The King's (The Cathedral) School

Peterborough · PE1 2UE

General information All-through School · 7-18 years Who goes here 1256 pupils, 14% FSM

Educational attainment Ofsted: Outstanding

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 5.9% on SEN support Behaviour 5.1% absence rate Staff 14.6% turnover Financials £8,029 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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The King's (The Cathedral) School

General Information

Address: Park Road, Peterborough, PE1 2UE – View on map
Phone: 01733751541
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mr John Harrison
Age range: 7-18 years
Demand for places (Year 7, September 2026): 366 families put it first for 127 places – 29 for every 10 places. 34% of them were offered a place. 33 of the 127 places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 23 · 2024 19 · 2025 33 · 2026 29
Sixth form: Yes
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Church of England
Nursery provision: No

Who goes here

1256 pupils out of 1150 places At or near capacity

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 122
% eligible for free school meals: 14.0%
Pupil mix: 8 in 10 (more mixed than the Peterborough average)
English as an additional language: 10% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 14.6% a year (Peterborough 15.2%, typical in England 15.5%)
Where they went: about 24% moved to another school, 76% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Peterborough: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 59 (3.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 1.7)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 2
Suspensions for bullying: 57 (2.9 per 1,000 pupils; England 1.9)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 20 (1.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.8)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state secondary schools in Peterborough, not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 5.1%
Persistently absent pupils: 17.1%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 5.9%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 4.5%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Social, emotional and mental health: 18 pupils
Other difficulty or disability: 12 pupils
Autistic spectrum disorder: 10 pupils
Specific learning difficulty: 8 pupils
SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need: 8 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Autistic spectrum disorder: 25 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 10 pupils
Other difficulty or disability: 7 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 7 pupils
Speech, language and communications needs: 4 pupils

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Outstanding 2024 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

SecondaryGCSE results, Year 11

Attainment 8 score: 63.2
Compared with the area: 19.4 points above the Peterborough average (43.8)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Well above (+11.9 points against an expected 51.3)
Grade 4+ in English and maths: 89% (Peterborough 61%, England 65%) Falling
Data year: 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

GCSE results over time

This schoolPeterborough averageEngland→ Broadly steady No clear rise or fall since 2022/23 (changes this small are normal from one year group to the next). In 2024/25 this school was 19.4 points above the Peterborough average (43.8).

About the Attainment 8 score

Attainment 8 measures a pupil's average result across 8 GCSE-equivalent qualifications (English and maths count double). It shows how pupils performed, not how much progress they made getting there - a school with a higher score doesn't necessarily add more value, since pupils often arrive with different starting points. Progress 8 is the measure designed to account for that, but it currently can't be calculated for any school for the two most recent academic years, due to a nationwide gap in the data caused by COVID-19 disruption to Key Stage 2 testing.

1st of 13 all-through schools in Peterborough for Attainment 8

#1The King's (The Cathedral) School63.2
#2Hampton Gardens Secondary School47.0
#3Stanground Academy46.7

Click to see the full ranking

Attainment 8 ranking

Illustrative MVP scores - not based on verified data yet.

Rank School Score

#1The King's (The Cathedral) School63.2
#2Hampton Gardens Secondary School47.0
#3Stanground Academy46.7
#4Arthur Mellows Village College46.5
#5Ormiston Bushfield Academy46.3
#6Nene Park Academy45.6
#7Hampton College44.5
#8Jack Hunt Academy44.2
#9Ken Stimpson Academy41.7
#10City of Peterborough Academy39.3
#11Thomas Deacon Academy39.1
#12Greater Peterborough UTC38.2
#13Queen Katharine Academy32.5

Leaver Destinations

In education, employment, or training a year later: 99.0%
Went into further education: 97.0%
Data year: 2024/25

About leaver destinations

This shows where a school's Year 11 leavers were recorded the following year - in a "sustained" destination means in education, an apprenticeship, or employment for at least 6 months, not just enrolled briefly. It's a different picture from exam results alone, and can highlight schools that support pupils well beyond just their GCSE grades.

GCSE Subjects Offered

Maths (General)
English Literature
English Language
Religious Studies
Biology
Physics (General)
Chemistry (General)
Geography
Science Double Award
Business Studies
History
French Language
D & T
Computer Science
Sports Studies
German
Speech & Drama
Art & Design
Latin
Music Studies (General)
Food Technology
Photography
Chinese
Italian
Spanish

About this subject list

This isn't the school's own description of its curriculum - it's real DfE exam entry data, showing which GCSE subjects this school's pupils were actually entered for in 2024/25. A subject not appearing here may still be taught but had no pupils entered that year, so treat this as a helpful guide rather than a complete guarantee - it's worth confirming directly with the school for the year your child would actually study.

