Here, in the heart of the City of London, we provide a fantastic education for children aged 4 to 13 (Reception to Year 8), preparing them for their future.
Our philosophy: We grow lifelong learners: young people who have the curiosity to ask the questions that need asking, the drive to make a difference, the tenacity to solve problems. We develop initiative and teach teamwork. Joy in learning also really matters to us: our teachers make learning irresistible.
We teach our pupils to: understand and respect themselves, understand and respect others, understand and respect the world in which they live (locally, nationally, globally).
We feel strongly that all achievement must be rooted in wellbeing. Teaching healthy habits and attitudes to learning, ambition, success and failure is central.
Children are not just brains in a jar! We care about, notice and nurture the whole child. Character, creativity, academic performance, manners, musicianship: often it’s the small details we attend to that make the big difference.
Nothing matters more to us than the wellbeing of our pupils. We work in partnership with parents to support the wellbeing of every individual. Our amazing team of teachers and support staff are dedicated to bringing out the best in every child. We’re proud to have been described as ‘pastorally superb’ by the Good Schools Guide.
Our outcomes: When they leave us, our pupils head all over London and further afield, ready to take on the challenges and opportunities of senior school. Exams aren’t our sole focus, but our pupils excel, winning places and scholarships at some of the most competitive schools in the UK.
Our Cathedral: St Paul’s Cathedral is one of the world’s most iconic buildings but it’s also our ‘school chapel’. Whether it’s at one of our twice-weekly assemblies, telling the Nativity story, taking a tour as a trainee guide or performing under the dome in one of our 17 ensembles or choirs, our pupils create memories to last a lifetime.
Our location: London is our playground, our extra classroom and our inspiration. We get to study Shakespeare right here at the Globe, get hands on with the gold at the Bank of England and learn about ecology at Kew Gardens. History takes on a new dimension when we walk to the Tower of London, the Windrush Monument or to Cleopatra’s Needle.
Our community: This is a community where everybody belongs. Kindness is our cornerstone. We value and encourage ambition, enthusiasm, compassion, resilience and active participation. SPCS pupils know how to step forward, take a risk, try hard, roll up their sleeves and get the job done.
Please come and see us in action!
St Paul’s Cathedral School has a fantastic team of staff who support our pupils in all that they do and ensure the safe, smooth and happy running of our school.
Judith Fremont-Barnes – Head head@spcs.london.sch.uk
Steve Vickery – Bursar bursar@spcs.london.sch.uk
Caroline Heylen – Deputy Head and Designated Safeguarding Lead cheylen@spcs.london.sch.uk
Joe Gorman – Head of Boarding and Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead jgorman@spcs.london.sch.uk
Madeleine Smyth – Head of Pre-Prep; Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead msmyth@spcs.london.sch.uk
Alison Wright – Deputy Head (Academic) awright@spcs.london.sch.uk
Parents say that ‘teachers go above and beyond in terms of individual attention and innovation’. Good Schools Guide
A full list of staff can be found here.
The Chair of Governors is Mr Robert-Jan Temmink KC who can be contacted at:
bursar@spcs.london.sch.uk or by writing to:
Clerk to Governing Body
St Paul’s Cathedral School
2 New Change
London
EC4M 9AD
Click here for the Admissions Policy
Click here for the Complaints Procedure
Click here for the Anti-Bullying Policy
Click here for the Safeguarding Policy
Click here for the Privacy Notice
Click here for the Data Protection Policy
Click here for the Special Educational Needs and Learning Difficulties Policy
Click here for the Good Behaviour Policy
Click here for the Health & Safety Policy
Click here for the First Aid Policy
Click here for the Recruitment and Selection Policy
Click here for the Supervision Policy
Click here for the Attendance Policy
ISI inspection reports:
Non-Routine Inspections July 2024
Short Visit May 2023
Regulatory Compliance March 2022
Educational Quality May 2017
Compliance Inspection May 2017
Other polices are available on request from office@spcs.london.sch.uk.
Please complete an application form:
Application form
Recruitment and Selection Policy
Please contact our Registrar, Clare Morgan, admissions@spcs.london.sch.uk; 0207 248 5156 for details about how to register for a place.
