Welcome to St Mark’s
New School Term
Thursday 2nd September – First day of term for Year 7. Course enrolment for Years 12 & 13.
Friday 3rd September – First day of term for Years 8-11.
Thursday 7th October – Open Day for Year 7 Admissions 2011. Early school closure 1:30pm.
Friday 8th October – Non-Pupil Day.
Monday 25th – Friday 29th October (inclusive) – Half Term holiday.
Monday 20th Decenber – Monday 3rd January – Christmas holiday.
School History and Information
The school was established in 1965, opening one block initially and completing its second phase of building in 1974. A new purpose-built Sixth Form Centre was opened by Bishop Thomas in July, 2003, and a Business and Enterprise Centre in October, 2004.
The site occupies some 12 acres within walking distance of Harlow Town Centre. The school now comprises four main blocks, around its central focus of the School Chapel with its garden, linked together via walkways, access corridors and a central square.
The Main Block comprises a large Assembly Hall and Stage opening on to the School Chapel; adjoining this are the school’s two dining rooms and fully furnished serveries and kitchens, operating at both lunch and break times. This same block houses the entrance foyer, administrative offices, Library, English and Learning Support departments as well as the school’s Gym and Multi Gym, Religious Studies and Modern Foreign Languages departments. A new ‘Business and Enterprise Centre’ was completed in July, 2005 and will begin operation in September, 2005.
Alongside the Main Block is the Technology department containing three D & T workshops, a further computer-networked Design room, two Art Studios, the Food & Textiles Technology department (a fully-equipped kitchen and a Textiles room) and two main ICT suites, with 20 multi-media stations. The Design and Technology area was extensively refurbished in October 1996 and the Food Technology area will be refitted and refurbished this Autumn. A purpose-built Drama Studio was completed in July, 2001.
The third block contains the Mathematics and Science departments, with six laboratories, greenhouse and two further ICT networks within the suite of four further Maths’ classrooms; History, Geography and Sociology rooms are situated above.
The fourth block houses the school’s Sports Hall, changing-rooms and the Music department, consisting of two very large classrooms and a series of practice/individual tuition rooms. A large social area exists outside the Sports Hall plus two small tuition rooms and the offices of the Deputy Head, Heads of Upper and Lower Schools, Head of Sixth Form and Head of P E.
There are three hardcore areas providing tennis/netball, hockey areas as well as a large playing field. Additionally, St Mark’s has attractive grounds planted with trees and flowering shrubs throughout, for the use of all pupils.
A targeted Capital Bid has been submitted via the LEA and the DfES for £3.3 million pounds to improve resources and the learning environments in Science, Maths, the Sixth Form, and Music as well as providing a new Learning Resources Centre.
Arranging a Visit
General enquiries concerning admission are welcomed. Parents may telephone or write to the school requesting an appointment. Open Days for parents and prospective pupils and Sixth Form students are held during the Autumn and Summer terms. In the Autumn Term, the school stages an Open Day and Evening when all Departments of the school mount displays of pupils’ work and departmental resources; curriculum information is made available, and pupils are actively engaged in both presentation and organisation. All staff are present and pupils are available to answer any parents’ questions. Members of the Friends of St Mark’s also attend and are pleased to help with information and discussion. Parents may visit the school at any mutually convenient time but particularly during the Autumn Term (please see enclosed for details).
Admissions Criteria
St Mark’s, as a voluntary aided school, is controlled by the Governors who constitute its admissions authority. The Governors exercise their responsibility and right to admit pupils to the school. Supplementary Information Forms should be completed and returned to the school as soon as an application for admission has been made.
The Governors will give preference in each of the following categories to those who desire a Catholic education first and foremost for their child. (This means that the Governors will give preference, in each category, to those families whose choices placed above St Mark’s are all Catholic schools.)
Applications are also positively welcomed from committed Christians of other traditions and/or committed followers of other faiths.
Where applications for admission exceed the number of places available, the following criteria will be applied in the order set out below, to decide which children to admit:
- Catholic children attending a Catholic primary school or non-Catholic primary school in the catchment area, with those living closest to the school, as measured by the shortest safe walking route, being accorded the highest priority;
- non-Catholic children attending a Catholic primary school in the catchment area; with those living closest to the school, as measured by the shortest safe walking route, being accorded the highest priority;
- Catholic children from elsewhere who cannot reasonably attend another Catholic school nearer their home, with priority being given to those who have the furthest to travel to the nearest alternative Catholic school;
- children of committed Christians of other traditions or committed adherents of other faiths, whose application is supported by a minister or religious leader;
- other children whose parents wish them to continue their education in a Catholic secondary school environment, with those living closest to the school, as measured by the shortest safe walking distance, being accorded the highest priority.
Please Note:
- Those who will have a brother or sister in the school at the time of admission shall have preference in the categories in which they fall.
- ‘Looked after children’ shall also have preference in the categories in which they fall.