Founded by St Paulinus of York in AD 627, it is considered to be the third-oldest school in the world, although some historians take a more sceptical view.

[1] It is part of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and York Boarding Schools Group.

[4] An early headmaster, Alcuin (Flaccus Albinus Alcuinus), went on to be Chancellor to the Emperor Charlemagne, and founded several of the earliest schools in mainland Europe.

[5] The school existed near the present day site of the Minster until the seizure of St Mary’s Abbey prompted its reendowment and relocation to the Horsefair, outside of the city walls.

[7] During the English Civil War, the school in the Horsefair was destroyed by the Siege of York.

[8] The school grounds are located near the centre of York and stretch to the banks of the River Ouse.

The main front of the school faces along Bootham; this is the oldest part of the site.

[13][14] Latin is compulsory for the first three years of study[15][failed verification] and also offered at GCSE and A Level.

[17] In the 2017 ISI report, the school academic and other achievements is 'excellent', and the quality of pupils' personal development is 'excellent'.

A wide range of activities are available at the school: these include rugby, football, hockey, netball, tennis, cricket, rowing, athletics, basketball, badminton, cross-country, climbing, squash, swimming, weight training, trampolining, water polo and aerobics.

The first recorded inter-school Squash match was held between Haileybury and St Peter's in the run up to the first Drysdale Cup.

The rest are day houses: Clifton (yellow), The Grove (red), Queens (purple), Temple (green), School (maroon), and Hope (orange).

Eucharist is also held once a term and there are special services to mark Festivals in the Christian calendar.

This relationship is also evident in the school's name, which mirrors the formal title of the Minster, The Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter.

The school choir often sings in the Minster and in the 2006/2007 year they participated in Verdi's Requiem, which brought together the wider York community.

[32] Initiation Rituals: In 2018 a former pupil reported in The Times that boys were subjected to humiliating and painful initiation rituals such as being shot with BB guns, hit in their genitalia with pool cues, and locked in closed spaces for hours at a time.

York Central MP Rachael Maskell and local councillors expressed alarm over the impending removal of green belt protection.