Comberton Village College
115%
Capacity
1,962
Pupils
2.4x
Demand
About Comberton Village College
Comberton Village College is a large, mixed secondary school in South Cambridgeshire that is significantly oversubscribed, a clear signal of its popularity with local families. The school currently has 1,962 pupils against a capacity of 1,700, meaning it is operating well above its intended size. For the 2025/26 academic year, there were 658 applications for 275 Year 7 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.39. Of those, 324 were first-preference applications, and 270 first-preference offers were made. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 11.9%, which is below the national average for secondary schools, reflecting the relatively affluent catchment area. The school has no religious character and is led by headteacher Victoria Hearn. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2024, the school was judged Outstanding across every graded category, including behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management, a rating it has held consistently since at least 2013.
Academically, Comberton delivers strong results that place it comfortably above the local authority average. Its Progress 8 score of 0.42 is rated as 'Above average' and compares very favourably with the Cambridgeshire LA average of 0.17. This places the school 4th out of 10 schools in South Cambridgeshire and 66th out of 350 in the East of England region. At Key Stage 4, the Attainment 8 score is 55.8, and 76.6% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc average point score is 5.05, with 49.5% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects. In the sixth form, 180 pupils achieved an average of 34.7 points per entry, equivalent to a grade of C+, and the value-added score of 0.03 is rated as 'Average'. The school's best three A-levels averaged at grade C+ as well. Parent views are overwhelmingly positive, with 90% of respondents saying they would recommend the school, and strong majorities agreeing that their child is happy, safe, and that the school has high expectations.
The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, music rooms, an ICT suite, a library, and a dedicated sixth form centre. Sports on offer include football, rugby, netball, athletics, tennis, and rounders, while clubs range from orchestra and drama to Model UN, coding, and an eco club. For pupils with special educational needs, the school provides support for a broad spectrum of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs, and it also has a resourced provision. Given its size, strong academic track record, and high demand for places, Comberton Village College is best suited to families who are confident their child will thrive in a large, high-performing school environment. The oversubscription means that securing a place is competitive, particularly for those living outside the immediate catchment area.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 18 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | None |
| Address | West Street, Cambridge, South Cambridgeshire, CB23 7DU |
| Headteacher | Victoria Hearn |
| Local Authority | Cambridgeshire |
| Number of Pupils | 1,962 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 11.9% |
| School Capacity | 1,962 / 1,700 (115% full) |
| Sixth Form | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
19 Nov 2024Quality of Education
Outstanding
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 12 Dec 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.42)
626th of 3,141
Nationally
66th of 350
In East of England
4th of 10
In South Cambridgeshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make more progress than similar students nationally
Attainment 8 (vs national avg)
Students achieve significantly higher grades than the national average
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. Progress 8 compares to students with similar Key Stage 2 results.
A-Level Results
2023/24Average Points per Entry
Value Added Score
Best 3 A-Levels (Average)
'21/22
40.7
'22/23
36.6
'23/24
34.7
Source: Department for Education 16-18 Performance Tables, 2023/24. Value Added measures progress compared to students with similar GCSE results.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/2344%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 292 pupils).
- School sixth form (stay)44%
- Sixth form college37%
- FE college13%
- Employment2%
- Apprenticeship1%
- Not sustained1%
98% of leavers had a sustained destination 6 months on.
Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance, KS4 pupil destinations 2022/23 (revised). Only state-funded schools are required to report.
Where school leavers go
2022/2353%
of A-level / Level 3 leavers go to higher education (cohort: 249 pupils).
Top-tier university progression
33%
Russell Group
37%
Top-third HE
2%
Oxford / Cambridge
Percentages of the whole cohort (not just HE-goers). Russell Group = 24 elite research universities. Top-third HE = top by mean UCAS tariff.
- University (HE)53%
- Employment30%
- Not sustained6%
- Apprenticeship3%
- Other education2%
Sources: DfE 16-18 destination measures (broad bucket); DfE KS5 student destinations file (Russell Group / top-third HE / Oxbridge). Level 3 cohort. “Sustained” means the pupil was in education, apprenticeship or employment for 6 months in the year following completion.
Sixth form A-level subjects
2022/23- Mathematics67
- Psychology48
- Physics42
- Biology41
- Business Studies:Single38
- History36
- Geography33
- Sociology33
- Chemistry30
- English Language28
- Computer Studies / Computing22
- Economics22
Subjects with at least 3 entries in 2022/23. Number shown next to each subject is the number of pupils who sat that A-level exam — a rough indicator of subject popularity at this school. Source: DfE Compare School & College Performance.
Ofsted Parent View
452 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Resourced ProvisionSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
8Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
13Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed275
658
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
324 families put this school as their 1st choice (49% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Above the national median (10%) — a meaningful share speak English as an additional language.
Ethnic background
- White British71.2%
- White (other)8.8%
- Mixed7.5%
- Asian6.7%
- Black0.1%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/2575% of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
2
Total schools
2
Oversubscribed
1
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Comberton Village College
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
Understanding Progress 8
Learn how Progress 8 measures pupil progress from primary to GCSE
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Understanding School Catchment Areas
How admission distances work and tips for maximising your choices
Contact Information
West Street, Cambridge
South Cambridgeshire, CB23 7DU
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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