Comberton Village College

A thriving community school on the edge of a Cambridgeshire village, Comberton Village College delivers Outstanding education across every measure. The November 2024 Ofsted inspection confirmed excellence in all categories, from quality of education to sixth form provision. With nearly 1,500 pupils aged 11 to 18 and a sixth form drawing students from over 25 schools across the region, this is a large school that has retained its distinctive village college identity. Founded in 1960 by Henry Morris, the pioneer of the village college movement, Comberton has evolved into one of the highest-performing non-selective state schools in Cambridgeshire. Strong GCSE results place it in the top 15% of schools in England, while the well-established sixth form sends nearly half of its university applicants to Russell Group institutions.

The site sprawls across the village edge, a functional campus where 1960s buildings meet modern additions. The sixth form building, opened in 2011, brings light and contemporary design to the eastern end of the site. Community facilities, including a heated outdoor swimming pool, 3G football pitch, and floodlit netball courts, are shared with local residents and sports clubs, maintaining the community college ethos that Henry Morris envisioned over six decades ago.

Victoria Hearn took up the principalship in September 2025, arriving from Impington Village College where she had served as principal since 2020. She brings a decade of experience within the local area and the CAM Academy Trust. Her predecessor, Peter Law, oversaw the school during the 2024 Outstanding Ofsted inspection. Stephen Munday, former long-serving head, now serves as executive director of the trust.

The college's stated aim is for every pupil to become "caring, confident and capable." This is not merely aspirational language. The Ofsted inspection observed pupils treating peers with courtesy and respect, and acting as "upstanders" when they see vulnerable classmates needing support. Behaviour is excellent. Pupils move purposefully between lessons, and the learning environment is calm and focused.

The school serves a catchment of villages south and west of Cambridge, including Comberton, Hardwick, Caldecote, Haslingfield, Gamlingay, and Bourn. Many families are academics or professionals working in Cambridge, though the intake reflects the full socioeconomic spectrum of the surrounding villages. Pupils describe themselves as fortunate to attend, and parents speak consistently of a school that goes the extra mile.

GCSE Results

Comberton ranks 671st in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the top 15% of secondary schools. Locally, it sits 13th among schools in the Cambridge area. For a non-selective comprehensive, these results are impressive.

In 2024, 38% of GCSE entries achieved grades 9 to 7, while 84% of pupils secured grades 9 to 4 in both English and mathematics. The Attainment 8 score of 55.8 sits well above the England average of 45.9. Progress 8 of +0.42 indicates pupils make substantially above-average progress from their starting points, a particularly strong indicator of teaching quality and effective support.

All pupils take Spanish through to GCSE, and Year 6 pupils receive a Spanish activity book before starting to give them a head start. The most able, approximately 5% of each year group, are encouraged to take a second modern language. French and German are also offered, with Latin taught outside normal school hours for those who wish to pursue classical languages.

A-Level Results

The sixth form, established in 2011, has matured into a substantial operation with around 500 students. At A-level, results reflect solid rather than exceptional performance. The school ranks 1,131st in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it within the middle 35% of sixth forms. 25% of grades achieved A* or A in 2024, with 52% at A*-B. The average result equates to a B minus grade.

Comberton Sixth Form offers both academic A-levels and vocational BTEC qualifications. Entry requirements are clear: a minimum of five grade 5s including grade 4 in English and mathematics for A-level study, or five grade 4s for BTEC pathways. For the Independent Project Qualification, a minimum of five grade 7s is required. All sixth form applicants are interviewed, reflecting the school's desire for committed and serious students in Year 12.

The sixth form retention rate of 97.5% exceeds the national average of 94.3% for A-level programmes, suggesting students who join generally remain satisfied with their choice.

Teachers demonstrate exceptionally strong subject knowledge, presenting new concepts with clarity. The Ofsted inspection noted precise feedback mechanisms that help pupils "know more and remember more." This is not teaching to the test; pupils acquire skills that extend beyond examination preparation, developing as "first-rate scientists, historians, and artists."

Setting operates in mathematics and some other subjects. The school identifies and stretches able pupils while providing targeted support for those who struggle. Parents praise the flexibility of this approach, noting that pupils who work hard and aim high are moved up sets when appropriate. Lessons are highly interactive, and teachers maintain high expectations within an energetic atmosphere.

