The Cambridge Primary School Review 2026: A modern Wellesley primary with strong wraparound care

The latest Ofsted inspection (13 September 2022) judged the school Good overall, with Good in quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.

Because the school opened in 2018, it has not had decades to build long-running outcome trends. Parents who care about year-on-year attainment data should check the most recent Department for Education performance tables alongside the school’s own curriculum information, then triangulate that with how confident their child feels about reading, writing, and maths day to day.

The curriculum is positioned as preparation for “beyond” primary, with explicit emphasis on transferable skills, learning habits, and pupils taking ownership of how they improve. For many families, that matters as much as raw test outcomes, especially for children who need confidence rebuilt after wobbly early schooling.

A useful detail is that the school highlights specialist teaching areas, including cooking and science spaces, plus a Learning Resource Centre. In a primary context, dedicated rooms can raise the quality of practical work, it becomes easier to run structured science investigations or food technology routines without constantly setting up and packing away in standard classrooms.

The school also publishes subject-level intent in its curriculum documentation, for example describing a mastery approach in maths and an emphasis on problem solving in real-life contexts. That tends to suit pupils who benefit from structured models and clear steps, and it can also be reassuring for parents who want maths taught with consistency across classes.

As a primary school (ages 4 to 11), the key transition point is Year 6 to Year 7. The Cambridge sits within Hampshire local authority, while physically in Aldershot, which means secondary transfer is generally via the local authority admissions process and depends heavily on where you live and the specific secondary options available that year.

For families who want certainty early, the best approach is to shortlist realistic secondary routes, then use FindMySchool’s Map Search to sanity-check distances to likely secondaries before relying on a particular pathway.

The school does not publish a single guaranteed “destination” secondary, and in this part of Aldershot, options can include local community secondaries and, for some families, selective or faith-based routes elsewhere, subject to admissions rules.

Reception admissions are coordinated through Hampshire’s process rather than direct selection by the school, with the school’s own admissions page clearly stating that the online application window opens 1 November 2025 and closes at midnight on 15 January 2026 for September 2026 entry.

The school is explicit that it runs tours for prospective Reception parents through the autumn term, and it references a booked “Talk and Tour” format, including an evening tour date in October. That matters because, in oversubscribed schools, missing the familiarisation step can leave parents unclear on routines, SEN processes, and how the early years provision is organised.

Demand looks high in the available admissions data. With 202 applications for 58 offers (3.48 applications per place), it is sensible to treat admission as competitive and plan at least one strong alternative. If you are moving into the area, do not assume proximity alone will remove uncertainty, and treat any new-build address changes carefully when completing forms.

The most credible safeguard signal is that the latest graded inspection judged safeguarding and wider provision within a Good framework across the board, including early years.

Beyond inspection outcomes, practical pastoral support often shows up in the routines that keep mornings calm and afternoons manageable. On-site wraparound care can help children who struggle with transitions, and it reduces the number of “handovers” in a day, which can be a real benefit for pupils with anxiety or sensory sensitivity.

SEND information is published by the school, with an emphasis on developing practical, social, and emotional skills alongside knowledge. Parents should still ask direct questions about staffing, external agency involvement, and how support is scheduled, since these details vary widely across primaries and can change year to year.

Extracurricular life here appears deliberately tied to aspiration and “future selves”, rather than being an unstructured list of clubs.

The school describes “careers clubs” where pupils explore roles such as little chefs, scientists, and fashion designers, and it also highlights lunchtime activity options including running and dancing, plus before-school fitness activities such as resilient runners and circuit training.

There is also at least one named provider-style club advertised, Paris School of Dancing, which suggests the school is willing to bring in external enrichment where there is interest.

Sport is framed as a core entitlement. The PE page commits to two hours of PE each week for most year groups (one hour in Reception) and lists units such as athletics, invasion games, striking and fielding, gymnastics, and dance. For many children, that breadth matters more than elite teams at this age, it helps pupils find at least one movement style that works for them.

The published school day is clearly structured: gates open at 8.30am, registration runs 8.45am to 9.00am, and the main day ends at 3.15pm.

Wraparound care is a genuine asset. The school runs The Nest for Reception to Year 6, with a breakfast club model and an after-school offer, and policy documentation lists hours as 7.30am to 8.30am for morning provision and 3.15pm to 6.00pm after school during term time.

On travel, the school promotes active journeys and supports cycling and scooting with Bikeability and parking facilities. For rail, Aldershot and North Camp are the most relevant nearby stations for families commuting into the area, and Wellesley-area transport information positions Aldershot station as walkable from the development.

• A young school. Opened in September 2018, it does not yet have the multi-decade track record some parents look for; you may rely more on current leadership, curriculum clarity, and inspection evidence.

• Competition for Reception places. Recent demand levels (202 applications for 58 offers) point to a realistic risk of not securing a place, so you should plan alternatives early.

• Modern-enrichment style may not suit everyone. The careers-club model and structured fitness activities will appeal to many children, but pupils who prefer quieter, more traditional clubs may need parents to look carefully at what is running in the term they join.

• Travel and parking discipline matters. The school’s travel policy messaging emphasises safe parking and considerate drop-off behaviour; if you rely on driving, expect a strong stance on this.

The Cambridge Primary School is a modern, fast-growing Aldershot primary with stable leadership and a practical offer that suits working families, particularly those who value on-site wraparound care and a curriculum framed around learning habits and real-world skills. Ofsted’s latest graded inspection (September 2022) confirms a consistently Good picture across early years and the main school.

Best suited to families in and around Wellesley who want a contemporary setting, clear routines, and a school day that can stretch from early morning care through to after-school provision. The main challenge is admission, not the day-to-day experience once a place is secured.