School profile
The Perse School
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom · Co-educational · Ages 3–18
1,738
Students
About the school
The Perse School is a co-educational day school for 1,738 pupils aged 3–18 in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire.
It ranked 26th= among UK independent schools and 30th= overall in the Sunday Times Parent Power 2026; in 2025, 79.6% of A level grades were A*/A and 90.4% of GCSE grades 9–7.
Key facts for parents
Academics
2025: A level 43.4% A*, 79.6% A*/A, 93.9% A*/B; GCSE 90.4% 9–7 (Sunday Times Parent Power 2026). Average class up to GCSE 16–24; pupil–teacher ratio 9:1 (GSG 2026). The sciences, Maths, Computing and modern languages are strongest (GSG 2026).
Where leavers go
23 to Oxford or Cambridge in 2025; other popular choices include Durham, Imperial, UCL and Warwick (GSG 2026).
Recognition
Sunday Times Parent Power 2026 (2025 results): 26th= of UK independent schools and 30th= in the combined state and independent table (A level 79.6% A*/A, GCSE 90.4% 9–7; A-level rank 31=, GCSE rank 40). Latest ISI routine inspection (Feb 2026): all standards met. Former pupils include David Gilmour (Pink Floyd guitarist), Sir Peter Hall (founder of the Royal Shakespeare Company) and George Paget Thomson (Nobel Prize in Physics 1937).
For international families
Day school only, so pupils must live with family near Cambridge. Senior entry is by exams in English, Maths and verbal reasoning (GSG 2026). Year 7 and Year 9 entry 2027: register by 12 noon on 1 Dec 2026; entrance assessments Sat 16 Jan 2027; outcomes early Feb, acceptance deadline early Mar 2027 (school).
Good to know
Extra costs: registration £240 and a securing and induction fee of £840 (both non-refundable); lunch is optional at £368 a term. Bursaries cover 5–100% of fees.
Rankings
Sunday Times Parent Power
#26
UK independent schools (2026)
Sunday Times Parent Power
#30
State and independent, combined (2026)
Exam results
GCSE
9–7 (A*–A)
90.4%
A Level
A*
43.4%
A*–A
79.6%
A*–B
93.9%
Sources
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Figures compiled by Scholar Gateway from school information. Please check with us before you rely on them.