Queen Edith Primary School Review 2026: High-expectation Cambridge primary with exceptional personal development

A large, two-form entry Cambridge primary where inclusion is treated as a practical daily discipline rather than a slogan. The school sits within the Queens’ Federation with Queen Emma Primary School, sharing one leadership team and governing body, which can bring consistency and shared expertise across both sites. The current executive headteacher is Mrs Sarah Jarman, who took up post in September 2021.

Results place the school comfortably above England average at Key Stage 2, and demand for Reception places is strong. The tone is purposeful and kind, with structured routines, clear expectations, and a strong emphasis on pupils’ confidence and character.

This is a school with a long memory and a modern voice. It opened in 1953 to serve the Queen Edith’s area of Cambridge; the school’s own account includes vivid snapshots of growth, including an early period where space pressures led to two classes sharing a dining room separated by a curtain, and the opening of an open-air swimming pool in 1962.

The current culture is shaped by a consistent leadership structure across the federation. Mrs Sarah Jarman signs the headteacher’s welcome as Executive Headteacher, and the staffing information sets out a leadership team that includes named deputy headteachers for Queen Edith.

Day to day, the school places strong weight on belonging and inclusion. The most recent inspection describes a community where pupils are polite, cooperative, and proud of their school, with individuality celebrated and pupils trusting adults to act on concerns. A distinctive feature is the “lighthouse” leadership strand, referenced in the inspection report and echoed on the school’s own pupil leadership page through the Student Lighthouse Group.

Key Stage 2 outcomes are strong. In the most recent published results set used here, 75% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 35.67% achieved greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics, well above the England average of 8%. Science is a relative watchpoint, with 72% reaching the expected standard versus an England average of 82%.

Scaled scores suggest secure attainment across tested areas, with average scaled scores of 107 in reading, 108 in mathematics, and 108 in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Rankings reinforce the picture. The school is ranked 2,543rd in England for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), placing it above England average and within the top 25% of schools in England. Locally it ranks 27th in the Cambridge area on the same basis.

Parents comparing nearby options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view these results side by side.

Teaching leans towards careful sequencing and checking that pupils remember what they have been taught. The latest inspection report describes a curriculum designed to build knowledge over time, with teachers routinely checking understanding and adapting lessons when pupils need recap or extra practice. Where newer curriculum areas are still bedding in, staff expertise is developing, and leaders have been asked to refine monitoring so delivery matches ambition consistently across subjects.

Early reading is a clear strength in the external evidence. Most teachers are described as well trained in the school’s phonics approach, with pupils who need extra help identified quickly and supported by skilled adults, including pupils who speak English as an additional language.

The federation’s published school booklet adds useful texture on approach. It sets out an Early Years Foundation Stage that prioritises learning through play and practical experience, followed by a structured National Curriculum approach through Key Stages 1 and 2, with assessment routines including Year 1 phonics and the Year 4 multiplication tables check.

As a 4 to 11 primary, the key transition point is the move to Year 7. The school’s Year 6 curriculum materials explicitly address transition as part of personal, social, health and citizenship education, focusing on managing change, which signals that preparation is treated as a planned piece of the Year 6 experience rather than a last-minute add-on.

Because secondary destinations depend on each family’s application preferences and local authority allocations, the most practical step for parents is to treat Year 6 as the planning year and keep a close eye on Cambridgeshire’s coordinated admissions timetable and catchment guidance. The school’s emphasis on pupils’ personal development and leadership roles is a good fit for the broader independence and organisational demands of secondary school.

Reception entry is coordinated by Cambridgeshire, and competition for places is real. In the latest published admissions dataset used here, 117 applications were recorded against 47 offers, around 2.49 applications per place, indicating meaningful oversubscription pressure.

The school’s own admissions policy sets a Published Admission Number (PAN) of 60 for each year group and explains that the local authority administers applications and maintains waiting lists. Oversubscription priorities include children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, looked-after and previously looked-after children, catchment with siblings, then catchment, then distance-based criteria, with distance measured as a straight line.

