Sir Harry Smith Community College

About Sir Harry Smith Community College

Sir Harry Smith Community College in Fenland is a mixed secondary school with a sixth form, currently home to 1,104 pupils against a capacity of 1,210. That leaves some headroom, but demand tells a more nuanced story: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 228 applications for 193 places, making it officially oversubscribed. Of those, 180 were first-preference applications, and 179 first-preference offers were made. A quarter of pupils (25%) are eligible for free school meals, which is significantly above the national average and reflects the school's role in serving a community with higher-than-average deprivation. The school's intake is therefore both diverse and in demand locally, even if it isn't quite full to the brim. Headteacher Dawn White leads a non-denominational state school that has held a Good Ofsted rating since at least 2011, with its most recent ungraded inspection in early 2024 confirming it remains Good, albeit with some concerns noted.

Academically, the picture is mixed and parents should look closely at the data. At Key Stage 4, the school's Progress 8 score is -0.66, which is well below average nationally and ranks it 32nd out of 39 similar schools in Cambridgeshire. The local authority average Progress 8 is +0.17, so pupils here make significantly less progress than peers across the county. Attainment 8 sits at 38.5, and just 31.3% of pupils achieved a grade 5 or above in English and maths. The EBacc entry rate is low at 19.3%, and the EBacc average point score is 3.28. At A-level, the picture is a little brighter: the school's value added score is -0.39, which is below average, but the average points per entry is 30.49 (a grade C), and the best three A-levels average out at a C+. The sixth form is rated Good by Ofsted, and 14.3% of entries achieved AAB or higher. For a school serving a high-FSM community, these results need to be weighed against context, but they are clearly below the county benchmark.

The school offers a solid range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, astro turf, sports hall, and a sixth form centre, plus clubs like DofE, Model UN, and Young Enterprise. Sports provision is notably broad, with rowing, martial arts, and hockey alongside the usual football and tennis. SEND support covers nine categories including Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Speech, Language & Communication needs. Parent View responses from 61 families show a divided picture: 43% would recommend the school, but 57% would not. While 59% agree their child can take part in clubs and activities, only 39% agree their child is happy, and just 28% agree the school has high expectations. This is a school that suits families who value its inclusive intake, broad extracurricular offer, and Good-rated sixth form, but who are realistic about its academic performance relative to stronger Cambridgeshire options.

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