The Stephen Perse Foundation
Same Cambridgeshire area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
The Leys School is a private secondary-stage school in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, with a published age range of 11-19.
Private school Co-ed Ages 11-19 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-19
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
The Leys School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-19
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
The Leys began in 1875 after the Methodist Conference sought a school for the sons of lay members. Sixteen boys opened the roll under the Reverend W. F. Moulton. It has since become a co-educational senior community of more than 550 pupils, with day pupils and boarders sharing a 50-acre Cambridge campus from 11 to 19.
Years 7 and 8 keep the curriculum deliberately broad: English, mathematics, science, divinity, humanities, art, computing, design technology, drama, music and physical education, with French and Latin. Further choices arrive in Year 9 before GCSEs. Academic enrichment and the Extended Project Qualification give older pupils time to pursue questions beyond examination courses.
Houses organise a six-day week in which day pupils and the roughly 45% who board share lessons, activities, competitions and weekend plans. Sport, music, drama and debating belong within that pattern. Year 7, Year 9 and Lower Sixth are the principal entry stages, with separate routes for other years, international applicants and military families.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths and 45.1 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 44.9% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Cambridgeshire and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 45.1
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 0%
- EBacc APS
- 4.07
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Cambridgeshire and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Mixed
- Age range
- 11-19
- Headteacher
- Dr Clare Ives
- Pupil roll
- 564 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Trumpington Road, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
- Postcode
- CB2 7AD
- Area
- Cambridgeshire
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Dr Clare Ives
School contact
- School phone
- 01223508900
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01223508900
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 11-19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- £8,547-£11,835 per term including VAT for Senior day pupils
- Boarding fees
- £13,337-£19,007 per term including VAT for Senior boarders
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
Application
Application
Key dates
Get date reminders-
Year 7 (September 2027) school reports requested
October 2026
-
Year 7 (September 2027) entry tests
Early January 2027
-
Year 7 (September 2027) academic scholarship interviews
Mid-January 2027
-
Year 7 (September 2027) offers
Early February 2027
-
Year 7 (September 2027) place acceptance closes
8 March 2027
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 45.1 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 0% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 0% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 4.07 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 44.9% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 46.65 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: 11 November 2025
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2025 records an inspection beginning 11 November 2025. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does Leys School handle admissions?
Leys School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to Leys School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for Leys School?
Year 7 (September 2027) school reports requested: October 2026. Year 7 (September 2027) entry tests: Early January 2027. Year 7 (September 2027) academic scholarship interviews: Mid-January 2027. Year 7 (September 2027) offers: Early February 2027. Year 7 (September 2027) place acceptance closes: 8 March 2027
What does the latest inspection picture look like for Leys School?
Leys School is currently rated Standards met following the latest published inspection dated 11 November 2025.