Comparison
Exeter Maths School vs. KCL Maths School
The two 2014 originals — the only pair with a full decade of parallel history. Full detail, sourcing and caveats are on each school's own page — this table is a starting point for comparison, not a replacement for reading both.
| Exeter Maths School | KCL Maths School | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Open | Open |
| Location | Exeter, Devon | Lambeth, South London |
| Sponsor | University of Exeter | King's College London |
| Opened | 2014 | 2014 |
| Age range | 16–19 | 16–19 |
| Capacity | 128 | — |
| Current roll | 127 students (2025/26); admission number rises to 75/year from September 2026 (capacity 139) | 156–157 students (Sept 2024 Ofsted count: 78 Year 12 + 79 Year 13); rising as a 50%-larger intake begins from September 2025 |
| Boarding | Weekly (Monday–Friday) boarding for students whose one-way commute would otherwise exceed about an hour. Costs £13,470 for 2026/27, all-inclusive. Means-tested bursaries taper the cost: households under £30,805/year pay just £836/year (food only); £30,806–£39,752 pay 10% of fees; £39,753–£46,143 pay 20%; £46,144–£49,084 pay 40%; above £49,085, full fee applies. A new boarding house is planned for 2026/27 to support the expanded catchment. | No boarding or residential provision found — operates as a day school. |
| Catchment | Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset historically. From September 2026 entry this expands to add Bristol, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Out-of-area applicants are only considered with firm, funded relocation plans. | No formally defined boroughs — described only as drawing from "all over London and bordering home counties." The admissions FAQ states no catchment or travel-time restriction is applied; applicants must simply be able to sit the entrance test in person in London. |
| GCSE requirements | Grade 8+ in Mathematics (a Level 2 Certificate in Further Mathematics is accepted as equivalent); Grade 7+ in Physics, or Grade 8+ in Combined Science, or Grade 8+ in Computer Science if not taking Physics; Grade 5+ in English Language or Literature; six GCSEs overall at grade 5+. | Grade 8 or 9 in Mathematics; Grade 7–9 in Physics (GCSE or iGCSE), or Grade 7-7+ in Combined Science; Grade 5+ in English Language; four further GCSEs at grade 5+. |
| Admissions deadline | For September 2027 entry: applications close Wednesday 7 January 2027, entrance test Saturday 6 February 2027, interviews Saturday 6 March 2027, conditional offers Friday 13 March 2027, acceptance deadline Monday 22 March 2027. (The September 2026 cycle closed 7 December 2025 and its waiting pool is full.) | For September 2026 entry: applications opened 12 September 2025 and closed 23 November 2025; test sat 6 December 2025; interviews 23–24 January 2026; offers issued early February 2026. No personal statement is required, and late applications are not normally considered. |
| Latest results | 2025: 64.8% A*-A | 2025: 92.2% A*-A |
| Ofsted | Outstanding — full inspection, and Outstanding again (all three categories) in a follow-up boarding-provision inspection | "Continues to be an outstanding provider" — short inspection, category judgements under the post-2024 framework |
Exeter Mathematics School
The original — open since 2014, with weekly boarding and the only results history that runs a decade deep.
King's College London Mathematics School
A founding 2014 school now expanding its intake by 50% — and the highest Oxbridge progression rate we found data for.
See also: Exeter Maths School admissions · KCL Maths School admissions · all comparisons