The curriculum is ambitious and broad. Beyond the core curriculum, the school has received the International School Award four times, and links with partner schools in six countries support exchanges and visits. Work experience opportunities include overseas placements, a distinctive feature that few state schools can match.

After Year 11

Approximately 60% of pupils leave after Year 11, typically moving to other local sixth form colleges for A-levels or vocational courses. Those who remain at Comberton are joined by students from other schools without sixth forms, some travelling from as far as Bedford.

University Destinations

In 2024, 94% of sixth form leavers secured places at their chosen university. 46% of university applicants progressed to Russell Group institutions, including Oxbridge. Twenty-one students applied to Oxford or Cambridge, with four receiving offers and one securing a place at Cambridge.

Popular destinations include the Universities of York, East Anglia, Warwick, Nottingham, Newcastle, Exeter, Loughborough, Durham, and Sheffield. Anglia Ruskin University, with its Cambridge campus, also attracts a steady flow of applicants. In 2024, one student secured a place to study medicine. The school has achieved notable individual successes, with four students in 2025 achieving three A*s each.

Parents comparing local options can use the Local Hub page to view these results side-by-side using the Comparison Tool.

Year 7 Entry

Admission to Year 7 is coordinated by Cambridgeshire County Council. Applications must be submitted by the end of October, with offers released on National Offer Day, 1 March. The school is consistently oversubscribed, with 658 applications for 275 places in the most recent admissions round, a ratio of approximately 2.4 applicants per place.

The formal catchment area includes the following villages: Barton, Bourn, Caldecote, Comberton, Coton, Dry Drayton, Gamlingay, Hardwick, and Haslingfield. After children with Education, Health and Care Plans naming the school, priority goes to looked-after children, then siblings, then children of staff employed at the school for two or more years, and finally children living nearest to the school within the catchment area.

Population growth in the surrounding villages has intensified competition for places. The opening of Cambourne Village College, also within the CAM Academy Trust, has eased some pressure, but demand remains high. Parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise distance from the school gates.

Year 12 Entry

The sixth form welcomes external applicants and conducts interviews for all prospective students. Applications are made directly to Comberton Sixth Form. The requirement of five grade 5s including English and mathematics ensures a cohort capable of A-level study. Around 45% of Year 12 students come from Comberton's own Year 11, with significant numbers joining from Cambourne Village College, Swavesey Village College, and other local schools.

Open Events

The annual Open Evening takes place in late October, with no booking required. Smaller guided tours run monthly throughout the autumn and spring terms, starting at 9am with a maximum of ten visitors per session. Booking is required via admissions@combertonvc.org.

Pupils remain with the same form tutor from Year 7 through Year 11, building relationships that allow staff to notice when things are going wrong. Form representatives, counsellors, mentors, and dedicated heads of year provide multiple channels for support. The school employs a counsellor and home support workers for pupils requiring additional help.

Anti-bullying policies involve pupils directly. When incidents occur, restorative discussions bring those harmed and those responsible together on neutral ground. The school works hard to resolve problems without formal punishment, and issues are usually settled without escalation. Parents describe a school that notices anxiety and intervenes early. One parent reported a daughter who struggled severely in Year 7, refusing to attend school, but was transformed after the head of year arranged a mentor and home support worker.

The school's inclusive ethos pervades all operations. Nearly 20% of pupils receive some form of additional support. The SEND provision is comprehensive, with different teams supporting different needs across the college.

Comberton Village College has a very high proportion of autistic students, at least twice the national average. The Cabin is an Enhanced Resource Base for students with autism and an EHCP. Led by Jane Hylton, who holds a Masters in Autism (Children), The Cabin provides a safe and calm environment where autistic pupils can access mainstream lessons with appropriate support.

The philosophy is clear: cognitively able autistic students benefit from an inclusive mainstream setting, participating in school life alongside neurotypical peers while having a secure base to return to when needed. The provision believes this approach best prepares students for fulfilled adult lives. Demand is high, and The Cabin is always oversubscribed. Access is via application to Cambridgeshire's Statutory Assessment and Monitoring team.

