Schools by area › Derby › Derby Cathedral School
Derby Cathedral School
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–19 · Free school
Great Northern Road, Derby DE1 1LR · derbycathedralschool.org.uk · 01332 325710
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Jan 2023
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 41.5
- average Attainment 8 score. Derby 42.2, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,159
- 92% of 1,260 places
- Local authority
- Derby
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 56.6%
- First language not English
- 31.1%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 158 families put the school first and 176 places were offered; 89% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 176 | 158 | 0.9 | 89% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 180 | 173 | 1 | 82% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 179 | 174 | 1 | 84% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 177 | 169 | 1 | 85% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 177 | 183 | 1▲ | 85% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 41.5, and 35.4% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Derby it was 42.2, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C (29.1 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼41.5 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼35.4% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼57.3% | 64.8% | ||
| ▲57.3% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.81 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2022/23 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 34.8 | −6.5 |
| Sixth form college | 1.1 | +0.5 |
| Further education | 43.8 | +3.1 |
| Other education | 0.6 | — |
| Apprenticeship | 5.6 | +1.4 |
| Employment | 3.9 | +0.9 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 7.3 | +1.3 |
| Activity not captured | 2.8 | −1.4 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
| 2024/25 | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| A level | 87 | C (29.1) | Average +0.03 |
| All academic | 87 | C (29.4) | Average +0.03 |
| Applied general | 57 | Merit+ (27.3) | Average +0.03 |
Ofsted
Derby Cathedral School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 17 January 2023, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 17 Jan 2023
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
What parents said
67% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (145 replies, to 1 January 2024).
- Recommend
- 67%
- Replies
- 145
- 17% · 1 Jan 2024
based on the 84% who raised concerns
based on the 55% who had a child bullied
based on 49 parents (34%) with SEND