The King's (The Cathedral) School
The King's (The Cathedral) School is an academy converter in Peterborough for pupils aged 7 to 18. It has a Church of England religious character. It has 1,256 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for The King's (The Cathedral) School is Outstanding, from an inspection in September 2024. In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 60.9, and 70% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE. In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. It is hard to get into: 241 of the 366 families who put it first for a Year 7 place in September 2026 did not get one.
Ofsted inspection: September 2024. GCSE results: 2026. A-level results: 2025. KS2 results: 2025.
| Type | Other schools / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 7-18 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Park Road Peterborough Cambridgeshire PE1 2UE |
| Phone | 01733751541 |
| Reference Number | 136398 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1256 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 49.28%
Girls: 50.72% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 14% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 10.4% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 21.2 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 7 | 8 | 15 |
| 4 | 7 | 8 | 15 |
| 5 | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| 6 | 8 | 9 | 17 |
| 7 | 73 | 78 | 151 |
| 8 | 81 | 99 | 180 |
| 9 | 74 | 76 | 150 |
| 10 | 97 | 82 | 179 |
| 11 | 76 | 73 | 149 |
| 12 | 102 | 95 | 197 |
| 13 | 89 | 99 | 188 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 41.2% |
| African | 13.4% |
| Pakistani | 10.4% |
| White, Other | 8.7% |
| Indian | 6.9% |
| Asian, Other | 4.9% |
| White & Asian | 2.7% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.3% |
| White & Black (African) | 2.1% |
| Chinese | 2% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 1.1% |
| Unclassified | 0.5% |
| Caribbean | 0.5% |
| Irish | 0.2% |
The King's (The Cathedral) School is performing exceptionally well, maintaining its outstanding rating across all areas since its last inspection, which occurred over a decade ago. The school fosters an environment where pupils excel academically and develop important life skills through a well-rounded curriculum that extends beyond standard requirements. The leadership team is proactive in ensuring the school remains forward-thinking, adapting to educational changes and striving to provide the best for its students. With a strong emphasis on character development, the school cultivates a supportive culture and promotes high expectations among both students and staff.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Outstanding |
| > Quality of education | Outstanding |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| > Sixth Form Provision | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 02 Jul 2024 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 02 Jul 2024 | School inspection: |
| 20 Mar 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 14 Feb 2012 | Academy conversion letter |
| 07 Jan 2011 | Interim assessment |
| 30 Sep 2009 | Curriculum and development visit |
| Previously as The King's School (the Cathedral School) | |
| 22 Nov 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 11 Jan 2007 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 22 Sep 2003 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Outstanding quality of education across all subjects.
- High levels of pupil engagement and respect within the school.
- Strong support systems for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
- Opportunities for personal and cultural development through various events.
- Well-sequenced curriculum that enhances learning retention.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 60.9 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 69.8% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 81.9% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
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| Points | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Points | 40.6 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Average Points (best 3) | 40.22 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Grades
| School | Local | Nationwide | |
| Average Grade | B | C | C+ |
| Average Grade (best 3) | B | C | C+ |
| Percentage | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students getting AAB or better | 28.1% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 80% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 13% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Average Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
| Subject | School | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 110 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | 106 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 1.1 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Writing | -0.7 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | -0.9 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
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See how The King's (The Cathedral) School ranks locally and nationally. Percentile rankings against every other school, historic result charts, admissions data and post-GCSE destinations are all included.
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Unlock for £9.99Year 7 admissions, 2026 entry
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 216 | 2 |
| Third Preference | 119 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 93 | 33 |
Previous years
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In 2024–25 The King's (The Cathedral) School had 1,258 pupils for 1,150 places. That is 108 more pupils than the school has room for. The local authority plans to add 60 places by 2027–28.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Central Primary” planning area
Peterborough counted 773 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 791 in 2029–30, up 2%.
Year 7 intake in the “Central Secondary” planning area
Peterborough counted 1,402 Year 7 pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 1,299 in 2031–32, down 7%.
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 1,150 | 1,150 | 1,150 | 1,150 | 1,150 | 1,150 | 1,150 | 1,150 | 1,150 | 1,150 | 1,150 | 1,150 | 1,150 | 1,150 |
| Pupils | 1,071 | 1,154 | 1,156 | 1,169 | 1,185 | 1,210 | 1,193 | 1,194 | 1,173 | 1,227 | 1,217 | 1,243 | 1,250 | 1,258 |
| Unfilled | 6.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.
Destinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Further Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > School Sixth Form | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Sixth Form College | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| > Other Education | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Apprenticeships | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Employment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Not in education or employment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Unknown | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
In 2024–25 pupils at The King's (The Cathedral) School attended 94.9% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 17.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 4.8% | 5.2% | 5.0% | 5.5% | 4.8% | 4.1% | 2.5% | 6.1% | 5.4% | 5.2% | 4.7% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.2% | 1.1% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.6% |
Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.
In 2024–25, 3.1% of pupils at The King's (The Cathedral) School were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 3.5 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 3.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.3 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.
