Cardiff · School search
Choosing an independent school in Cardiff
The Cathedral School in Llandaff and St John’s College in Old St Mellons are co-educational day schools for ages 3–18, with different locations and cathedral traditions.
Listen to this page
Our Cardiff profiles cover two co-educational day schools from Nursery to Sixth Form: The Cathedral School, Llandaff and St John’s College Cardiff in Old St Mellons. Both lead to GCSEs and A Levels. The useful comparison is daily arrangements and school ethos, rather than different leaving qualifications.
The Cathedral School is linked to Llandaff Cathedral, an Anglican foundation, and its choristers are educated at the school. St John’s has a Catholic ethos and supplies boy and girl choristers to Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral. A chorister place is a separate musical commitment and selection process; it should not be assumed from ordinary admission.
Admissions and current costs
The Cathedral School publishes a detailed Year 7 calendar for 2027 entry, including testing on 16 January 2027. Its page also gives a registration deadline that appears to fall after that test. Ask the registrar to confirm the intended deadline before relying on it.
For 2026–27, Cathedral’s published fee for Years 7–8 is £7,033 a term including VAT. St John’s publishes £6,905 a term including VAT for Years 7–11, plus a £70 termly sports supplement. These are not complete annual budgets: transport, trips and other extras require separate checking.
St John’s says entry may be possible during the year when a place exists. However, the admissions policy linked from its current page is still titled 2024–25. Ask admissions for the policy that applies to the intended entry year and for any current assessment dates.
Use the city before the brochure
Llandaff is west of central Cardiff; Old St Mellons is on the eastern side. Test each school run from the home you are seriously considering. Neither school boards, so an attractive campus cannot solve an impractical weekday journey.
Ask both schools about the child’s actual entry year, support provision, lunch and transport costs, and the status of bursary or scholarship applications. If cathedral music is important, ask for the current audition duties and timetable as a separate conversation.
The Cardiff city page and United Kingdom overview give the wider context.
Friendly orientation, not formal admissions advice. Always confirm dates with the school.
Other school profiles
Cardiff
St John's College Cardiff
St John’s College is a co-educational day school in Old St Mellons, from Nursery through Sixth Form. Years 7–11 cost £6,905 per term for 2026–27, including VAT, plus a £70 sports supplement. Confirm current entry requirements: the reviewed admissions policy is dated 2024–25.
CardiffThe Cathedral School, Llandaff
The Cathedral School is a co-educational Christian day school in Llandaff for ages 3–18. It offers England-pathway GCSEs, followed by the Welsh AS and A-level structure described in its current handbook.
LondonAlleyn’s School
Alleyn’s is a selective co-educational day school for ages 4–18. This guide explains the different junior-school routes, the 11+ and 16+ processes, and the costs that sit outside tuition.
BristolBristol Grammar School
Bristol Grammar School is a selective, co-educational independent day school from Reception through Sixth Form. Its subject range makes it worth considering for a child who wants academic choice while living at home. Senior and Sixth Form fees are £7,422 per term from autumn 2026. Admissions pages still describe the previous entry round, so families applying for 2027 need a new timetable.
Keep reading
7 min
IB, A-Levels, Bac, Abitur: understanding school-leaving qualifications
Start with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minHow to choose a school in Europe
Start with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.
7 minHow to read a school fee schedule
Tuition is only one line of the budget. Separate charges from advance payments, record what each figure includes, and ask the school to confirm your calculation in writing.
7 minTen questions for a useful school visit
A useful visit should help you picture your child’s school day and resolve the questions that matter to your family. Ask for concrete examples, then separate what you observed from what you were told.