For September 2026 Reception entry specifically, the federation’s admissions page states that applications opened on 12 September 2025, with a deadline of 15 January 2026 and offers on 16 April 2026. Those dates are now in the past, but the timing is a strong indicator of the annual pattern for the next cycle.

Families considering a move should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their exact location against the school’s catchment and likely distance pressures, and then confirm current-year details with Cambridgeshire’s admissions guidance.

Nursery admission is separate and handled through the school’s own nursery process for children over three, with places allocated using oversubscription criteria and term-based letter timelines published on the school site. Funded 15 hours are offered, with 30 hours for eligible families.

This is the school’s defining strength on the official evidence. The latest inspection judged personal development as Outstanding, and describes pastoral support as exceptional, including skilled family-worker support and practical strategies that help pupils manage emotions, with a “chill out” room specifically referenced as part of that approach.

Inclusion is treated as a whole-school expectation. External evidence highlights an approach that aims to include everybody, with respectful peer culture and clear behavioural routines that begin early. Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is described as well organised, with adults adapting curriculum access effectively so pupils achieve well and grow in confidence.

Safeguarding is addressed directly in the most recent inspection, which states that arrangements are effective.

There is a strong mix of structured, adult-led clubs and community-led groups, which matters in a larger primary where pupils benefit from finding “their thing” beyond class. The school publishes a set of after-school sports clubs, including Multisports, Gymnastics, Circus Skills, and Football, with year-group ranges and timings, which makes it easier for families to plan commitments.

Creative outlets are visible too. The school lists an Art Club running after school in the Chill Out Room, positioned as a way for pupils to unwind and learn specific techniques such as collage, mosaic and sculpture.

Leadership opportunities are not tokenistic. The Student Lighthouse Group is framed as a regular forum for pupils to deepen their understanding of the school’s “7 Habits” approach and take that back into classes as peer influence. That creates a practical pathway for pupils who enjoy responsibility and want a structured role in shaping school culture.

Community clubs widen the offer further, including Karate, Kung Fu, MAUL and Drama Kids, plus Cubs and Scouts for those already in that world.

This is a state school with no tuition fees.

Key routines are clearly signposted. The federation booklet states that Queen Edith starts promptly at 8.55am, and encourages walking and cycling, with a cycle shelter on site and gates locked at the start and end of the day for safety.

Wraparound care is a genuine feature for younger pupils. The school runs Little Dragons after-school provision for Nursery, Reception and Year 1, operating from 3.30pm to 6.00pm. Holiday childcare is also available via the linked provision at Queen Emma for younger year groups.

For day-to-day costs, the school booklet notes universal free school meals for Reception and Key Stage 1, with Key Stage 2 meals priced at £2.75 per day.

• Oversubscription pressure. With 117 applications recorded against 47 offers in the latest published admissions dataset here, entry is competitive, and families should treat catchment and distance as high-stakes variables rather than rough guidance.

• Curriculum consistency in newer subjects. External evidence indicates that a small number of newer curriculum areas are still developing staff confidence, and leaders have been asked to tighten monitoring so delivery is consistently strong across subjects.

• Science at Key Stage 2. The proportion reaching the expected standard in science (72%) sits below the England average (82%), so parents may want to ask how science knowledge is built through Key Stage 2 and how gaps are identified early.

• Two-site federation reality. Federation leadership can be a strength, but it also means some decisions and initiatives are shaped across both schools, so families who want a single-site identity should ask how Queen Edith maintains distinct traditions within shared governance.

Queen Edith Primary School combines strong academic outcomes with unusually strong, well-evidenced work on personal development and wellbeing. Best suited to families who want a structured, inclusive primary with high expectations and plenty of routes into leadership, sport, and creative activity. The main challenge is admission, so shortlisting should start with catchment clarity and a realistic reading of oversubscription.