We look forward to hearing from you.
We run a range of optional after-school clubs for Reception, Year 1 and 2 children at an additional charge until 5pm. Clubs are a great opportunity to follow a passion or develop a new interest, while making new friends.
Children in Reception are introduced to clubs through our Stay and Play sessions where they get to have fun after the school day finishes in a relaxing environment. A Stay and Play session might include some sport, art or story-based activities.
For Year 1 and 2 we run more structured clubs with a particular theme. Depending on the specialisms of the staff and the enthusiasms of the children, these vary from year to year. Past clubs have included football, Lego, nature karaoke, creative writing, movement and dance and art.
The clubs change regularly so the children have the opportunity to experience many extracurricular activities with a range of staff. Children are welcome to attend as many clubs they like a week and are given the opportunity to change their choice of club termly.
Prep School Clubs (for pupils in Years 3-8) take place between 4.00pm and 5.00pm each day. Clubs are a great opportunity to follow a passion or develop a new interest, while making new friends.
All clubs are charged on a termly basis.
Clubs vary each term and the programme is shaped by the interests of our pupils and supervising staff but in the course of a year are likely to include:
Sewing, Football, Art, Fencing, Film Making, Coding, History Film, Chess, Lego, Warhammer, Cooking, Board Games, Drama, LAMDA, Origami, Netball, Police Cadets, Top Trumps, Crochet and knitting, Gymnastics. We also run Day Prep (a supervised homework session).
Pupils may sign up for as many clubs as they wish but must commit to each club for a full term. Where clubs are oversubscribed, we operate a rotation system to allow more pupils to try out popular clubs. All clubs incur a charge and can be booked at the beginning of term.
Aware of the challenges for busy working parents, we run a Breakfast Club from 7.45 am and supervision following our Clubs from 4.30 – 6 pm, at additional charge. A light meal is provided. Spaces can be booked on a termly basis.
We educate your child today, but with a clear focus on the future. We ensure that your child is well prepared for the opportunities and challenges ahead, later at SPCS, at senior school and beyond.
Vital skills and dispositions for employability – including collaboration, communication, problem-solving, resilience, cultural awareness – are key to our programme.
Our future schools team, headed by Deputy Head, Alison Wright, will work with you and your child to find just the right destination for senior years. We prepare our pupils for schools across London and all over the United Kingdom.
Our excellent knowledge of, and strong relationships with, senior schools are really appreciated by our parents. The Good Schools Guide describes SPCS as ‘really on it’ with advice about senior schools, guiding parents ‘every step of the way’. Pupils are well prepared —and not too stressed — for 11+/13+ assessments, with lots of interview practice.
As a result, our pupils go on to a wide variety of competitive schools either at 11+ or 13+. SPCS graduates are currently studying at senior London day schools including City of London School for Girls, City of London School for Boys, Westminster, Francis Holland Schools, Highgate, UCS, Queen’s College, Channing, Forest and Dulwich College. Our former pupils are also studying at boarding schools including King’s Canterbury, Benenden, Radley, Rugby, Winchester, Oundle, Bedford and Uppingham.
We focus on sustainable achievement, ensuring our pupils don’t just get into the next school but also arrive ready to build on the great foundations they have set down at SPCS. As our Good Schools Guide review puts it: ‘parents report that SPCS alumni tend to be ‘the ones who put their hands up and get involved’ at senior school.’
SPCS has an exceptional record for winning music scholarships; our pupils are also successful in achieving academic, art, sport, drama and all-rounder awards.
Once again this year, we saw excellent scholarship outcomes with music, academic and drama awards from King’s Canterbury, Bradfield, Rugby, St Edward’s Oxford, Uppingham, Queen’s College and Francis Holland. Several pupils were offered multiple awards.
In 2022-23, over 50% of our pupils were awarded music and/or academic scholarships by Winchester, Queen’s College, Harrow, Lancing College, King’s School Canterbury, King’s Ely, Trinity and Rugby School. Several pupils were offered multiple awards.
