School profile

Derby Cathedral School

Secondary · Free schools · Derby, DE1 1LR

Good

Map showing Derby Cathedral School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#2,053 of 3,312

Worse than 61% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,919 of 2,536

Worse than 75% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

Derby Cathedral School Ofsted rating

Ofsted four-point inspection gradesInspected 17 Jan 2023

Ofsted rating
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Safeguarding
Effective

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeFree schools
Ages11 to 19
Pupils1,159
GenderMixed
Religious characterChurch of England
Head teacherMr Andy Brown
TrustDERBY DIOCESAN ACADEMY TRUST
Local authorityDerby
Opened03 Sept 2018
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 143734.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolDerbyEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.43.7, worse than England, similar to Derby42.346.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.62.5%, similar to England, better than Derby57.6%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.38.6%, worse than England, similar to Derby37.8%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.6.8%, worse than England, worse than Derby10.2%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths55.1%, worse than England, similar to Derby52.7%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4176--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolDerbyEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.29.13, worse than England, worse than Derby34.1235
Average A-level gradeC--
Average points, best three A-levels32, worse than England, worse than Derby34.8835.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better14.3%, worse than England, similar to Derby16.2%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.03, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study92--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit+--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,159
Girls607
Boys552
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.51.2%
First language not English31.1%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,260
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.8%
Sixth form places2024/25360
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.157
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.26
Average class size24.5

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
34%
African
17.9%
Other White
11.6%
Pakistani
5.7%
Other ethnic group
5.4%
Other mixed
5.2%
White and Black Caribbean
3.7%
Indian
3.3%
White and Asian
3.1%
Other Asian
2.8%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher18.3
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.13.1
Teachers (FTE)63.17
Teaching assistants (FTE)9.4
Support staff (FTE)38.14
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2562.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2550.2
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/256
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/256

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.176
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.431
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.158
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.140
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)5

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolDerbyEngland
Overall absence6.3%, better than England, better than Derby8.4%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.16.8%, better than England, better than Derby23.6%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.2%, better than England, better than Derby3.3%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate9.8%
Pupils with one or more suspensions5.6%
Permanent exclusion rate0%
Permanent exclusions0

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.89.9%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.80.3%
Further education43.8%
School sixth form34.8%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.7.3%
Apprenticeship5.6%
Employment3.9%
Sixth form college1.1%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near Derby Cathedral School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.2 miNurseryAshgate Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Inadequate
0.3 miPrimaryAshgate Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryBecket Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.5 miNurseryCentral Community Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Inadequate
0.5 miAll-throughThe Bemrose SchoolFoundation school
Good
0.5 miNurseryWhitecross Nursery SchoolLocal authority nursery school
Outstanding
0.6 miPrimaryFirs Primary SchoolAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.6 miNot applicableEmmanuel School (Derby) LimitedOther independent school
Unrated
0.6 miPrimaryBishop Lonsdale Church of England Primary School and NurseryAcademy sponsor led
Good
0.7 miPrimarySt Joseph's Catholic Voluntary AcademyAcademy converter
Good

Frequently asked questions about Derby Cathedral School

What is Derby Cathedral School's Ofsted rating?

Derby Cathedral School is rated Good by Ofsted, last inspected on 17 Jan 2023.

How does Derby Cathedral School rank in England?

Derby Cathedral School ranks 2,053 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (worse than 61% of schools) and 1,919 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (worse than 75% of schools).

What are Derby Cathedral School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 38.6% of pupils at Derby Cathedral School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 43.7 (England 46.2).

What are Derby Cathedral School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at Derby Cathedral School was C, and 14.3% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into Derby Cathedral School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, Derby Cathedral School made 176 offers from 431 applications (2.4 per offer), and 140 of 158 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend Derby Cathedral School?

Derby Cathedral School has 1,159 pupils aged 11 to 19.

What is the capacity of Derby Cathedral School?

Derby Cathedral School had 1,260 school places in 2024/25.

Does Derby Cathedral School have a sixth form?

Yes, Derby Cathedral School has a sixth form with 360 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at Derby Cathedral School?

At Derby Cathedral School, the average class had 24.5 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 18.3 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at Derby Cathedral School?

In 2025/26, pupils at Derby Cathedral School missed 6.3% of sessions (England 8%), and 16.8% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.