Jack Lunn Construction constructed a three-storey, steel-framed extension that allowed St Mary's to take 1,100 pupils. The project took 14 months to complete and cost £1.7 million. The building has a traditional brick-and-block facade, concrete floors and a flat roof. 2002–2012 In 2003, the school was awarded £792,000 to extend its inter-school sports partnership. St Mary's achieved Artsmark Silver in 2004. The school marked its 40th anniversary in October 2004 with a whole school photograph of pupils and staff. February 2005 saw a week-long visit by 8 Chinese students and two staff from ShiXi High School, Shanghai. In 2006, a stained glass artwork of a dove was created in the Chapel. New entrances for both visitors and pupils opened in September 2008. In 2009, St Mary's received the International School Award presented by BBC newsreader George Alagiah. March 2011 saw the opening of a floodlit artificial turf football pitch. It was opened by Sir Trevor Brooking, the Football Association's director of football development. The pitch was part of a £750,000 investment in sport at the school which will also saw all remaining grass pitches drained. The project was part funded by a £325,000 grant from the Football Foundation. In May 2011, a team from St. Mary's were the overall winners of the Geographical Association 2011 Blancathra Worldwise Challenge trophy. The school received the ICT Mark in June 2011 and was awarded Youth Sport Trust Gold Partner status in March 2012. Academy: 2012–present In March 2012, plans were announced for Catholic schools across the Leeds Diocese to investigate teaming up to form trust academies that would no longer be under local authority control. The Governing Bodies of St Mary's and four other schools considered a proposal of converting to Academy status in 2013 and forming together a Multi-Academy Trust. A consultation period occurred between September and October 2012. The academy conversion took place on 1 March 2013. St Mary's is part of The Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust. Thomas Rothwell and Catherine Garrett took over from Mr R Pritchard as acting headteachers in April 2013. The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) inspection in November 2014 graded St Mary's as Grade 1 (Outstanding). Darren Beardsley was appointed as headteacher in 2014, taking over in September of that year. He remained as headteacher until 2021. As of September 2021, Margaret Hattersley took over as acting headteacher. Admissions St