Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School

Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School is a small, inclusive and friendly school where pupils enjoy learning and respond well to high expectations. This was its first routine section 5 inspection, although it was previously judged outstanding before becoming an academy; it is now part of the Diocese of Ely Multi-Academy Trust and, under current arrangements, receives no overall effectiveness grade. Inspectors found the school strong across quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. Pupils, including those with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language, are welcomed and learn effectively, and safeguarding is effective.

Strengths

• Broad and ambitious curriculum thoughtfully adapted for mixed-age classes
• Most pupils achieve well, including increasingly at the higher standard in reading and mathematics
• Strong early reading provision with effective catch-up support
• Effective support for pupils with SEND and pupils who speak English as an additional language
• Positive behaviour and clear routines, including in the early years
• Well-considered personal development and wider opportunities, including leadership roles and clubs
• Supportive leadership with attention to staff workload and well-being
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Warm, inclusive school community that welcomes pupils joining at different stages

Areas for Improvement

• Occasionally, learning activities are not closely matched to pupils’ needs
• Some pupils are given complex tasks before securing the knowledge needed to complete them
• The school is still reviewing delivery of the first two-year cycle of curriculum changes, which can lead to inconsistent learning

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 Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School attended 97.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

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, 0.0% of pupils at Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). 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 Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School had 17.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 24.5% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

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, 8.7% of pupils at Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.3% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School received £7,020 and spent £6,465 for each of its 99 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £0 (£0 per pupil).

Across all 38 schools of Grace Schools, income was £7,113 and spending £6,207 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

Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School is part of Grace Schools, which runs 38 schools. The nearest others:

• Thriplow CofE Primary School Royston
• St Luke's CofE Primary School Cambridge
• Swaffham Bulbeck Church of England Primary School Cambridge
• Milton Church of England Primary School Cambridge
• Swaffham Prior Church of England Primary School Cambridge
• Oakington CofE Primary School Cambridge
• Pathfinder CofE Primary School Cambridge
• St Andrew's CofE Primary School Ely
• Guilden Morden CofE Primary Academy Nr Royston
• Little Thetford CofE Primary School Ely

What is Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School is Good, from an inspection in April 2025.

When was Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School was last inspected in April 2025.

How many pupils does Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School have?

Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School has 92 pupils on roll.

What age range does Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School cover?

Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School?

Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School is at High Street, Babraham, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3AG.