Ernulf Academy Review 2026: A phone free secondary with structured routines and an expanding enrichment offer

A secondary school serving Years 7 to 11 in St Neots, Ernulf Academy has been in a rapid improvement phase, with a clear emphasis on consistent routines, reading, and calm classrooms. The day is tightly structured, including a daily reading slot and a set of core routines designed to reduce disruption and sharpen focus. Since September 2025, the academy has also operated a phone free approach during the school day, using locked pouches so students keep devices with them but cannot use them in lessons.

External evaluation is currently more encouraging than older headline labels suggest. The most recent inspection in January 2025 graded all four key judgement areas as Good.

Expect an approach built around clarity and predictability. The academy describes a disruption free learning environment supported by nine core routines, with staff training aligned to evidence based teaching, including Rosenshine and Teach Like A Champion. The practical implication for families is straightforward, this is a school trying to make day to day learning consistent across classrooms, rather than relying on individual teacher style.

Leadership is presented as visible and deliberately focused on routines, curriculum sequencing, and enrichment. The principal is Thomas Fisher, and the current senior leadership structure includes vice principals responsible for curriculum, personal development and enrichment, and pastoral.

Pupils’ experience is framed around settling in, building friendships, and feeling safe, with a sense that standards are tightening as systems bed in. The most recent inspection report describes pupils as safe, happy and well looked after, and it also points to older pupils recognising improvements.

A distinctive recent change is the phone free model introduced in September 2025. The academy’s stated rationale is a more focused school day and fewer distractions, with a practical system that keeps phones physically on the student while removing access until the end of the day. For some families this will be a major positive, particularly where screen time and messaging have become flashpoints at home. For others it will raise questions about logistics after school and expectations for travel home, which are worth clarifying early.

Headline performance indicators place Ernulf Academy below England average on the FindMySchool ranking for GCSE outcomes. Ranked 3,327th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), it sits below England average. Locally, it ranks 2nd in the St Neots area on the same measure.

The most useful single contextual measure for many parents is Progress 8, which indicates how students perform across a basket of subjects compared with pupils nationally who had similar starting points. Ernulf’s Progress 8 score is -0.44, which indicates students, on average, made less progress than similar pupils across England. Alongside this, Attainment 8 is 36.2, giving a broad sense of the overall GCSE achievement profile.

EBacc indicators show a school where the academic core is being strengthened, but outcomes still have ground to recover. The average EBacc point score is 3.34, and 7.6% of pupils achieved grades 5 or above across the EBacc subjects.

These figures point to a clear priority for families considering Ernulf, understand how the school is supporting catch up and consistency for pupils who arrive with gaps, and how it is building confidence and exam readiness across Years 9 to 11. (For comparison across nearby schools, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool are useful for viewing these measures side by side.)

Teaching and learning is presented as intentional and structured. The academy describes a knowledge rich curriculum built around “powerful knowledge”, with an approach that revisits key learning rather than treating topics as one and done. The implication for students is that lessons should connect over time, with frequent checking for understanding and planned retrieval, a good match for pupils who benefit from routine and clear expectations.

Reading is given explicit time in the day. The timetable includes a dedicated daily slot labelled Astrea Reads, positioned after lunch. This matters for outcomes because reading fluency and vocabulary affect performance across the full GCSE suite, not just English.

The January 2025 inspection also highlights curriculum redesign and the way it builds on prior learning, which aligns with a school focusing on sequencing and consistency. It is worth probing how this plays out by subject at Key Stage 4, particularly for pupils who may need additional scaffolding in science, humanities, and extended writing.

Because the academy serves students through Year 11, the key transition is post 16. Ernulf uses My Choice 16 for applications to post 16 providers within Cambridgeshire, and it explicitly notes that not all providers use the same system, particularly outside the county. The practical implication is that Year 11 students need a coordinated plan early in the year, especially if they are considering out of area sixth forms or specialist colleges.

Careers education also includes a structured work experience expectation in Year 10. All students are required to undertake a placement in the summer term, with preparation beginning at the start of Year 10 and a timetable of preparation events through the year. This can be a strong asset for pupils who learn best when school connects clearly to real workplaces, and it can also help refine post 16 choices before GCSE year pressure peaks.

Destination statistics are not published in the available dataset for this school, so the most reliable picture comes from discussing typical routes directly with the academy, including local sixth form and college options, and how the school supports applicants who need alternative pathways.

Admissions are coordinated through Cambridgeshire County Council for Year 7 entry, with published countywide deadlines and allocation processes for September 2026 entry. The council states that applications submitted by 31 October 2025 are treated as on time, and allocations can be viewed via the applicant portal on 02 March 2026. Cambridgeshire residents are then sent allocations by post on 24 April 2026. Late applications are handled separately, with different cut offs and processing.

