Steeple Morden CofE VC Primary School

About Steeple Morden CofE VC Primary School

Steeple Morden CofE VC Primary School is a small village primary in South Cambridgeshire, currently teaching 148 pupils against a capacity of 208, so there is room to grow. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals stands at 13.5%, which is slightly above the national average for primary schools (around 12-13%), reflecting a modestly above-average level of disadvantage for this rural setting. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 30 applications for 21 places, an oversubscription ratio of 1.43, with 19 of those applications coming as first preferences. That suggests the school is a popular choice locally, even though it is not yet full to capacity. As a Church of England voluntary controlled school, it has a religious character, but admissions are managed by the local authority, and the school is mixed-gender for ages 4 to 11.

Academically, the school’s most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023 rated it Requires Improvement across all categories, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership. This is a downgrade from its previous Good rating in 2012. At Key Stage 2 in 2023/24, 50% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which is below the local authority average of 58%. The school’s ranking within South Cambridgeshire places it 42nd out of 55 schools on this measure, putting it in the bottom half locally and nationally at the 77th percentile. However, individual subject scores are more mixed: 86% reached the expected standard in reading and 75% in maths, with average scaled scores of 106 and 105 respectively, both close to the national average of 100. Writing is a weaker spot, with only 57% at expected standard and just 7% achieving greater depth.

The school offers a decent range of facilities for its size, including a Forest School, music rooms, an ICT suite, sports hall, gymnasium and a chapel. Sports provision covers swimming, cross country, athletics, dance and netball, and there is a good selection of clubs such as gardening, film club, eco club, coding and chess. SEND support is broad, covering specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language issues, and physical or sensory impairments including hearing and visual impairment. With 30 applications for 21 places, the school is oversubscribed but not fiercely competitive, so families living nearby or with a church connection may have a reasonable chance. This is a school that suits parents who value a small, rural Church of England setting and are comfortable with the current Requires Improvement rating, but who want a broad extracurricular offer and strong SEND support.

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