Exeter Cathedral School, Exeter
Exeter Cathedral School is an independent school for pupils aged 3 to 13 in Exeter. It has an Anglican/Christian religious character. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in September 2024.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Exeter Cathedral School in detail
Exeter Cathedral School in its own words
In its own words: "Our termly fees include all provision from 08h00 to 17h00 (unless otherwise advised) - including Early Club, break-time snack, hot lunch, after-school snack, clubs and late stay. At Exeter Cathedral School we accept the universal 30 hours EYE (Early Years Entitlement) contribution for eligible pupils for core Nursery sessions (08h30-15h15)."
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 14 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Exeter Cathedral School are The Maynard School (0.4 miles, selective); St Wilfrid's School (0.4 miles); Exeter School (0.8 miles, selective); and Exeter Pre-Prep School (3.3 miles).
The Maynard SchoolSt Wilfrid's SchoolExeter SchoolExeter Pre-Prep School
Who goes there
In 2026, 19 pupils (12.5%) received SEN support and 5 (3.3%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Exeter Central Rail Station, about 530 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is George's Meeting House (s-bound), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 704 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), as is usual near a town centre.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
24 September 2024
Non-Routine Inspection
21 February 2024
Short Visit
20 April 2023
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
14 May 2019
Regulatory Compliance
29 June 2016
Integrated
15 October 2013
About
Exeter Cathedral School (ECS) is a 3–13 mixed, Church of England, private day and boarding choir and preparatory school in Exeter, Devon, England. It has been closely associated with Exeter Cathedral since it was first recorded as existing in the 12th century.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Keep up with Exeter Cathedral School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 77
- Fatal
- 2
- Serious
- 19
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 77 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 19 serious and 56 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
9 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
51%
Available places
152 pupils
300 places
148 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Exeter
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Exeter
Across Devon council
Places available
7,788
Applications
7,251
Got 1st preference
93.3%
Got preferred school
98.4%
All secondary applications across Devon council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
19
SEN Support
5
EHC Plans
15.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
152
Total Pupils
90
Boys
62
Girls
2026 academic year
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Exeter Cathedral School
Questions parents ask about Exeter Cathedral School
When was Exeter Cathedral School last inspected?
Exeter Cathedral School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in September 2024.
How many pupils go to Exeter Cathedral School?
Exeter Cathedral School has around 152 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Exeter Cathedral School?
Exeter Cathedral School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Exeter Cathedral School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 77 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 19 serious and 56 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 9 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Devon is 3 (the median across 426 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Exeter Cathedral School?
Exeter Cathedral School is at The Chantry, Palace Gate, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1HX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)