St Edmund's School Canterbury, Canterbury
St Edmund's School Canterbury is an independent school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Canterbury. It has a Church of England religious character. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in March 2026.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Edmund's School Canterbury in detail
St Edmund's School Canterbury in its own words
In its own words: "St Edmund’s today is a dynamic co-educational 3-18 day and boarding school. Our pupils benefit from a caring and supportive environment, high-calibre teaching and a holistic educational approach that seeks to develop creativity, leadership qualities and original thinking. For over 275 years, we have nurtured young minds to achieve their potential, celebrating individuality and encouraging intellectual curiosity."
From the headteacher's welcome: "St Edmund’s has a long-established reputation for outstanding pastoral care. This is our starting point. We believe if pupils feel happy, secure and supported at school they will naturally benefit from our outstanding educational opportunities and enjoy the wealth of stimulating extra-curricular activities on offer."
Coming up: an open day on Monday 9 November 2026, an open day on Friday 13 November 2026 and an open evening on Tuesday 17 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for St Edmund's School Canterbury can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to St Edmund's School Canterbury are Kent College International Study Centre (0.2 miles); Kent College (Canterbury) (0.2 miles); Kent College Nursery, Infant and Junior School (0.9 miles); and The King's School Canterbury (1.3 miles, selective).
Kent College International Study CentreKent College (Canterbury)Kent College Nursery, Infant and Junior SchoolThe King's School Canterbury
Where pupils go next
Of the 56 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 57% went on to university or other higher education and 14% into work.
Who goes there
In 2026, 41 pupils (7.8%) received SEN support and 10 (1.9%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Canterbury West Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Edmund's School (opposite), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Edmund's School Canterbury stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE destination measures; 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
10 March 2026
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
14 March 2023
Short Visit
27 May 2022
Regulatory Compliance
5 December 2018
Integrated
22 September 2015
About
St Edmund's School Canterbury is a private day and boarding school located in Canterbury, Kent, England and established in 1749. The extensive school grounds were acquired in 1855.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for St Edmund's School Canterbury can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 2 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
Latest from St Edmund's School Canterbury
GCSE Results Day 2026
21 Aug 2026
A Level Results Day 2026: Celebrating Every Success
18 Aug 2026
Brick Squad Crowned UK Robotics Champions
18 Aug 2026
Science Society Visits the Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition
3 Jul 2026
Festival on the Hill 2026 | Live Updates
26 Jun 2026
Celebrating 10 Years of Leiths with a Culinary Journey to Sorrento
26 Jun 2026
From St Edmund's School Canterbury's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with St Edmund's School Canterbury
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Edmund's School Canterbury.
- Barracudas - Canterbury St EdAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 11 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
3 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 Kent is 11 (the median across 711 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
78%
Available places
523 pupils
670 places
147 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Canterbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Canterbury
Across Kent council
Places available
19,539
Applications
18,644
Got 1st preference
78.9%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Kent council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
41
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
9.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
523
Total Pupils
268
Boys
255
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
St Edmund's School Canterbury
Questions parents ask about St Edmund's School Canterbury
What are GCSE results like at St Edmund's School Canterbury?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for St Edmund's School Canterbury can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
When was St Edmund's School Canterbury last inspected?
St Edmund's School Canterbury is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in March 2026.
How many pupils go to St Edmund's School Canterbury?
St Edmund's School Canterbury has around 523 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to St Edmund's School Canterbury?
St Edmund's School Canterbury 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.
Does St Edmund's School Canterbury have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Barracudas - Canterbury St Ed (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Edmund's School Canterbury?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 11 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 3 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 Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Edmund's School Canterbury?
St Edmund's School Canterbury is at St Thomas Hill, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 8HU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)