Witchford Village College
85%
Capacity
767
Pupils
1.7x
Demand
About Witchford Village College
Witchford Village College was rated Good in its most recent graded Ofsted inspection, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. The school’s Progress 8 score of 0.05, which measures pupil progress from Key Stage 2 to GCSEs, is broadly in line with the national average. However, this sits below the Cambridgeshire local authority average of 0.17, placing the school 22nd out of 39 similar state secondaries in the county. Within the East Cambridgeshire district, it ranks 4th out of 5 schools on the same metric. The Attainment 8 score of 46.4 means the average pupil achieves just under a grade 5 across their best eight GCSE subjects. A solid 68.3% of pupils secured a grade 4 or above in both English and maths, though the figure drops to 39.3% at the stronger grade 5 threshold. The school’s EBacc average point score of 4.15 reflects modest uptake and performance in the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects.
Breaking down the Progress 8 data, the school shows a mixed picture across subject areas. Pupils made slightly positive progress in the EBacc subjects (0.13) and open subjects (0.11), but progress in maths was slightly negative at -0.13, and English progress was essentially flat at 0.03. The school’s overall Progress 8 banding is classified as Average, meaning it is not statistically significantly different from the national average. Around a third of pupils (35.9%) entered the EBacc, with 31.7% achieving a grade 4 or above and 25.5% achieving a grade 5 or above. Compared with its most recent Ofsted inspection, the school has clearly moved on from its Requires Improvement past, with leadership and management now rated Good alongside overall effectiveness. The ungraded inspection in 2023 confirmed the school remains Good.
Witchford Village College is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16, with no sixth form. It is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 265 applications for 159 places, with 152 first-preference offers made. The school has capacity for 900 pupils but currently has 767 on roll, so there is some room for growth. A quarter of pupils (25.9%) are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The school offers a wide range of facilities including a swimming pool, theatre, gymnasium, tennis courts, science labs, and an ICT suite. Sports provision includes rowing, martial arts, and dance alongside more traditional options. There is a strong extracurricular programme with clubs ranging from gardening and chess to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Young Enterprise, and coding. The school also has extensive SEND provisions covering dyslexia, autism, speech and language needs, and physical disabilities, making it a potentially good fit for families seeking an inclusive mainstream setting with strong pastoral support.
Key Details
| School Type | Secondary (State) |
| Age Range | 11 to 16 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | Manor Road, Ely, East Cambridgeshire, CB6 2JA |
| Headteacher | Nick Harrison |
| Local Authority | Cambridgeshire |
| Number of Pupils | 767 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 25.9% |
| School Capacity | 767 / 900 (85% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
25 Jan 2023Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (25 Jan 2023): School remains Good
Source: Ofsted, 15 Nov 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on Progress 8 (+0.05)
1409th of 3,141
Nationally
157th of 350
In East of England
4th of 5
In East Cambridgeshire
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE Progress 8 data
GCSE Results
2023/24Progress 8 Score
Students make similar progress to students nationally with the same starting point
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
2022/2316%
of GCSE leavers stay on for sixth form at this school (cohort: 179 pupils).
- Sixth form college45%
- FE college20%
- School sixth form (stay)16%
- Employment7%
- Not sustained5%
- Apprenticeship4%
94% 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.
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
7Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
17Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed159
265
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
152 families put this school as their 1st choice (57% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:45 – 15:00
Source: witchfordvc.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half 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
2024/25Above the national average (25%) — higher-disadvantage intake.
Lower than the national median (10%) — mostly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British84.6%
- White (other)5.1%
- Mixed4.0%
- Asian2.1%
- Black0.3%
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.
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 Witchford 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
Manor Road, Ely
East Cambridgeshire, CB6 2JA
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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