PrimaryYear 6 SATs results

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 80% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 13% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 19 percentage points above the Peterborough average (61%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Well above (3-year average 81% against an expected 67%)
3-year average (expected standard): 81%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 100% · Writing 80% · Maths 93% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 80%
Average test scores: reading 110, maths 106
Based on: 15 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

Year 6 SATs: 6th of 58 junior and primary schools in the area

#4Norwood Primary School83%
#5The Duke of Bedford Primary School81%
#6The King's (The Cathedral) School80%
#7Oakdale Primary School78%
#8Hampton Hargate Primary School77%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1Barnack CofE (Controlled) Primary School95%
#2John Clare Primary School91%
#3St John's Church School85%
#4Norwood Primary School83%
#5The Duke of Bedford Primary School81%
#6The King's (The Cathedral) School80%
#7Oakdale Primary School78%
#8Hampton Hargate Primary School77%
=9Nene Valley Primary School76%
=9Paston Ridings Primary School76%
=9Winyates Primary School76%
#12Northborough Primary School74%
=13Hampton Vale Primary Academy73%
=13Heritage Park Primary School73%
=13Newark Hill Academy73%
=16Castor CofE Primary School70%
=16Nova Primary Academy70%
=18Bishop Creighton Academy69%
=18Hampton Lakes Primary School69%
=20Highlees Primary School67%
=20Old Fletton Primary School67%
=20St John Henry Newman Catholic VA Primary School67%
=20Stanground St Johns CofE Primary School67%
=20The Beeches Primary School67%
#25Fulbridge Academy66%
=26Longthorpe Primary Academy64%
=26Saint Michael CofE Primary School64%
=28Discovery Primary Academy63%
=28Eye CofE Primary School63%
=28Lime Academy Parnwell63%
=28Ormiston Meadows Academy63%
=28Peakirk-Cum-Glinton Cofe Primary Academy63%
=28St Botolph's Church of England Primary School63%
=28Thorpe Primary Academy63%
=28William Law CofE Primary School63%
#36Orton Wistow Primary School62%
=37All Saints' CofE (Aided) Primary School60%
=37Eyrescroft Primary School60%
=37Wittering Primary School60%
=40Braybrook Primary Academy59%
=40Lime Academy Watergall59%
=42West Town Primary Academy58%
=42Woodston Primary School58%
=44Lime Academy Abbotsmede57%
=44Ravensthorpe Primary Academy57%
=44Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School57%
=47Thomas Deacon Academy56%
=47Werrington Primary School56%
#49St Augustine's CofE (Voluntary Aided) Junior School55%
#50Welland Academy50%
#51Leighton Primary and Preschool47%
=52Dogsthorpe Academy45%
=52Hampton College45%
=52Southfields Primary School45%
=52Welbourne Primary Academy45%
=56Gladstone Primary Academy44%
=56Gunthorpe Primary School44%
#58St Thomas More Catholic Primary School36%

View full Ofsted inspection report

1st of 10 all-through schools in Peterborough for Ofsted rating

#1The King's (The Cathedral) SchoolOutstanding
#2City of Peterborough AcademyGood
#3Greater Peterborough UTCGood

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1The King's (The Cathedral) SchoolOutstanding
#2City of Peterborough AcademyGood
#3Greater Peterborough UTCGood
#4Hampton CollegeGood
#5Jack Hunt AcademyGood
#6Nene Park AcademyGood
#7Ormiston Bushfield AcademyGood
#8St John Fisher Catholic High SchoolGood
#9Stanground AcademyGood
#10Ken Stimpson AcademyRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £8,029 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

5th of 14 all-through schools in Peterborough for spending per pupil

#3Manor Drive Secondary Academy£9,038
#4City of Peterborough Academy£8,607
#5The King's (The Cathedral) School£8,029
#6Arthur Mellows Village College£7,835
#7Jack Hunt Academy£7,511

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Greater Peterborough UTC£9,210
#2Ken Stimpson Academy£9,057
#3Manor Drive Secondary Academy£9,038
#4City of Peterborough Academy£8,607
#5The King's (The Cathedral) School£8,029
#6Arthur Mellows Village College£7,835
#7Jack Hunt Academy£7,511
#8Stanground Academy£7,438
#9Ormiston Bushfield Academy£7,430
#10Queen Katharine Academy£7,282
#11Nene Park Academy£7,116
#12Hampton Gardens Secondary School£7,105
#13Hampton College£6,993
#14Thomas Deacon Academy£6,573

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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General Information

Who goes here

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Behaviour

Across Peterborough: suspensions by reason

Attendance

SEN

Most common needs - SEN Support

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Educational Attainment

Attainment 8 ranking

Leaver Destinations ?

GCSE Subjects Offered ?

Year 6 SATs ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Financials

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Leaver Destinations

GCSE Subjects Offered