Cottenham Primary School

About Cottenham Primary School

Cottenham Primary School is clearly a popular choice among local families, with 109 applications for 67 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.63. Every single one of those first-preference applicants was offered a place, which suggests that for those who put it top of their list, the school is a realistic and achievable option. While the school does not publish a parent-view recommendation percentage, the high demand and strong first-preference offer rate are telling signals in themselves. The school is a state primary for mixed genders aged 5 to 11, located in South Cambridgeshire, and is led by headteacher James Kilsby. It has a non-religious character and a relatively high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 19.2%, which is worth noting for families considering the school's inclusive intake.

Academically, Cottenham Primary performs well above the local authority average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 72% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Cambridgeshire average of 58%. The school ranks 8th out of 55 primary schools in South Cambridgeshire on this measure, placing it in the top 15% locally and the top 26% nationally. Average scores in reading (106) and maths (105) are both above the national benchmark of 100, and the proportion of pupils achieving the higher standard in reading (31%) and maths (26%) is solid. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, the school was rated Good overall, with Outstanding marks for personal development and for behaviour and attitudes. The early years provision and leadership and management were both rated Good, and the school has held a Good rating since at least its previous inspection in 2017.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, music rooms, an ICT suite, a sensory room, a forest school area and even a chapel. Sports on offer include football, cricket, swimming and rounders, while clubs range from coding and drama to eco club, art club, choir and book club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists a wide array of SEND provisions, covering dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. With 480 pupils on roll against a capacity of 600, there is some headroom, though the oversubscription suggests it is a sought-after school. It is not a boarding school, has no sixth form and does not offer nursery provision. This is a strong, well-regarded village primary that suits families looking for a Good-rated school with a genuinely inclusive feel and a solid track record in core subjects.

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