Comberton Village College

Comberton Village College is a large 11–18 academy in The CAM Academy Trust, including a 480-student sixth form and an enhanced resource provision, The Cabin, for pupils with autism. This was its first routine inspection since the pandemic and its first section 5 inspection since 2013; inspectors found it performing at an exceptionally high level across education, behaviour, personal development, leadership and sixth form. Pupils are described as thriving in a highly ambitious, inclusive culture. The curriculum is rigorous and well sequenced, teaching is strong, and pupils with SEND are well supported to access the full curriculum. Behaviour and attendance are very good, reading support is effective, and personal development and extra-curricular opportunities are exceptional. Sixth-form students are positive and well prepared for their next steps. Leadership is strong, with trustees and leaders continually reviewing provision, involving pupils, parents and staff, and supporting staff well-being and workload. Safeguarding is effective. The report identifies no areas for improvement.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious and broad curriculum across subjects
• Very high expectations of behaviour and achievement
• Pupils behave and attend very well
• Strong inclusive ethos with excellent SEND support, including The Cabin
• Expert teachers with strong subject knowledge
• Effective reading support that helps pupils catch up quickly
• Exceptional personal development and extra-curricular offer
• Sixth-form students well prepared for next stages
• Strong leadership, trust oversight and staff support
• Effective safeguarding arrangements

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Comberton Village College attended 93.1% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 15.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 23.4%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.8% of pupils at Comberton Village College were suspended at least once (nationally 7.3%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Comberton Village College had 16.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.1%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 6.4% of pupils at Comberton Village College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 7.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

The school has resourced provision with 75 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded secondary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Comberton Village College received £10,517 and spent £10,159 for each of its 1,964 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £786,000 (£400 per pupil).

Across all 17 schools of The Cam Academy Trust, income was £8,882 and spending £9,053 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Cambridge · Cambridgeshire local authority: places and applications

Comberton Village College is part of The Cam Academy Trust, which runs 17 schools. The nearest others:

• Jeavons Wood Primary School Great Cambourne
• Harston and Newton Primary School Cambridge
• Cambourne Village College Cambridge
• Melbourn Village College Royston
• Gamlingay Village Primary Sandy
• Everton Heath Primary School Nr Sandy
• Godmanchester Bridge Academy Godmanchester
• Offord Primary School St Neots
• Godmanchester Community Academy Huntingdon
• Hartford Infant and Preschool Huntingdon

What is Comberton Village College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Comberton Village College is Outstanding, from an inspection in December 2024.

When was Comberton Village College last inspected by Ofsted?

Comberton Village College was last inspected in December 2024.

How many pupils does Comberton Village College have?

Comberton Village College has 1,981 pupils on roll.

What age range does Comberton Village College cover?

Comberton Village College for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Comberton Village College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 56.8, and 61% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Comberton Village College?

Comberton Village College is at West Street, Comberton, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB23 7DU.