Manchester area sixth form: Xavarian, Loreto, Aquilnas. Catholic student but non Catholic secondary school

[bellinisurge]

A bit specialist but my dd is a baptised Catholic at a non Catholic secondary (she went to a Catholic primary). I'm trying to understand the admissions policy at Xavarian , Loreto and Aquinas. She wants to study Maths and a Science (probably physics) at a Level - we're in Tameside- but her sixth form options are limited. She's predicted (y10 , so y10 predictions) to get 9s.
Being Catholic in a non "feeder" school puts her in the 3rd category behind Catholic students in feeder school and Catholics in a Catholic school.
Do they put grades above faith education when selecting? Or vice versa. Anyone have any insight. Thanks.

I think it’s primarily about grades. My DD went to Loreto, and I don’t think religion came into it. My husband was baptised as catholic, but she isn’t.

I know there were kids there from all over the city. So definitely worth applying

Thanks @idsisatwat , did your daughter go to a Catholic school?

Sixth form options in Manchester are pretty limited. Has she thought about Manchester college? www.tmc.ac.uk/ this isn't faith based and has lots of campuses way easier to get to than Loreto and Xaverian from Tameside. Trafford college is also quite good. They have a specialist science campus (if that's what she's into). I went to Loreto - in the last century! They definetly took non Catholic feeder schools. You might find the distance to Tameside might be the issue.

Both mine went to Loreto... We aren't religious and out of GM so in the very bottom admissions tier. DD had an interview and DS got in on the sibling rule.

They have both loved it there. Good mix of students from a variety of backgrounds.

They have a hard line on kids who don't put the effort in... One of dd's friends was deregistered for being a slack sod after Yr12. It did not come as a shock to him. However another who was trying and had a difficult home life was really well supported.

Cheers all. DH went to Xavarian and his mum went to Loreto (years ago). Both doable by bus fairly easily from our bit of Tameside.

She's thought about Manchester college too. I'm not from the area so I don't know a lot.

Hi @bellinisurge no, she went to a standard comp. We live in Trafford, so lots go to the grammar schools.
I would say if she's predicted 9s, then the colleges you've mentioned are a good choice. She should have no problem being accepted.

I’ve no idea. DD is same category as your daughter and only got a place at one of them. Children of friends with lower predicted grades who aren’t catholic got both X and L. I have really struggled to understand the admissions process after how detailed and open the secondary and primary school admissions criteria are.

Thanks everyone

Distance doesn't features on the criteria for Loreto - it's kids from partner schools, then catholic kids at catholic school, then other catholic children, then everyone else.

Anecdotally I've been told by both current Loreto staff and parents of current/former pupils that they almost always take the really high achievers from the "everyone else" category. We're not catholic and from a pretty distant GM area but hoping YR10 DC1 will get an offer, as every year a few kids from our school do.

Thanks @TheTurn0fTheScrew

Aquinas are more interested in your commitment to the college, behaviour and extracurriculars than academics. As a catholic you should have a good chance of getting in

Both my sisters went to Xaverian and I went to Manchester College. I would definitely go to X or L over TMC. I didn’t get the same support or expectation management as they did and they came out with much nighter grades too.

We are not religious, didn’t go to a religious school and live over your side of Manchester. It’s two buses, one into town and one out. Not a problem really.

We aren't religious and my daughter got into these colleges (Chose Xavarian) based on her predicted grades. We were living in London when she applied and distance made no difference. We've just moved to Manchester and she started 6th form last week.

Thanks very much.

Hi my dd has just started at Xaverian 6th form , no religion , didn’t go to catholic schools, did ok in her gcse grades , needed ok grade in subjects she’s studying and certain number of gcse at grade 6 I think. Live in Tameside it’s a long journey by bus bus / tram into mcr and out to rusholme . 1.5 hrs travel .

Is anyone's dc at Xaverian Manchester?
Do they like it there?

It's very very highly rated

My friend's daughter is doing art there and loves it.