In 2025–26 The King's (The Cathedral) School had 18.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 11.4 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.9 | 12.6 | 12.5 | 12.7 | 12.4 | 13.5 | 13.6 | 13.3 | 13.7 | 14.5 | 14.0 | 13.2 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 6.7% | 5.1% | 10.4% | 13.4% | 14.6% | 12.6% | 6.4% | 3.6% | 3.0% | 2.3% | 8.4% | 9.6% | 8.4% | 15.2% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 55.8% | 62.1% | 60.9% | 55.8% | 39.0% | 39.7% | 37.7% | 54.3% | – | 48.7% | 71.4% | 79.2% | 67.1% | 72.4% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 3.0 | 3.7 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 2.9 | – | 2.3 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 2.9 | 6.9 | – |
Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.
In 2025–26, 5.9% of pupils at The King's (The Cathedral) School were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 4.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 10 | 25 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 18 | 10 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 12 | 7 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 6 | 7 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 6 | 4 |
| No specialist assessment of need | 8 | 0 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 8 | 0 |
| Hearing impairment | 2 | 2 |
| Physical disability | 2 | 1 |
| Vision impairment | 2 | 1 |
Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.
In 2024–25 The King's (The Cathedral) School received £7,872 and spent £8,029 for each of its 1,261 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £1,774,000 (£1,407 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £2,044,000 | £1,965,000 | £2,036,000 | £1,902,000 | £1,567,000 | £1,264,000 | £1,774,000 |
| per pupil | £1,737 | £1,609 | £1,659 | £1,563 | £1,262 | £1,010 | £1,407 |
| In-year balance | -£253,000 | -£74,000 | -£475,000 | £153,000 | -£331,000 | -£363,000 | -£197,000 |
| per pupil | -£215 | -£61 | -£387 | £126 | -£267 | -£290 | -£156 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.
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All Saints' CofE (Aided) Primary School
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Bishop Creighton Academy
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0.65 miles |
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St Thomas More Catholic Primary School
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West Town Primary Academy
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0.82 miles |
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Dogsthorpe Infant School
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0.95 miles |
|
Dogsthorpe Academy
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0.96 miles |
|
Newark Hill Academy
Eastfield Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 4RE |
1.03 miles |
|
Fulbridge Academy
Keeton Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 3JQ |
1.16 miles |
|
Welland Academy
Scalford Drive, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 4TR |
1.32 miles |
|
St Augustine's CofE (Voluntary Aided) Junior School
Palmerston Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE2 9DH |
1.34 miles |
|
Brewster Avenue Infant School
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1.4 miles |
|
Lime Academy Parnwell
Saltersgate, Parnwell, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 4YH |
1.51 miles |
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Highlees Primary School
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1.53 miles |
|
Ravensthorpe Primary Academy
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1.56 miles |
|
Stanground St Johns CofE Primary School
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1.56 miles |
|
Thorpe Primary Academy
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1.58 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Thomas Deacon Academy
Queen's Gardens, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 2UW |
0.41 miles |
|
Greater Peterborough UTC
Park Crescent Campus, Park Crescent, Peterborough, PE1 4DZ |
0.42 miles |
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Inspire Education Group
Park Crescent, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 4DZ |
0.52 miles |
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NeneGate
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0.63 miles |
|
St John Fisher Catholic High School
Park Lane, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 5JN |
0.69 miles |
|
Clare Lodge
Care of: Peterborough City Council, Peterborough, PE1 1HF |
0.72 miles |
|
City of Peterborough Academy
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0.76 miles |
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Medeshamstede Academy
Reeves Way, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 5LQ |
0.78 miles |
|
The Beeches Independent School
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0.96 miles |
|
The Peterborough School
Thorpe Road, Peterborough, PE3 6AP |
1.05 miles |
|
Marshfields School
Eastern Close, Dogsthorpe, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 4PP |
1.28 miles |
|
Jack Hunt Academy
Bradwell Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE3 9PY |
1.59 miles |
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Manor Drive Secondary Academy
Porter Avenue, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE4 7EP |
1.89 miles |
|
Heltwate School
Heltwate, North Bretton, Heltwate School, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE3 8RL |
1.9 miles |
|
Iqra Academy
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2 miles |
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Queen Katharine Academy
Mountsteven Avenue, Walton, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE4 6HX |
2.19 miles |
|
Stanground Academy
Peterborough Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE7 3BY |
2.33 miles |
|
Nene Park Academy
Oundle Road, Orton Longueville, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE2 7EA |
2.81 miles |
|
Lime Academy Orton
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2.95 miles |
|
Ken Stimpson Academy
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3.08 miles |
All schools in Peterborough · Peterborough local authority: places and applications
What is The King's (The Cathedral) School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for The King's (The Cathedral) School is Outstanding, from an inspection in September 2024.
When was The King's (The Cathedral) School last inspected by Ofsted?
The King's (The Cathedral) School was last inspected in September 2024.
How many pupils does The King's (The Cathedral) School have?
The King's (The Cathedral) School has 1,256 pupils on roll.
What age range does The King's (The Cathedral) School cover?
The King's (The Cathedral) School for pupils aged 7 to 18.
What are The King's (The Cathedral) School's GCSE results?
In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 60.9, and 70% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.
What are The King's (The Cathedral) School's SATs (KS2) results?
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Where is The King's (The Cathedral) School?
The King's (The Cathedral) School is at Park Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, PE1 2UE.