Other independent school · independent

Wells Cathedral School

Mixed · ages 2–19 · with sixth form · ChristianSomerset, South West · Wells BA5 2STSchool website
Pupils on roll
670of 800 places
Free school meals
Year 11 cohort 2025
86
Ofsted
Not covered by Ofsted school inspections
What the data says

The Department for Education has not published where Wells Cathedral School’s Year 11 leavers went next (destination measures are not published for independent schools), so this page relies on the school’s results and subjects.

Music is unusually popular at GCSE: 36% of the year group took it, against 5% of pupils across England.

A level grades average B-, above the England average of B-. The largest A level subjects are Music, Mathematics and Music Technology.

Where pupils went after Year 11

Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Somerset and England.

The Department for Education has not published destination figures for this school (new school, small cohort or not a state-funded school).

Where students went after sixth form

Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.

No published destinations for sixth-form leavers yet.

GCSE results 2025

MeasureWells Cathedral SchoolSomersetEngland
Attainment 8 (average points per pupil)29.943.546.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths0%40%45%
Grade 4 or above in English and maths0%61%65%
Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects0%31%41%
EBacc average point score2.653.784.09
Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort21%28%
Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils30.534.9
Attainment 8 — other pupils47.050.4
Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2)
English as an additional language9%19%

Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.

Subjects taken at GCSE

Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEnglandGrades 7–9EnglandGrades 4–9
Combined Science6677%65%41%9%98%
Geography3541%41%60%25%97%
Business Studies3136%18%29%20%94%
Music3136%5%81%33%100%
Physical Education2428%11%33%24%100%
Physics1720%23%88%46%100%
Biology1720%23%76%45%100%
Fine Art1619%9%44%28%100%
Chemistry1619%23%94%47%100%
Drama1517%7%33%27%100%
Classical Civilisation1113%1%45%40%82%
Media Studies910%4%33%20%100%
Photography78%6%71%19%100%
Chinese22%1%75%

Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Additional Mathematics FSMQ1113%
Music performance: Group78%
Music performance: Group56%
Music performance: Group56%
Theory of Music11%

A levels and other level 3 courses

MeasureWells Cathedral SchoolSomersetEngland
Students at the end of 16–18 study197
— of whom A level students881,831261,341
Average A level gradeB-C+B-
Average points per A level entry38.0633.8135.00
Average grade, best 3 A levelsBC+B-
AAB or better with two facilitating subjects17%12%18%
Average grade, applied general courses
Average grade, T levels

A level subjects

Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.

SubjectEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Music3540%0%
Mathematics2731%31%
Music Technology1517%0%
Biology1315%20%
Psychology1315%23%
Business Studies1113%13%
Physical Education1113%3%
Physics1011%12%
Chemistry910%17%
English Literature910%11%
History of Art89%0%
Economics89%13%
Further Mathematics78%5%
Geology78%0%
Spanish67%2%
Drama67%2%
Chinese0%
Computer Science5%
Photography3%
French1%
German0%
History13%
Fine Art3%
Religious Studies4%
Russian0%
Classical Civilisation1%

Applied, technical and other level 3 courses

SubjectQualificationEntriesShare of cohortEngland
Study SkillsExtended Project (Diploma)1416%

Other secondary schools in Somerset

Ansford Academy

Academy converter · 469 pupils

79% stayed in education · Attainment 8 43.7

Bishop Fox's School

Academy converter · 1,123 pupils

88% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.9

Brymore Academy

Academy sponsor led · 327 pupils

74% stayed in education · Attainment 8 44.0

Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.