Derby Cathedral School, Derby

From the headteacher's welcome: ""To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning." At Derby Cathedral School, the Learning Resources Centre is literally and metaphorically the heart of the school. We aim to be a place which inspires, encourages and helps pupils with all aspects of school life."

In 2026, pupils at Derby Cathedral School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 43.7, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 42.7 in Derby and 47 across England.

39% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 37% in Derby and 47% in England.

That is up from 41.5 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.69: pupils made well below average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 39.1, against 48 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 8.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were History, Combined Science and Spanish.

For September 2026 entry, 158 families put Derby Cathedral School as their first choice and 431 named it as one of their preferences, for 176 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 18 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Derby Cathedral School are The Bemrose School (0.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 34.2); Landau Forte College (0.9 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 51.6); UTC Derby Pride Park (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 39.5); and Saint Benedict, A Catholic Voluntary Academy (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.4).

Derby Cathedral School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Derby Cathedral School is one of 33 schools run by Derby Diocesan Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Of the 178 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 80% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 44% to a further education college, 6% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

51.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 31.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (34%), Black (20%) and Mixed (14%).

In 2026, 157 pupils (13.5%) received SEN support and 26 (2.2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.

The nearest railway station is Derby Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Wild Street (opposite), 150 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Derby Cathedral School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 1242 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Derby (267), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Derby Cathedral School issued 112 suspensions, 9.8 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Derby Cathedral School are Ashgate Primary School (0.3 miles), Becket Primary School (0.4 miles), Firs Primary School (0.6 miles) and Bishop Lonsdale Church of England Primary School and Nursery (0.6 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.