As the fourth-oldest school in the world, St Peter’s has had centuries to perfect its craft: its strengths lie particularly in academics, but creative minds also flourish at this down-to-earth, historic school.
Just one kilometre from York’s historic city centre, St Peter’s School is not only the fourth-oldest school in the world, but was also named Best Independent School in England by The Sunday Times in 2019. And the city of York itself has earned accolades as the place with the highest quality of life in England. St Peter’s distinguishes itself through the outstanding academic achievements of its pupils — but also through its thoughtful attention to their wellbeing.
Alongside lessons, students in the Sixth Form Enrichment Programme gain valuable skills for their future careers and life beyond school. In fact, a remarkable 73% of graduates in 2020 secured places at prestigious Russell Group universities. What we particularly appreciate about this unpretentious school is that it does not define itself by numbers alone, but places equal emphasis on the happiness and development of its students.
Akademis makes history – A Triple Award-Winning Consultancy (2023, 2024 & 2025) 🏆
Akademis has been recognised three years in a row by StudyTravel for excellence in the education sector:
2025 & 2024: Winners of the StudyTravel Secondary School Award (Best Western European Agency)
2023: Winner of the StudyTravel Star Award
(Best Western European Agency)
The StudyTravel Awards are among the most prestigious honours in international education, recognising outstanding quality, client focus and trusted partnerships. Being the first consultancy ever to win for three consecutive years is something we are deeply proud of. For us, these awards highlight our commitment to offering the very best guidance, personal service and long-term support for families embarking on this exciting journey.
Quick Overview
Student Age: 13–18
Total Number of Students: 550
Boarding Students: 250
International Students: 30%
Sixth Form Students: 250
Average Class Size in Sixth Form: 10
Boarding Fees for Sixth Form per Term: £17,270
Key Sports Offerings (in addition to traditional team sports): Rowing, Swimming, Climbing
Nearest Airports: Leeds Bradford Airport (45 minutes), Manchester International Airport (1.5 hours)
https://www.stpetersyork.org.uk
St Peter’s School York – Photo Highlights
St Peter’s School York in Detail
Academics
The school offers a wide-ranging curriculum including subjects such as Drama, Philosophy & Theology, and Further Maths. In the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), students pursue an independent research project on a topic of their own choosing — whether related to their academic studies or personal interests. The results speak for themselves: in 2021, 71% of A-levels were awarded A*/A, with 91% achieving A*–B. The Sixth Form Enrichment Programme equips students with financial literacy, career planning skills, soft skills, and more — preparing all young people thoroughly for life after school.
Co-curricular Activities
The variety of activities on offer leaves no interest unmet. With 80 clubs, 15 sports, and 250 teams, students can join anything from Creative Writing and the school’s own radio station to the Young Enterprise Club, where they run their own business for a year. The Design and Technology department runs a Makerspace Club, where students can get creative after school, building birdhouses, wearable electronics, or masks. The school’s impressive trips programme takes students on language exchanges to Spain, music tours with performances in Venice’s St Mark’s Basilica, and sports trips to Canada.
The Arts
The school’s Arts department is equally outstanding. In 2021, its students achieved 100% A*/A grades. But it is Music which lies at the heart of the school’s culture: with 13 dedicated music rooms, including a newly renovated recording studio, over 250 individual music lessons are given each week by qualified teachers. Students can join chamber groups, orchestras, a mini jazz band, the wind band, and several choirs. The most popular of these, the school choir, boasts over 150 members. Every two years the school stages a musical, and each year it puts on a play. The spacious Art block includes a print studio and ceramics workshop, with student artwork proudly displayed in the school’s own gallery.
Sport
Set on a picturesque riverside campus, the school offers boat houses, a swimming pool, gym, and two sports centres. The swimming team deserves special mention, having brought home fifty medals from the 2022 World School Championships. The Talented Performers Programme supports gifted athletes with personalised strength and conditioning coaching. For those who prefer alternatives to traditional team sports, the Active Programme offers a variety of activities like games, badminton, conditioning and yoga. Among the school’s more unusual sports are squash, trampolining, and rowing — all with a focus on health and overall student wellbeing.
Fees St. Peter’s School York
Fees at St Peter’s School are £17,270 per term — that’s £51,810 per year.
This is St. Peter’s School York
Our Visit
We were greeted on arrival by a sweeping green lawn and charming, historic buildings. The school’s academic reputation is already well known internationally — but its facilities are equally impressive. We were struck by the maturity and good manners of the students — not only in the boarding houses and classrooms but also in York’s beautiful city centre just 800 metres away, where we encountered many friendly and attentive pupils.
Photos From Our Visit
What our clients say about us
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Conclusion
St Peter’s is a historic English independent school with outstanding academic provision.
That said, there are many other excellent boarding schools in England where exceptional academic outcomes can also be achieved. We encourage you to explore further and would be happy to advise you personally. With our years of experience and close relationships with the schools, we can offer genuine insight and guidance.
We are confident that together we will find the right boarding school for your child.
You can find an overview of options on our Boarding Schools in England page.
Benefit from:
- authentic, first-hand insights
- our excellent relationships with admissions offices
- years of experience placing students
- help with visa questions
What Makes Akademis Stand Out?
- We remain your trusted contact throughout your child’s stay, well beyond the placement process.
- We provide support with guardianship, visa applications and recognition of qualifications within the German school system.
- We offer fully tailored advice. Our school recommendations are unique to each child and can run to 40 pages in length.
- Families receive our 30+ page boarding school guide, packed with practical tips and insights.
- We prepare your child thoroughly for entrance exams and interviews to maximise their chances of success.
- We arrange school visits, ensuring you have the opportunity to experience each school first-hand.
Every boarding school has its own character and ethos. Having personally visited more than 100 schools, we understand these nuances. We also work with schools that do not pay commission, ensuring that our advice remains independent and always in the best interest of your child.
Our roots lie in the UK. For years, we have placed 200–300 families annually into British boarding schools. While our portfolio now includes schools beyond Britain, the UK remains at the heart of what we do.
Our tailored approach results in exceptional acceptance rates. For example, in 2022/23, all seven students we placed at the highly selective Malvern College received offers – a 100% success rate.
We arrange for prospective families to speak with our current students to hear first-hand accounts of life at a UK boarding school.
