 0LU
Please mark the envelope ‘pupil admissions’, or hand the certificate into the school office.
B Partner Catholic schools Click here to see the schools included
- St Anne’s & St Joseph’s Accrington
- St Mary’s Clayton-Le-Moors
- St Mary’s Oswaldtwistle
- St Oswald’s Accrington
- Sacred Heart Accrington
C Church & Oswaldtwistle Cluster schools Click here to see the schools included
- St Andrew’s CE Primary
- Green Haworth CE Primary
- Hippings Methodist Primary
- Knuzden St Oswald’s CE Primary
- Moor End
- St Nicholas CE Primary
- St Paul’s CE Primary
- St Peter’s CE Primary
- West End
D Christian faith primary schools Click here to see the schools included
- All Saints CE Primary
- Altham St James CE Primary
- Baxenden St John’s CE Primary
- Benjamin Hargreaves CE Primary
- St John’s with St Augustine’s CE Primary
- St Mary Magdalen’s CE Primary
- Other Christian faith schools
Where there are more applicants for the available places within a category, the distance between the Ordnance Survey address points for the school and the home, measured in a straight line, will be used as the final determining factor. Nearer addresses have priority over more distant ones.
This address point is within the body of the property and usually located at its centre. Where the cut-off point is for addresses within the same building, the single measure between address points will apply and the Local Authority’s system of a random draw will determine which address or addresses receive an offer.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Come and see whether Mount Carmel feels right for your family.
Meet us at Open Evening, arrange a personal visit or start your application when you are ready.
NEED HELP?
We’re here if you need us.
Mount Carmel is a Voluntary Aided school. Please contact the school if you require further information about admissions.
ADMISSIONS DOCUMENTS
Policies and supporting information
You can view the school's full admissions policies and supporting documents below. Click a document title to open it.