Demand, as reflected in the latest available admissions data, indicates the school is oversubscribed, with 216 applications for 151 offers. That equates to around 1.43 applications per place offered. In practice, this level of oversubscription can still mean many local families secure a place, but it also means preferences and criteria matter, particularly for those applying from further away or with multiple local options.

The academy publishes its determined admissions policy documents for recent years, which is where families should verify priority criteria, tie breaks, and any defined catchment arrangements. The safest approach for families using distance as a strategy is to check your precise address against the relevant criteria and historical allocation patterns using FindMySchoolMap Search, then confirm details with the local authority before relying on proximity alone.

Open events follow a predictable seasonal pattern. The academy states that its Open Evening date for 2026 entry will be announced in September, and that the event usually takes place in late September from 6pm.

Pastoral support is presented as a core operational priority. The academy describes a dedicated pastoral team with a Head of Year and Pastoral Co ordinator for each year group, alongside a wellbeing team that includes a school therapy dog. The practical implication is that day to day support is designed to be consistent within year groups, rather than purely centralised.

The inspection report supports a picture of pupils feeling secure, and it also notes that a minority of pupils struggle with regular attendance and are supported to feel included. This is an important point for families weighing fit, it suggests the school recognises attendance as a key driver of outcomes and is trying to reduce exclusion from learning through targeted support.

Behaviour expectations are also tied to the phone free approach. For some students, removing phones reduces friction and social media spillover during the school day. For others, it can feel like a significant shift in autonomy, so it is worth asking how the school manages compliance, sanctions, and reintegration after incidents, especially for pupils who already find behaviour systems challenging.

Enrichment is not treated as an optional extra bolted on after school. A key feature is the weekly electives session described in the inspection report, where pupils choose activities that build skills and interests. For pupils who are not naturally drawn to traditional clubs, having enrichment embedded into the timetable can materially increase participation.

The academy publishes a Spring 2026 electives list which gives a concrete sense of range and tone. Options include Debate Club, Minecraft Education, Learning Portuguese, Eco Green Flag, and a Hydraulic Robot Arm activity that signals a practical STEM focus. Alongside these sit sports and performance strands such as NFL Flag Football (split by year groups), Netball, Boys Football, and a Spring Showcase themed around musicals, plus Cheerleading options covering stunts and choreography. The implication is that enrichment is being used both to broaden horizons and to build confidence through performance, teamwork, and practical problem solving.

More conventional support is also in place, including a Homework Club based in the library after the end of day line ups, with computer access for pupils who need it. Breakfast club runs every morning, opening at 8:00am, with pupils required on site by 8:15am to join that day. These practical offers matter for families balancing work schedules, transport, and home learning capacity.

The school day is clearly published. For Years 7 to 10, gates open at 8:25am and close at 8:35am, with the formal start sequence beginning at 8:35am and lessons running through to an end of day at 3:15pm. Year 11 students have additional Period 7 sessions on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, extending the day to 4:05pm on those days.

Breakfast club runs daily from 8:00am, and Homework Club runs after school in the library.

For transport, St Neots rail station is served by Great Northern and Thameslink services, which can be relevant for families commuting into town or for older pupils travelling independently as they approach Key Stage 4.

• Outcomes are still rebuilding. Progress 8 is -0.44 and the FindMySchool GCSE ranking sits below England average. Families should ask how subject departments are targeting catch up, how intervention is scheduled, and how homework expectations are monitored.

• A phone free day is a major cultural choice. The pouch system can reduce distraction and conflict during lessons, but it may not suit every student. Ask how the policy is enforced, what happens when phones are not secured correctly, and how the school supports pupils who struggle with the rule.

• Year 11 has a longer week. Extra Period 7 sessions on three days are useful for exam preparation but can affect travel, clubs, and after school responsibilities. This is worth planning for early, particularly for families relying on shared transport.

• Oversubscription still matters. The school is oversubscribed on the latest available admissions figures. If you are applying from outside the immediate area, confirm how priority is applied and avoid relying on assumptions about availability.

Ernulf Academy is a school in a clear systems driven improvement phase, with an inspection profile that has moved to Good across all key areas and a practical focus on routines, reading, and calmer classrooms. The extracurricular offer is unusually concrete for a mainstream 11 to 16, with a timetable based electives model that includes debate, STEM build projects, languages, and performance options alongside sport. The core challenge is outcomes, the current progress and attainment profile remains below England average, so families should weigh the improvement trajectory against their child’s need for academic momentum.

Who it suits, families wanting a structured day, clear behavioural expectations, embedded enrichment, and a phone free approach, particularly where consistency and routines support confidence and focus.