Beyond The Cabin, The Centre supports pupils with specific or moderate learning difficulties, physical, sensory, or medical conditions. Separate KS3 and KS4 support teams work with pupils facing social, emotional, or mental health challenges. The school provides wheelchair access via lifts and ramps, disabled toilets, therapy rooms, adapted equipment, and Braille signage on classroom doors.

Sport

The school takes sport seriously. Facilities include a 3G synthetic football pitch, floodlit netball courts that can be reconfigured for tennis, a heated outdoor swimming pool, a gymnasium with rock climbing wall, and access to off-site facilities for golf and rowing. The school serves as an MCC cricket hub for Cambridge.

Sports clubs run for a modest annual fee of £30, allowing pupils to attend as many sessions as they wish. Dance classes, golf, and trampolining operate on termly sign-up, while the climbing club uses a rotation system. The range extends from the expected football, netball, hockey, and cricket to dodgeball and handball. Sixth form students can join various sports academies.

Music and Drama

The performing arts thrive. Multiple ensembles include orchestra, jazz band, brass group, and Friday choir. Soundproof practice rooms support individual instrumental study, and visiting musicians give recitals in the performance hall. End-of-term productions draw from all year groups; recent shows have included Les Miserables and Shrek.

The school has achieved remarkable success with student-led drama. Odyssey was performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it received five-star reviews, a remarkable achievement for any school production. Dance is supported by a dedicated studio space.

Enrichment

The Duke of Edinburgh Award programme has the largest uptake in the region across all three levels. Every Year 9 pupil can start at Bronze, with many continuing through Silver and Gold in the sixth form. The school ensures no pupil misses out due to cost, providing extra funding where needed.

Clubs span an exceptional range, from crochet to robotics. The Ofsted inspection noted this breadth explicitly, praising activities from craft to STEM. Debating thrives, with a successful team. The Comberton Extra scheme allows pupils to log contributions to school and community life, recognising participation beyond the academic curriculum.

Residential trips run throughout the year, both in the UK and abroad. The International School Award, held for the fourth time, reflects genuine global engagement rather than token gestures. Exchanges and visits connect Comberton to partner schools across six countries.

The school day runs from 8:40am. Term dates for 2025-26 and 2026-27 are available on the school website. Transport is coordinated by Cambridgeshire County Council for pupils living within the designated catchment area.

The college is located on West Street, Comberton, approximately five miles west of Cambridge city centre. Car parking is available for visitors attending open events. The nearest bus routes connect the school to the surrounding villages.

Pupils wear grey polos and sweatshirts; Year 11 switch to black. The sixth form has no uniform requirement. The school operates a cashless payment system for meals, with healthy eating encouraged and food quality generally praised by pupils.

Significant size. With nearly 1,500 pupils and a sprawling campus, Comberton can feel overwhelming for children arriving from small village primary schools. The school runs extensive induction programmes, and Year 10 and 11 pupils mentor newcomers, but the transition requires adjustment.

Oversubscription pressure. With 2.4 applications per place, many families face disappointment. Living within the catchment area is effectively essential, and even then, proximity to the school gates matters. Appeals are common but rarely successful.

Sixth form selectivity. The entry requirements of five grade 5s including English and mathematics mean not all Year 11 pupils can stay on. Around 60% leave after GCSEs, moving to colleges or apprenticeships. Families assuming automatic progression to sixth form should check their child's likely GCSE trajectory.

A-level results are solid rather than exceptional. While the sixth form performs within the middle range for England, families seeking the highest A-level grades might consider independent schools in Cambridge or the selective Long Road Sixth Form College.

Comberton Village College demonstrates what an outstanding comprehensive school can achieve. Strong GCSE results, an inclusive ethos, exceptional SEND provision through The Cabin, and genuine community engagement combine to create a school where pupils thrive academically and personally. The sixth form, while not reaching the heights of the most selective institutions, provides a well-supported route to university for the majority of its students. Best suited to families within the catchment villages who want a large but caring school where high expectations coexist with genuine inclusivity. Securing a place remains the primary challenge; the education that follows is consistently excellent.