The Leys School
The Leys School is a co-ed boarding and day school in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, educating pupils aged 11 - 18 and founded in 1875. Boarding fees are £12,702 - £18,102 per term. Our advice on this school is independent and free.
- Type
- Co-ed boarding & day
- Boarders from
- 11 - 18
- Ethos
- Methodist
- Guardian required
- Yes
About The Leys
The story, ethos and character of The Leys.
- Setting
- City
- Ethos
- Methodist
- Head
- Dr Clare Ives
The Leys School is situated in the historic university city of Cambridge, just a stone's throw from one of the world's most renowned seats of learning. Every opportunity is taken to give pupils a unique learning experience; whether it's through attending university lectures, bringing eminent speakers into the School, rowing with College teams on the River Cam or visiting one of the many museums or theatres the city has to offer.
The wealth of opportunity in Cambridge is beyond . The academic side of the School speaks for itself with consistently high exam results. But an education at The Leys is about so much more than that. There are more than 100 weekly activities on offer, numerous sporting opportunities and all pupils are encouraged to take advantage of as many of these as possible.
Known as a 'big, small school', The Leys is large enough to offer huge breadth of opportunity but small enough that each pupil is individually known, cared for and nurtured within the house system.
What the school is known for? The Leys is located in one of the world's most famous academic cities and takes full advantage of its unique situation. Cam Ex (The Cambridge Experience) is a unique offer which allows pupils to benefit from the city's academic, cultural and social activities.
School history The Leys was founded in 1875, a time when a large number of schools were founded, especially by the churches. Whilst there were already several leading schools providing an education for the sons of Ministers, Methodists were asking for schools for the sons of lay members.
Read the full The Leys profile
Enter your email to unlock academics, boarding life, admissions, fees & funding, location and photos — free, and for every school on this site.
- Full academics, boarding, admissions & fees detail
- Photo galleries and location guides
- Independent, free advice — no spam, ever
Academics at The Leys
What pupils study at The Leys — and where it takes them.
This section provides information on: The curriculum, performing and creative arts, English as an additional , and special educational needs (SEN). About the curriculum The Leys offers GCSE and A Level courses and these are tailored to suit the pupils' individual needs.
Find out more via our website: Academic - The Leys English as an additional There is a thriving and very active International Support department at The Leys to help international pupils to integrate into the wider school community. The number of English Language lessons varies between pupils depending on their year group, level of English and confidence and teaching are typically small.
Programmes offered
Subjects offered
Where our leavers go
Leysians go onto many universities including many of the traditional and highest-ranked universities in the UK and overseas. Below are the Destinations of our recent Leavers (2024).
Bath (6) - Mechanical Engineering, Economics, Biomedical Sciences, International Development, Sport Management, Health and Exercise Studies BIMM - Electronic Music Production Birmingham - History Bristol (3) - Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics, Film and Television Cardiff - International Relations and Politics Durham (9) - Biochemistry, English Literature, History, Social Sciences (2), Modern Languages, English Literature, Marketing, Computer Science Edinburgh - Sustainable Development Exeter (10) - Economics (3), International Relations, Geography, Mechanical Engineering (2), International Relations (2), Sport Science Harper Adams - Agricultural Engineering Imperial College London (4) - Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Medical Biosciences King's College London (3) - Classics, Economics, Management and Modern Languages Kingston - Business Management and Marketing Lancaster - Economics Leeds (8) - Arts and Humanities, Philosophy (3), Classical Civilisation, English Literature, Computer Science, Fine Art Liverpool (2) - International Relations, Marine Biology London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London - Fashion Design and Development Loughborough (2) - Economics, International Business LSE (2) - Law, Accounting and Finance Manchester (2) - Management, History Newcastle (7) - Medicine, Geography, Mechanical Engineering, Land Management, Marketing, Combined Honours, Food Business Management Nottingham (3) - Medicine, Biology, Zoology Oxford (3) - English Language and Literature, French and Spanish, Archaeology and Anthropology Queen Mary, London - Medicine Reading (2) - Classical Studies, Mathematics and Economics Sheffield (2) - Mathematics and Economics, Psychology Southampton - Computer Science UCL (7) - Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Sciences (2), Biological Sciences, Classics, Creative Arts and Humanities UEA - Medicine Warwick (4) - Economics, Mathematics, Liberal Arts, Sociology York (4) - English, Computer Science, Politics, Business and Management International Universities Brown University, Rhode Island, USAUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USABoston University, Massachusetts, USANortheastern University, Massachusetts, USAThe University of Charleston, West Virginia, USAUniversity of Toronto, Ontario, Canada EHL Hospitality Business School, Lausanne, Switzerland
Figures are indicative — contact us for the latest results.
