Abbots Ripton CofE Primary School

About Abbots Ripton CofE Primary School

Abbots Ripton CofE Primary School sits in the Cambridgeshire village of Abbots Ripton, within the Huntingdonshire borough. It is a state-funded Church of England primary for mixed pupils aged 4 to 11, with 99 children on roll against a capacity of 119. In the local authority’s primary school rankings, it places 1st out of 55 schools in Huntingdonshire, and 3rd overall in Cambridgeshire when compared with all 210 same-type schools. Its closest ranked peers in the LA are Histon and Impington Brook Primary School, Caldecote Primary School, and Great Abington Primary School. The school is notably oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 26 first-preference applications for just 16 places, with a total of 50 applications across all preferences — an oversubscription ratio of 3.13. This level of demand reflects its strong local reputation, particularly among families seeking a small, church-affiliated primary with a Good Ofsted rating and a clear upward trajectory from its previous Requires Improvement judgement.

Academically, Abbots Ripton performs well above both the local and national averages. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 88% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths combined — far exceeding the Cambridgeshire LA average of 58%. The school also excels at the higher standard: 38% of pupils achieved the higher benchmark in reading, writing, and maths, with 56% reaching the higher standard in reading alone, 50% in writing, and 38% in maths. Average scaled scores were 110 in reading and 108 in maths. In its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in June 2024, the school was rated Good overall, with leadership and management and early years provision both judged Good. The previous inspection in 2013 had rated it Requires Improvement, so the improvement is notable. The ungraded inspection in 2024 confirmed the school remains Good and is improving. Progress scores are not available in the data, but the attainment figures alone place it in the top 5% of primary schools nationally.

The school offers a range of facilities including a dining hall, music rooms, an ICT suite, sports hall, gymnasium, chapel, and a sensory room — the latter likely supporting its SEND provisions. These cover specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and physical disabilities. Extracurricular activities include chess, art club, choir, and coding, while sports on offer are swimming, dance, cricket, and netball. With no nursery or sixth form provision, it is a straightforward primary for children from Reception to Year 6. Given its small size, strong academic outcomes, and oversubscribed status, this school will particularly suit families who prioritise high attainment in a village Church of England setting and are prepared to apply early to secure a place. The headteacher is Jake Heather.

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