Melbourn Village College
79%
Capacity
585
Pupils
1.1x
Demand
About Melbourn Village College
Melbourn Village College received a Requires Improvement rating from Ofsted following its most recent graded inspection in May 2025, though the picture is more nuanced than that single label suggests. Behaviour and attitudes were judged Good, a notable step up from the Inadequate rating the school received in its previous inspection in July 2023. The school’s Progress 8 score for the 2023/24 academic year was -0.48, which is below the national average and ranks it 30th out of 39 similar schools in Cambridgeshire. That score also sits well below the local authority average Progress 8 of 0.17. The Attainment 8 score was 40.7, and just 32.1% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The school’s EBacc average point score was 3.55, with 24.1% of pupils entering the EBacc combination of subjects.
The school’s Ofsted report highlights that leadership and management, the quality of education, and personal development all require improvement, though the inspectors noted that behaviour and attitudes are now good. The school has a capacity of 740 but currently has 585 pupils on roll, so there is room to grow. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school was oversubscribed: 140 places attracted 155 total applications, with 84 first-preference offers made. The school does not have a sixth form, so pupils leave at 16. Facilities include a theatre, library, gymnasium, sports hall, astro turf, tennis courts, science labs, and a chapel. The school offers a range of clubs including gardening, newspaper, science club, eco club, young enterprise, choir, drama, orchestra, and chess. Sports on offer include basketball, rowing, athletics, cross country, dance, swimming, and netball.
The school has a range of SEND provisions, including support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, and autistic spectrum disorder. There is also a resourced provision. Parent View responses, collected between September 2024 and September 2025 from 189 respondents, show mixed feelings: 53% agreed their child is happy, and 56% agreed their child feels safe, but only 43% would recommend the school to another parent. Concerns about behaviour management and SEND support were more pronounced, with 46% disagreeing that the school ensures pupils are well behaved, and 60% disagreeing that SEND children receive the support they need. This school may suit families who value its improving behaviour culture and range of activities, but who are prepared to engage closely with the school on academic progress and SEND provision.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | The Moor, Royston, South Cambridgeshire, SG8 6EF |
| Headteacher | Rachel Spencer |
| Local Authority | Cambridgeshire |
| Number of Pupils | 585 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 24.3% |
| School Capacity | 585 / 740 (79% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
13 May 2025Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Source: Ofsted, 19 Jun 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (-0.48)
2580th of 3,141
Nationally
297th of 350
In East of England
10th of 10
In South Cambridgeshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make less 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.
Where GCSE leavers go
2022/237%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 131 pupils).
- Sixth form college52%
- FE college33%
- School sixth form (stay)7%
- Employment4%
- Apprenticeship3%
100% 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.
Ofsted Parent View
189 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
10Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
16Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed140
155
Balanced
Applications roughly match available places
84 families put this school as their 1st choice (54% 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%).
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British86.0%
- Mixed5.2%
- White (other)5.0%
- Asian1.7%
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.
75% 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.
3
Total schools
3
Oversubscribed
2
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 Melbourn 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
The Moor, Royston
South Cambridgeshire, SG8 6EF
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
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