Set in 15 acres of parkland and playing fields within minutes of Cardiff city centre, The Cathedral School was founded in 1880. Acknowledged by Estyn as ‘Excellent’ in all five inspection areas (2018), there are currently 800 pupils at the co-educational school between the ages of 3 and 18 years. The Cathedral School is a member of the Woodard Corporation and is underpinned by a strong Christian ethos. Pupils of all faiths and none are welcomed.
Track record for excellence. Excellent academic results and an exceptional co-curricular programme foster the growth of intellectual curiosity at The Cathedral School, which offers enormous breadth of opportunity. In an environment where every child is known as an individual, our inspirational and supportive staff make sure that each child finds what they excel at in the classroom, in sport, music, drama or the creative arts, or through one of the wide ranging co-curricular activities on offer. High-quality pastoral care and the School’s caring Christian ethos give pupils the opportunity to reach their full potential in a vibrant, fun and supportive environment. Our beautiful campus and our links with Llandaff Cathedral inspire a sense of heritage, while our first-class curriculum enables our young people to look confidently to the future.
Nursery, Infants & Juniors. Strong academic skills and an appetite for learning are developed from a very young age. Nursery starts this journey of exploration and pupils are prepared for a seamless transition into Senior School, building confidence and a zest for life. The partnership between home and school starts on day one and the wellbeing and happiness of its pupils are the highest priority. Working closely with parents, the Nursery provides for the needs and interests of each child as an individual.
Beyond the classroom, there are extensive opportunities to enjoy competitive sport, especially team games which have busy and challenging fixture lists; opportunities to perform music at an excellent standard including opportunities for boys and girls to join choirs, orchestras, ensembles and to sing as choristers in Llandaff Cathedral; drama and dance thrive; there are opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, wildlife, outward-bound activities; opportunities to get involved in action for good causes, including environmental awareness and charity work. There are also plenty of inter-house activities to get involved with which create a vibrant atmosphere. Nearly all pupils transfer into the Senior Section to continue their educational journey through to 18.
The Seniors. We pride ourselves upon being a strong learning community. It is important that everyone feels valued and that they have a meaningful part to play. From the initial Year 7 bonding weekend creating new friendships, to the caring house system, a mutually supportive environment means that every pupil’s skill, interest, talent and potential are nurtured. Regularly recognised, whether by the education inspectorate Estyn, or in newspaper league tables, as one of the highest achieving schools in the UK academically, a great emphasis is also placed upon the co-curricular. For Years 10–13, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is hugely popular and delivered by our own dedicated staff. For Years 7–9, the Head’s Award, underpins what we do, recognising character and breadth of achievement and celebrating our pupils’ sense of motivation, organisation and willingness to be involved.
The quality of music at the Cathedral School is outstanding. It is our boys and girls who sing Llandaff Cathedral’s choral services day by day, and the same excellence of musicianship rubs off in school within a wide range of genres, from the classical to rock and pop, chamber music to jazz. The School is equally proud of its sporting tradition. With a very high coach to player ratio and a busy, competitive fixture list, rugby, football, sevens, cricket, hockey, netball, cross-country and tennis all thrive here. Equally, participation in public speaking and debating competitions, challenging drama productions and various genres of fine art all add to the opportunities for all pupils to achieve standards which help them grow in confidence.
Sixth Form. The school’s examination results are among the highest in the UK. At A level this year, 75% of all grades were at A*–A and 96% of university applicants gained a place at their first-choice university. Our exceptional value added is testament to the students’ commitment and to the school’s outstanding teachers who inspire them to exceed their expectations and achieve their very best.
Our students progress to the most selective and sought-after universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, Bristol, Cardiff, Bath, Exeter and Nottingham. With small classes, a full range of academic subjects and highly experienced staff with close university links, the Sixth Form culture is ambitious and supportive in equal measure. A level Subjects: Art, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Design & Technology, Drama & Theatre, Economics, English Literature, French, Geography, German, Politics, History, Latin, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Spanish, and the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ).
Scholarships and bursaries. Financial support via means-tested bursaries is available at Year 7 and Year 12 entry, with academic, sport and music scholarships available.
School transport. School transport is available with bus routes from Brocastle, Caerphilly, Castleton, Miskin and Penarth. Working parents are helped by wraparound care from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm and a holiday club for our pupils and their siblings.
Fees per term (2024-2025). Years 12 & 13: £5,685, Years 7–11: £5,525, Years 5 & 6: £5,064, Years 3 & 4: £4,494, Reception, Years 1 & 2: £3,941, Nursery: £3,384.
Charitable status. The Cathedral School Llandaff Limited is a Registered Charity, number 1103522. It exists to provide a high standard of education for girls and boys underpinned by a caring Christian ethos.
Governors & Staff:
Chairman of the Council: M R Havard
Senior Management Team:
Head: Mrs Clare Sherwood, MA
Deputy Head (Wellbeing), DSP Senior Section: Dr Stuart Bailey M.Eng, PhD
Deputy Head (Teaching & Learning): Mrs Catrin Ellis-Owen, BA
Deputy Head (Curriculum & Operations): Mr Lawrence Moon, BA, MA
Head of Primary: Mrs Sally Walsh, BEd, NPQH
Assistant Head (KS2): Mr Chris Morgan, BA
Assistant Head (EYFS & KS1), DSP Primary Section: Mrs Karen Price, BA, MA
Bursar: Mr Robert Leek