Cottenham Village College

Cottenham Village College has made significant progress since its previous inspection, now achieving a good overall effectiveness rating. The school demonstrates a strong commitment to providing an aspirational and inclusive learning environment, where pupils value education and actively engage in their studies. Positive behaviour is evident throughout the school, creating a pleasant atmosphere conducive to learning. However, there are some challenges, particularly regarding the support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), where parental concerns have been raised about the adequacy of communication and understanding of individual needs among staff.

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate curiosity and engagement in their learning.
• The school has a well-designed curriculum that supports high achievement.
• Teachers possess strong subject knowledge and effectively deliver the curriculum.
• Pupils have opportunities for personal development through a robust enrichment program.
• There is a strong reading culture being developed within the school.
• Effective behaviour policies are in place, fostering a positive learning environment.
• Governors and trustees effectively challenge school leadership to support ongoing improvement.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teachers do not fully adapt their teaching to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.
• Parental concerns exist regarding communication about SEND and behaviour policies.

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 Cottenham Village College attended 91.6% of sessions (the national figure for secondary schools was 91.6%). 22.6% 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, 9.7% of pupils at Cottenham 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 Cottenham Village College had 18.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for secondary schools was 16.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.3% 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, 13.8% of pupils at Cottenham Village College were on SEN support (nationally 14.1%) and 2.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 3.5%).

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 Cottenham Village College received £7,593 and spent £7,256 for each of its 877 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £307,000 (£350 per pupil).

Across all 26 schools of Astrea Academy Trust, income was £8,290 and spending £8,206 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

Cottenham Village College is part of Astrea Academy Trust, which runs 26 schools. The nearest others:

• The Centre School Cambridge
• St Ivo Academy St Ives
• Longsands Academy St Neots
• Ernulf Academy St. Neots
• Lower Meadow Primary School Sheffield
• Astrea Academy Woodfields Doncaster
• Intake Primary Academy Doncaster
• Waverley Academy Doncaster
• Atlas Academy Doncaster
• Hexthorpe Primary School Doncaster

What is Cottenham Village College's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cottenham Village College is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was Cottenham Village College last inspected by Ofsted?

Cottenham Village College was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does Cottenham Village College have?

Cottenham Village College has 860 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cottenham Village College cover?

Cottenham Village College for pupils aged 11 to 16.

What are Cottenham Village College's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 52.9, and 57% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Cottenham Village College?

Cottenham Village College is at High Street, Cottenham, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB24 8UA.