Sancton Wood School Review 2026: An all through Cambridge day school with three sites and a distinctive enrichment offer

A short walk between three separate sites is a defining feature here. The school runs nursery, prep and senior phases within around five minutes of each other, which creates a genuinely continuous journey while still allowing each stage to feel age appropriate. The senior phase is centred on a refurbished Bateman Street building built around a glass atrium, while the prep years sit in Victorian villas with specialist rooms that include a science lab, a music room, and an attic art studio.

Leadership is stable. Richard Settle is Principal and the school website states he has held the role since 2009, which matters for parents who value continuity through key transitions such as Year 6 to Year 7 and Year 9 options.

This is an independent school. Fees for 2025 to 2026 are published on the school website and are set termly, with separate tiers for Reception to Year 2, Years 3 to 6, and Years 7 to 11.

The school’s tone is set out clearly in its published values, which emphasise respect for others’ cultures and beliefs, intellectual curiosity, practical kindness, and pride in personal effort. These are expressed as working principles rather than marketing slogans, with explicit language around taking risks in learning and asking questions.

The scale supports that style of schooling. Recent published figures and official records place the school at under 400 pupils on roll, which is large enough to sustain specialist teaching and a wide co-curricular menu, but small enough for staff to track pupils closely across phases.

The three site model also shapes daily life. Early years provision is physically distinct, with its own large outdoor area that includes a forest school element and a walled garden. In the prep years, the Victorian villas contribute to a more home-like feel, while the senior building gives older students more space and independence, including an outdoor dining terrace as part of the refurbished Bateman Street site.

The history provides useful context for the current ethos. The school was founded in 1976 by its first headmistress, Mrs Jill Sturdy, initially as a primary school. The school’s own history page frames the early years around small classes and individual attention, and includes some colourful anecdotes that underline how informal and personal the school’s origins were.

For families focused on outcomes at 16, the headline indicator in the available dataset is the school’s GCSE standing. Ranked 998th in England and 16th in Cambridge for GCSE outcomes, this sits above England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England, based on FindMySchool rankings derived from official data.

The attainment profile offers a slightly more nuanced picture. The school’s Attainment 8 score is 54.6. EBacc entry is 25%, below the England figure of 40.5%, and the school’s average EBacc APS is 4.88 compared with the England figure of 4.08. For many pupils this combination indicates a results strategy that does not push EBacc entry as a default route for everyone, which may suit pupils whose strengths are better served by a more tailored Key Stage 4 programme.

Parents comparing local options should use the FindMySchool local hub comparison tool to view this ranking alongside nearby schools, especially because independent schools in Cambridge span a wide range of curriculum models and exam entry patterns.

The most persuasive evidence of teaching culture sits in how the school describes its approach to intellectual stretch. Rather than separating out a labelled cohort, the school states it avoids dividing pupils into “able, gifted and talented” groups, and instead aims to build challenge into day-to-day teaching for all, with additional enrichment pathways for pupils who want more.

The STEM offer is unusually specific for a school of this size. Across the three sites, the school states it has access to four science laboratories, and it highlights staff expertise as part of the learning experience. The STEM page references named science staff with external professional recognition, and it also describes enrichment routes that include Lego Mindstorms, rocketry, programming, robotics, the CREST Award, scientific journalism, and participation in the Zooniverse citizen science platform.

In the arts, specialist spaces and curriculum breadth appear to be a deliberate pillar rather than a bolt-on. The school describes an attic art studio for prep pupils and a senior offer that includes Fine Art, Graphic Communication, Photography, Textiles and Ceramics, plus creative studies such as film making and design. The detail around artist case studies and museum visits supports the sense that art is taught as a discipline with craft and context, not only as a relaxation activity.

For early years, the practical framing matters. The nursery is described as using materials such as pottery within learning through play, and the outdoor area is positioned as a core part of the day rather than an occasional add-on.

The school’s age range stops at Year 11, so the key question is progression at 16. The November 2022 ISI inspection judged pupils’ academic and other achievements as excellent and personal development as excellent, and it also notes that the vast majority of pupils move on to local sixth-form colleges in Cambridge with challenging entry requirements.

Parents should treat post 16 planning as part of the Year 9 to Year 11 conversation here, not something left until GCSE results day. The school’s published scholarships page also signals an awareness of longer-term pathways by referencing support around competitive applications later on, even though the school itself does not operate a sixth form.

For pupils who want a smoother transition, the Dukes Education context may be relevant. The school describes itself as part of the Dukes Education family, with language about continuity across a “village” model, and it explicitly mentions guaranteed entry at certain points within that wider group. In practice, families should ask exactly how this works for their child’s intended pathway, because “guaranteed entry” is usually shaped by timing, capacity, and stage specific criteria.

Admissions are handled directly by the school rather than through local authority coordinated processes. The published admissions overview states that the school does not select by ability alone, but that it assesses children to ensure they will learn happily alongside peers, and offers places subject to availability and completion of the admissions process. Siblings are given priority where possible, and the school states it will consider applications at any entry point.

For 2026, the school has published specific open morning dates. Prep phase open mornings are listed on 24 February 2026 and 19 May 2026, and the senior phase open morning is listed on 5 March 2026. These dates are especially useful for families planning a move into Cambridge or trying to coordinate visits with other independent schools on similar timelines.

