The Bellbird Primary School Review 2026: Oversubscribed Sawston primary with strong KS2 outcomes and a clear curriculum focus

A school that has grown with its community, The Bellbird Primary School opened in September 2007 after the amalgamation of John Falkner Infant and John Paxton Junior Schools, then moved into a new building in April 2010 and later expanded again as numbers rose. Today it is a two-form entry primary in Sawston, with a published admission number of 60 and a capacity of 420.

In results terms, 2024 Key Stage 2 performance sits above England averages across the core measures that most parents look at first: 72.67% reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 27% reached greater depth across reading, writing and maths, well above the England average of 8%. Scaled scores are also strong, at 107 for reading and 107 for maths.

Demand is a feature of the story. For Reception entry, 98 applications were made for 60 offers, which equates to 1.63 applications per place. The school is recorded as oversubscribed. For families, this means a realistic, criteria-led approach to admissions matters as much as aspiration.

Bellbird’s identity is shaped by being a joined-up primary, rather than an infant school that feeds into a junior site. That shows up in the way routines, expectations, and pastoral language run through the whole age range. Pupils also have a clear sense that they belong to a community that notices them, from Reception through to Year 6.

The July 2024 inspection described pupils enjoying their subjects, mixing well across age groups at lunchtime, and taking responsibility through roles such as Year 6 buddies for Reception, school council leadership, and pupil-run clubs. This matters because it signals a culture where older pupils are expected to set the tone, not simply benefit from it.

There is also a consistent, school-specific vocabulary for relationships and repair. The CHUM CATS approach is used to help pupils sort out disagreements, and it sits alongside a broader emphasis on respectful relationships and inclusion. For parents, this often translates into fewer low-level behaviour concerns escalating, and more confidence that small issues are handled early.

Leadership is currently shared. Emma Clayton and Rebecca Pentney are the co-headteachers; one joined in September 2020 and the other in April 2023. Co-headship can work well in primaries of this size when roles are clearly split, and the school’s recent curriculum work suggests the senior team has been able to drive whole-school priorities without losing sight of day-to-day consistency.

The Bellbird’s latest published Key Stage 2 data paints a secure picture across the core suite.

Expected standard, reading, writing and maths combined

72.67% in 2024, compared with an England average of 62%.

Higher standard, reading, writing and maths

27% in 2024, compared with an England average of 8%.

Scaled scores

reading 107, maths 107, grammar, punctuation and spelling 108.

Those numbers matter because they suggest the typical pupil is leaving Year 6 with a strong foundation across literacy and numeracy, rather than pockets of strength alongside gaps.

Rankings, using FindMySchool’s proprietary methodology based on official data, place the school 2,996th in England and 37th in the Cambridge local area for primary outcomes. That position equates to being above England average, within the top 25% of schools in England. (Parents comparing nearby options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page and the Comparison Tool to view these outcomes side by side.)

It is worth noticing the shape of attainment as well as the headline. Reading and maths look particularly secure in the scaled scores and expected-standard rates, while writing appears to be the area where the school has put specific improvement energy. That balance aligns with external feedback that pupils often write with flair and strong language choices, but that technical accuracy in independent writing needs to be reinforced more quickly when common errors crop up.

The most useful way to understand Bellbird’s classroom experience is to look at how the curriculum has been built and how learning is checked.

Recent work has focused on sequencing, breaking content into smaller building blocks and ensuring that knowledge sticks over time. That is not an abstract policy decision. In maths, for example, secure number work is explicitly treated as the foundation for later complexity, which tends to benefit pupils who need repeated rehearsal as well as those who race ahead and want harder problems.

Early language and literacy sit near the centre of the school’s approach. In Reception, adults probe children’s understanding of language in a way that supports vocabulary growth, and early reading is structured so that children quickly learn to blend sounds to read new words. The practical implication is that early success in decoding often frees pupils to focus on comprehension and wider curriculum learning sooner.

Assessment and checking for understanding is an area where the school is aiming for sharper consistency across subjects. Where teachers check learning precisely, gaps are spotted and addressed. Where checks are less exact, misconceptions can sit unnoticed and pupils can fall behind what they are capable of in that subject. For parents, the takeaway is that the school’s direction of travel is sensible and evidence-led, and the next step is making practice equally strong in every subject area.

For a Sawston primary, transition is often shaped by local secondary patterns and family preference rather than a single guaranteed pathway.