At the end of summer 2022, 26 scholarships were awarded to our pupils moving on to their respective senior schools: City of London School, Francis Holland Regent’s Park, Highgate, Channing, St Marylebone, Blackheath High School, Francis Holland Sloane Square, Queen’s College, Forest School, Radley College, King’s School Canterbury, New Hall Chelmsford, St Alban’s, Bradfield College, Dulwich College.
St Paul’s Cathedral School is a charity; any surplus generated is reinvested for the benefit of the pupils. Governors work closely with the Head and Bursar to ensure that the best possible use is made of our fee income.
A limited amount of bursary support is available on a means-tested basis to provide access for those who would not otherwise be able to attend: please contact the Bursar, Steve Vickery, on bursar@spcs.london.sch for further details.
Day Fees
Prep School (Years 3-8): £6,440 per term (£19,320 per year), including lunch
Pre-prep (Reception, Year 1 and 2): £5,982 per term (£17,946 per year), including lunch
Music lessons: £55 per hour (pro rata for shorter lessons)
Registration Fee and Deposit
The registration fee (non-returnable) is £150.
A non-refundable deposit of £6,000 is required when accepting an offer of a place. £500 is held until the child leaves the school, and the balance is offset against the first term’s fees.
Choristers
The Chapter of St Paul’s Cathedral pay the full tuition fees for Choristers; parents pay the Boarding Fee: £10,855 per year for 2024-25. Means-tested assistance is available to support with the Boarding Fee for Choristers (up to 100%) is available as necessary from the Chorister Trust. Parents pay the registration fee; there is no deposit payable.
Autumn Term 2024
Monday 2 September | Staff day with induction for new staff |
Tuesday 3 September | Staff INSET |
Wednesday 4 September | Staff INSET |
Wednesday 4 September | Choristers and probationers return 5.00 – 7.00 pm |
Thursday 5 September | Autumn Term begins at 8.40 am |
Friday 18 October | Half-term begins for day pupils and probationers at 3.40 pm |
Friday 18 October | Half-term begins for choristers at 6.00 pm |
Saturday 2 November | Choristers return to school by 1.30 pm |
Sunday 3 November | Probationers return to school by 7.30 pm |
Monday 4 November | Second half of term begins at 8.40 am |
Friday 20 December | End of term for day pupils and probationers at 12.00 |
Wednesday 25 December | Holiday begins for choristers at 4.30 pm |
Spring Term 2025
Wednesday 8 January | Staff INSET |
Wednesday 8 January | Choristers and probationers return 5.00-7.00 pm |
Thursday 9 January | Spring Term begins at 8.40 am |
Friday 14 February | Half-term begins for all pupils at 3.40 pm |
Saturday 22 February | Choristers return to school by 1.30 pm |
Sunday 23 February | Probationers return to school by 7.30 pm |
Monday 24 February | Second half of term begins at 8.40 am |
Friday 4 April | End of term for all pupils at 12 noon |
Saturday 12 April | Choristers return (time tbc) |
Sunday 20 April | Holiday begins for choristers at 4.30 pm |
Summer Term 2025
Monday 5 May | Choristers and probationers return 5.00 – 7.00 pm |
Tuesday 6 May | Day pupils return at 8.40 am |
Monday 26 May | Bank Holiday (school closed) |
Friday 6 June | Half-term begins for all pupils at 3.40 pm |
Saturday 14 June | Choristers return by 1.30 pm |
Sunday 15 June | Probationers return by 7.00 pm |
Monday 16 June | Day pupils return at 8.40 am |
Friday 11 July | End of term for day pupils and probationers after Speech Day |
Sunday 13 July | Holiday begins for choristers at 4.30 pm |
Please contact our Registrar, Clare Morgan, admissions@spcs.london.sch.uk; 0207 248 5156 for details about how to register for a place.
For copies of policies and inspection reports please email office@spcs.london.sch.uk
St Paul’s Cathedral School is on the west side of New Change at the east end of St Paul’s Cathedral. The nearest underground station is St Paul’s (Central Line). It is also a 5-minute walk from Mansion House (District and Circle Lines). There are several buses which stop just outside the school including the 4, 76 and 521.
We look forward to welcoming you to St Paul’s Cathedral School.
Registered charity no. 312718