Cantell School

Cantell School at a glance

Located in Southampton, Cantell School is a secondary school, classified by the DfE as a foundation school. The school educates roughly 1,288 pupils aged 11 to 16. Ofsted judged the school to be 'Outstanding' at its most recent inspection. The school's average Attainment 8 score in the latest GCSE results was 46.9 — broadly in line with the national average (national average: 46). Its Attainment 8 score has risen by 1.3 points year on year. On our composite score, which combines the DfE attainment measures above, this places it in the top 43% of secondary schools nationally.

49% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in both English and maths, above the national average of about 45%. 64% achieved a standard pass (grade 4+) in English and maths. Cantell School is oversubscribed: about 7 in 10 of the families who made it their first choice were offered a Year 7 place for September 2026, with 318 first choices for 239 places. After Year 11, 87% of its leavers went on to education, an apprenticeship or work that they stayed in for at least two terms. Overall pupil absence was 7.9%. There are about 14.1 pupils per teacher. The school serves a community with above-average levels of disadvantage: about 43% of pupils have been eligible for free school meals in the last six years, compared with roughly 24% nationally — useful context when reading the results above. When comparing schools, it is still worth visiting in person to see whether the atmosphere and approach suit your child. This overview is generated automatically from the latest published DfE performance tables and Ofsted data; figures are rounded, and you can check the originals via the official links above.