A key practical milestone is the Year 6 move into Year 7. The school’s own transition work, including leadership roles and pupil responsibility, helps pupils build the independence they will need in secondary settings. The school prospectus also references a Year 6 induction day at Sawston Village College as part of the Year 6 calendar pattern, which signals that local transition links are active and planned.

Families who are considering different secondary routes, including out-of-area options, will want to begin that thinking early, because secondary admissions timelines run on a separate track from primary.

Bellbird is a local-authority coordinated, state-funded primary, so there are no tuition fees and the standard Cambridgeshire process applies for Reception entry.

The key practical point is competition. The most recent Reception entry route data shows 98 applications for 60 offers, with a subscription proportion of 1.63 and the school marked oversubscribed. For parents, this means it is important to read the oversubscription criteria carefully and be realistic about how they apply to your address and circumstances.

For September 2026 entry, Cambridgeshire’s timeline is clear:

• Applications open by 11 September 2025

• Closing date for on-time applications is 15 January 2026

• National offer date is 16 April 2026

• Families are required to accept or refuse an offered place within 10 school days of the offer being sent or posted

If you are relying on proximity, use the FindMySchoolMap Search to check your exact location and understand how distance criteria typically operate, while remembering that demand and applicant distribution change each year.

Pastoral life is anchored in routines, consistent expectations, and clear language around relationships. The CHUM CATS system gives pupils a structured way to handle disagreements, which is particularly valuable in a two-form entry primary where friendship groups can be large and dynamic.

Support for pupils with additional needs is another notable element. Needs are identified precisely, staff are trained to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, and adaptations include specific work to help pupils manage emotions where needed. The practical implication is that support is not limited to academic interventions, it also includes emotional regulation, which can be decisive for classroom learning.

Safeguarding is a clear benchmark for parents. The inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Bellbird’s enrichment sits in three connected strands: pupil leadership, arts and performance, and active, outdoor learning.

Pupil leadership as enrichment

Year 6 pupils volunteer to run clubs for younger pupils, including singing and arts and crafts, and school councillors take visible responsibility for improvements such as playground equipment. This is a meaningful type of enrichment because it develops confidence and communication skills, while also building a school culture where older pupils see themselves as role models.

Creative and performing arts

Music has a prominent place in how pupils talk about what they enjoy, including learning about musicians and playing instruments. On the club side, the school lists activities such as doodle club, drama club, craft club, and football knowledge club across the year, with sign-up handled through school communication rather than a fixed, unchanging menu.

Outdoor learning and practical experiences

The school prospectus describes a large outdoor area with different habitats, and the use of class sets of cooking stoves across year groups. This kind of provision can be especially helpful for pupils who learn best through doing, and it tends to make subjects like science, geography, and design and technology feel more connected to real life.

Wraparound provision also adds a layer of extracurricular-style activity for working families. Breakfast club runs from 7.45am, with a late session option from 8.15am to 8.45am. After-school wraparound runs from 3.15pm, with options through to 6.00pm, and activity themes include arts and crafts, music, dance and drama, sport and games, and cooking and technology across the week.

School day and wraparound. The wraparound timetable shows children moving into school routines at 8.45am, and after-school provision starting at 3.15pm, which indicates the core day pattern that most families plan around. Breakfast club and after-school club run for Reception through Year 6.

Transport and logistics. For most families, the practical question is less about long commutes and more about safe drop-off, collection, and after-school arrangements in a popular village primary. If you are considering wraparound, check the current booking and availability pattern early, especially at the start of term when demand can be higher than usual.

• Oversubscription is real. With 98 Reception applications for 60 offers in the most recent data, competition affects outcomes. Have a realistic plan that includes at least one alternative preference.

• No distance benchmark to rely on. A last-distance-offered figure is not available here, so families should focus on understanding the published admissions criteria and how they apply to your situation, rather than trying to infer chances from an unofficial distance rule of thumb.

• Writing is a priority area. Pupils often enjoy writing and use engaging language, but technical accuracy in independent writing is an improvement focus, particularly around addressing common errors quickly. This is worth asking about if your child finds writing mechanics frustrating.

• Curriculum consistency across subjects is still being refined. The school’s curriculum work is purposeful, but the next step is ensuring assessment and checking for understanding is equally precise in every subject, not only the strongest ones.

The Bellbird Primary School offers a well-structured primary experience with above-average KS2 outcomes and a clear emphasis on responsibility, relationships, and curriculum coherence. It suits families who want a mainstream, community primary with strong foundations in reading and maths, a busy pupil leadership culture, and wraparound options that support working patterns. Admission is the obstacle; the education is steady once secured.