The first Informal Concert of the year brought together two of life’s great pleasures: live music and scones. Both were wonderful. On Wednesday 7 October, 15 pupils from the Music Excellence Pathway, Scholarship Development and Scholarship Awards programmes performed in the Music Hall after school. An enthusiastic audience of family, friends and staff filled the room to cheer them on. A Warm Welcome for New Music Scholars For several pupils, this was their first performance as part of the scholarship programme. The warm reception they received made it a memorable start, and they clearly enjoyed every moment on stage. Musicianship Across Every Discipline The wide range of instruments on show reflected the high level of musicianship across disciplines at Exeter...

Congratulations to Alex F (Upper Sixth), who has been awarded a Commendation in the John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize in Economics, placing her amongst the highest-performing entrants in one of the world’s most prestigious academic essay competitions. The John Locke Institute Essay Prize attracts more than 7,000 entries from over 100 countries, with submissions judged by a distinguished panel of senior academics led by the Institute’s Chairman of Examiners. Students compete across a broad range of disciplines, including Economics, Politics, History, Law, Philosophy, Psychology, Theology, Public Policy, International Relations, and Science and Technology. Achieving a Commendation places Alex’s work within approximately the top 10% of entries worldwide, making this a significant academic achievement. Alex’s essay explored the question: “Should...

We are delighted to congratulate William W (Upper Fifth), Tom S (Middle Fifth) and Stefan A (Middle Fifth) on their selection to the prestigious RYA Youth Transition Squads. William and Tom have secured places in the 29er Squad, while Stefan has earned his spot in the ILCA Squad. This is a significant achievement. Their selection recognises the dedication, commitment and outstanding performance all three boys have shown in competitive sailing. Selection to the RYA Youth Transition Programme gives our pupils access to expert coaching from the Royal Yachting Association, detailed performance analysis, and structured fitness and development programmes. Together, these resources support young sailors as they prepare for major national and international youth championships. This milestone marks an exciting step in each...

We were delighted to welcome Old Exonian Ross Saunders (1984–1989), Senior Producer at Saatchi & Saatchi, back to Exeter School on Friday 2 October as a visiting speaker. Ross gave up his time to talk to pupils about his career at the global advertising company Saatchi & Saatchi. He also showed them how studying languages can open doors in the world of work. What is it really like to work in advertising? During the lunchtime talk, pupils gained a fascinating insight into life in the advertising industry. Ross shared what the job is really like day to day, including: The variety of roles within an advertising company The range of projects he has worked on The opportunities a career in...

Choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will make as a parent. Understandably, when families visit us, they often arrive with a long list of questions about academics, facilities and opportunities. Those things matter, of course, but if I were a parent standing in reception on a school tour, there are a few simple things I would be looking for first.   Do the children and staff look happy?   This may sound obvious, but this is the thing I would notice before anything else. Are the children smiling? Do they appear confident? Are they engaged in their learning and comfortable speaking to adults? Children who feel safe, valued and happy are far...

Congratulations to Exeter School gymnast Samantha, who competed at the Southwest Championships on Sunday 27 September 2026 and came home with a gold medal. Held at the Wiltshire School of Gymnastics, the competition saw Samantha represent Exeter in the U12 Bronze Classic Challenge Floor event, going up against 19 gymnasts from across the region, including Bristol, Camborne, Peterborough, Barnstaple, Truro, Wiltshire, Swindon, Axminster and Paignton. Samantha claimed 1st place on Floor in her category, a fantastic result reflecting the hard work and dedication she has put into her gymnastics. Everyone at Exeter School is incredibly proud of Samantha’s achievement, and delighted to share her success with the whole school community. Well done, Samantha!

We are thrilled to announce that Amelie has been named a finalist for the 2026 Yachting Journalists’ Association (YJA) Young Journalist of the Year Award. This prestigious international award recognises journalists and writers aged 30 and under in the sailing world, and Amelie is one of just three finalists on the shortlist. Amelie has been writing about sailing since the age of 14. She regularly contributes to All at Sea newspaper, where she writes about her own experiences on the water, offers practical advice and champions the promotion of females in sailing. Her latest article, on mental health and sailing, is out now in All at Sea. She has also written numerous articles and blogs for companies including Rooster, Sailing...

Congratulations to Exeter School gymnast Rafa, who competed in the U12 Southwest Grades competition for men’s artistic gymnastics on Sunday and came home with an outstanding medal haul. Rafa took gold on three pieces of apparatus, the pommel horse, high bar and parallel bars, before going on to win the overall bronze medal, placing him among the top three all-round gymnasts in his age group. A brilliant achievement! His performance has now earned him a place in the Southwest squad, and next month he will represent the region at the national competition, taking on the country’s best young gymnasts. Everyone at Exeter School is incredibly proud of Rafa’s hard work, dedication and success, and we will be cheering him on...

It has been a summer of triathlon success for two of our Exeter School pupils. Daniel has earned a place at the South West Triathlon Academy, while Hanna has claimed a national podium finish and qualified to race on the world stage. Daniel Earns His Place at the South West Triathlon Academy Daniel recently trialled for the South West Triathlon Academy, and we are thrilled to share that he has been selected. It is a fantastic achievement, and one Daniel is rightly very proud of. His selection is all the more impressive after a challenging start to the year. Daniel broke his collarbone earlier in 2026, yet he has bounced back to earn his academy place. That kind of determination...

The Exeter School swimming team has made a real splash this term, taking on two big events in quick succession. From pupils racing for the school for the first time to our returning team members, every swimmer rose to the challenge. The team opened the season at Millfield School, competing in the Southwest regional heat of the English Schools’ Swimming Association (ESSA) relays. This is arguably one of the most competitive fixtures of the whole season, and the pressure was on. Swimmers across all age groups performed well and showed brilliant teamwork, supporting each other throughout a demanding, high-stakes event. Home Gala Success Just a few days later, the team was back in the water for a home swimming gala...