The admissions process documentation also gives a clear sense of mechanics. It sets out an enquiry and visit stage, then an online application, references and reports, an assessment session, and a taster day, followed by an offer and an acceptance window. One aspect to note is that the school’s published admissions process material contains some date specific examples from earlier years, so families applying for 2026 entry should treat these as indicative of sequencing rather than fixed deadlines.

If you are weighing travel logistics, it is worth using a distance tool such as FindMySchool Map Search to estimate day-to-day practicality. Unlike many state schools, distance does not allocate places here, but it still affects a child’s energy, punctuality, and capacity to commit to before and after school activities.

Pastoral systems are described in practical, operational terms rather than broad claims. The senior leadership structure includes a Vice Principal with pastoral and safeguarding responsibility, and the school describes a buddy approach for new pupils as part of helping children settle quickly.

The published materials also point to layered support across the school day. PSHCE is referenced as part of developing resilience, and the school mentions an anti-bullying support team for the occasions when additional help is needed. The presence of a school dog, Blue, is described as supporting reading and helping children manage anxieties, which can be meaningful for pupils who respond well to calmer, non-verbal regulation strategies.

For families with additional needs, two practical points stand out. First, the fees page lists separate charges for some specialist support categories, so parents should ask early what is included in standard fees versus what triggers an additional charge. Second, the November 2022 inspection report references a structured approach to supporting pupils with SEND and English as an additional language, so the right question is how that support is personalised and monitored for a particular child, rather than whether it exists at all.

Co-curricular life is unusually multi-threaded for a school of this size, and much of it is anchored in Cambridge itself.

STEM is a clear differentiator. In addition to standard curriculum delivery, the school describes robotics and programming opportunities, including Lego Mindstorms and rocketry, alongside older pupil routes such as the CREST Award and scientific journalism. This matters because it gives able pupils a way to extend thinking beyond exam specification while still building the evidence they need for future academic or technical applications.

Thriving Minds functions as an intellectual enrichment spine. It includes a study programme, termly talks, and links to partner organisations for events and challenges. The page also references an annual Dukes symposium model, which suggests pupils can access a broader academic culture than a small school could create on its own. For students who enjoy debate, big questions, and guest speakers, this kind of structured enrichment can be as important as the timetable.

Sport is framed as participation first, with pathways for pupils who are more competitive. The school lists a wide programme of sports and describes using nearby facilities including CANTABs Rugby Club, Cambridge University Cricket Club indoor facilities, Kelsey Kerridge Gym and Sports Centre, and Hills Road Tennis Centre. The practical advantage is access to high quality facilities without needing a large playing field on site. The trade-off is that sport depends on travel and coordination, so parents should ask how fixtures and training are scheduled around the academic day.

House culture is used deliberately for belonging and leadership. Pupils and staff are assigned to one of three houses, Dragons, Griffins, or Phoenix, with inter-house competitions, house points, and opportunities for pupil leadership through house captains. This structure can be particularly helpful for new joiners entering mid phase, because it provides an immediate smaller community inside the wider school.

Published termly fees for September 2025 to August 2026 are:

• Reception to Year 2: £5,610 per term

• Years 3 to 6: £6,174 per term

• Years 7 to 11: £7,450 per term

The school notes that these figures include VAT at the applicable rate.

Financial support is presented through two main routes. Scholarships are described as being available for entry at Year 3, Year 7, and Year 9 across academic study, STEM, creative arts and sport, with a stated fee reduction range that varies by scholarship type. The admissions documentation also indicates that bursary awards may be available subject to a detailed financial assessment via an independent organisation, which is typically a means-tested process.

The school publishes clear timings for the senior phase. The senior school day starts at 08.30, with a 16.00 finish Monday to Thursday and 15.30 on Fridays.

For prep pupils, published handbook timings show a 08.30 arrival pattern and a 15.50 finish Monday to Thursday, with a 15.30 finish on Fridays. Wraparound care is referenced as running to 18.00 for an after-school club, with booking required.

Nursery hours are longer, with published nursery materials describing opening from 08.00 to 18.00, Monday to Friday, across most of the year. For nursery session and pricing detail, families should use the nursery’s official fee information.

Transport is one of the practical advantages of the Cambridge setting. The nursery site is described as being a short walk from Cambridge railway station, and the school also references being able to use train travel for trips, including London, alongside the school bus for some activities.

• Three sites, three routines. The five-minute walk between sites is practical, but it does mean daily life changes meaningfully as pupils move through phases. Families should ask how transitions are managed, especially for children who prefer predictability.

• No sixth form. Planning for post 16 options is essential, and pupils will be making a move at 16 even if everything else has been stable. A good Year 9 to Year 11 plan should include realistic sixth form routes and subject choices aligned to intended pathways.

• Sport relies on external facilities. Access to Cambridge clubs and venues is a strength, but it can add travel complexity and may limit spontaneous after-school participation for some families.

• Specialist support may carry extra charges. The published fees page lists separate costs for some additional support categories. Parents should ask what is included in standard fees and how support decisions are made.

This is a well-established Cambridge independent day school where continuity is created through structure rather than scale. The three-site model is not a gimmick, it shapes everything from outdoor early years provision to older students’ independence in the refurbished senior building. GCSE outcomes sit above England average on the available ranking data, and the enrichment offer is unusually distinctive for a school of this size, particularly in STEM and academic extension.

Who it suits: families who want a smaller all-through setting with clear values, specialist spaces, and structured enrichment, and who are comfortable planning a deliberate move to sixth form at 16.