Boarding at The Leys
Day-to-day boarding life and pastoral care at The Leys.
- Boarding houses
- Girls 3, Boys 4, Mixed 4
- Exeat weekends
- Yes
- Guardian required
- Yes
- Saturday lessons
- Yes
Boarding at our school The Leys is, primarily, a boarding school which accommodates a small number of day pupils. There are 8 boarding houses, all located within the main school campus, each run by a dedicated house team comprising House Master/Mistress, an Assistant House Master/Mistress, a Matron and Tutors.
The House quickly becomes a home-from-home for the boarders and provides a real community feel offering comfortable study/bedrooms alongside well thought out communal spaces for pupils to relax when they are not studying. Find out more via our website: Boarding at The Leys - The Leys Pastoral care and staffing Pastoral care is a strong feature of The Leys.
Boarding at school is a popular choice, where pupils learn to live in a knit community and make good friendships - often for life. The majority of Leysians are boarders and while they live in one House, school-wide activities will find them mixing throughout the day in lessons, sport, after-school activities and social time, ensuring school friendships are widespread.
The Leys campus thrives on community life, each House having a strong sense of identity and unity, yet healthy inter-house competition enrich the pattern of daily life, especially in the sporting, arts and debating fora. The boarding day starts at 7:30 am with breakfast; at 6:00 pm boarders have supper then return to their House for evening prep, and participate in a wide range of evening activities on campus.
We can arrange trusted UK guardianship for international families.
The Leys admissions
How children join The Leys, and how we make it simple.
Tell us about your child
Share their age, interests and what you're looking for. Our advice is completely free.
We shortlist & introduce
We match you to the right schools and make the introductions to their admissions teams.
Assessment, offer & enrolment
We guide you through entrance assessments and interviews, and handle visas and guardianship if needed.
What you'll typically need
- Recent school reports or transcript
- Passport copy
- English-language evidence (if applicable)
- Completed registration form
- A reference from the current school
Places are available for entry at Year 7, Year 9 and Year 12. Year 8 and Year 10 are not usual entry points but occasionally there may be spaces available. Special notes to agents about entry to the school We welcome applications from agents and will request references from those with whom we have not previously worked.
We would also love you to come along and view the school to get a real feel for life at The Leys. However we know this may not always be possible so please go to our website www. theleys. net in the first instance. Application procedure and entrance tests All pupils applying to join The Leys in Year 9 and Year 12 will be required to sit UKiset tests at British Council approved centres.
As your advisors we manage the application end-to-end at no cost.
The Leys fees & funding
What The Leys costs, what's included, and how we help with funding.
What termly boarding fees include
- Tuition
- Boarding accommodation
- All meals
- Pastoral & house care
- Most academic materials
Funding & scholarships
Registration deposits, EAL tuition, uniform and trips are usually charged separately. Many schools offer academic, sport, music and art scholarships plus means-tested bursaries — ask us and we'll send a full, current breakdown for The Leys.
Fees change year to year and by entry point. As your independent advisors we hold up-to-date figures and can compare The Leys against similar schools so you know exactly what to budget.
Figures shown are the latest we hold — we'll confirm current fees on enquiry.
The Leys location & travel
Where The Leys is, and how to get there.
Travel details Address The Fen Causeway, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2 7AD, England Travel time to London by train Less than 1 hour Telephone +44 (0)1223 508900 Website https://www. theleys. net/ Most convenient airports Airport Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1.
London Stansted 45 45 Most convenient train stations Station Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1. Cambridge 1 5 Local accommodation There are a number of hotels within 5 minutes walk of The Leys School: Hotel du Vin Cambridge (0.3 miles) Gonville Hotel (0.6miles) Graduate Cambridge (0.8 miles) Ibis Cambridge Central Station (1.1 miles) Local area & attractions Cambridge is a university city and the county town of Cambridgeshire, on the River Cam approximately 55 miles north of London.
The Leys — frequently asked questions
Where is The Leys?
How much are The Leys boarding fees?
What ages does The Leys take?
Is The Leys co-educational?
When was The Leys founded?
Does The Leys require a UK guardian?
How many pupils study A-levels at The Leys?
What qualifications does The Leys offer?
Does The Leys support SEN or EAL students?
How many boarding houses does The Leys have?
Are there compulsory exeat weekends at The Leys?
Does The Leys have Saturday lessons?
How do I apply to The Leys?
Does The Leys accept international students?
How much does The Leys cost?
What's included in The Leys's fees?
Are scholarships or bursaries available?
Where exactly is The Leys?
Considering The Leys for your child?
We've visited the schools and know the staff. Tell us what you're looking for and we'll guide you — our advice is always free.
Ask us about The Leys