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Schools in Cambridge

A town in Cambridgeshire

  • Town
  • 104 schools and nurseries
  • 14,649 pupils

In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are close to England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.

Three children with backpacks crossing a street
A red-brick school building under a blue sky

Cambridge at a glance

Ahead of England on results at 16

How Cambridge's schools compare with England, area by area.

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries10428 primary · 8 secondary · 47 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better94%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1162%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths66%Attainment 8 58.2, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary25%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school16%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Cambridge

Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.

All Cambridge primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Cambridge

28 mainstream schools in Cambridge, best first

Milton Road Primary School

Cambridge, CB4 2BD · State · Primary · Ages 5 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good or better

Results well above the England average.

95 first choices, 59 offers made

Met the standard at 1174%

England 62%

Days missed
3.4%
Pupils
424
Pupils per teacher
26.0
View school Milton Road Primary School

Top Secondary Schools in Cambridge

8 mainstream schools in Cambridge, best first

St Bede's Inter-Church School

Cambridge, CB1 3TD · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

288 first choices, 177 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1662.9

England 46.2

Days missed
6.8%
Pupils
943
Pupils per teacher
15.5
View school St Bede's Inter-Church School

Chesterton Community College

Cambridge, CB4 3NY · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding in every area

Results well above the England average.

293 first choices, 174 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1665.4

England 46.2

Days missed
5.5%
Pupils
1,126
Pupils per teacher
14.1
View school Chesterton Community College

Parkside Community College

Cambridge, CB1 1EH · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Outstanding

Results well above the England average.

135 first choices, 113 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1665.9

England 46.2

Days missed
6.2%
Pupils
667
Pupils per teacher
20.1
View school Parkside Community College

Nurseries in Cambridge

47 in Cambridge, highest Ofsted grade first

Sixth Forms in Cambridge

16 in Cambridge, by the school's Eduscope score

Chesterton Community College

Cambridge, CB4 3NY · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Outstanding in every area

Results well above the England average.

293 first choices, 174 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1665.4

England 46.2

Days missed
5.5%
Pupils
1,126
Pupils per teacher
14.1
View school Chesterton Community College

The Netherhall School

Cambridge, CB1 8NN · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 18

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

154 first choices, 201 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1646.8

England 46.2

Days missed
10.1%
Pupils
1,259
Pupils per teacher
19.3
View school The Netherhall School

Special Schools in Cambridge

2 in Cambridge. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Holme Court School

Cambridge, CB1 8DW · Independent · All-through · Ages 7 to 16

  • Ofsted:Good

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
40
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Holme Court School

Castle School, Cambridge

Cambridge, CB4 2EE · Special · All-through · Ages 2 to 19

  • Ofsted:Requires improvement

Specialist provision. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
12.0%
Pupils
233
Pupils per teacher
6.1
View school Castle School, Cambridge

Private Schools in Cambridge

16 in Cambridge. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

Mander Portman Woodward

Cambridge, CB2 1JE · Independent · Secondary · Ages 14 to 20

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
133
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Mander Portman Woodward

Abbey College Cambridge

Cambridgeshire, CB2 8EB · Independent · Secondary · Ages 12 to 21

  • ISI:Inspected

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
337
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Abbey College Cambridge

Cambridge Muslim Secondary School

Cambridge, CB1 3RH · Independent · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16 · Girls

  • Ofsted:Expected standard in every area

Independent school. Results aren't published in the same way.

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
–
Pupils
8
Pupils per teacher
–
View school Cambridge Muslim Secondary School
The map

Every school in Cambridge, on one map

Each dot is a school or nursery, coloured by its latest Ofsted grade. Point at a dot to see its name, or use the list.

See them as a list
Show
Holme Court School, GoodThe Fields Nursery School, GoodHomerton Early Years Centre, Expected standard or betterBrunswick Nursery School, Strong standard in every areaColleges Nursery School, Expected standard or betterMorley Memorial Primary School, GoodNewnham Croft Primary School, GoodArbury Primary School, GoodShirley Community Primary School, GoodColville Primary School, Good in every areaMayfield Primary School, GoodThe Grove Primary School, GoodBewick Bridge Community Primary School, Strong standard in every areaSt Matthew's Primary School, GoodQueen Edith Primary School, GoodThe Spinney Primary School, Expected standard in every areaFawcett Primary School, Needs attention in 1 areaKings Hedges Primary School, GoodCherry Hinton Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, GoodPark Street CofE Primary School, GoodSt Pauls CofE VA Primary School, Needs attention in 1 areaSt Philip's CofE Aided Primary School, Needs attention in 3 areasSt Mary's School, InspectedSt Faith's School, InspectedKing's College School, InspectedThe Leys School, InspectedSt John's College School, InspectedSancton Wood School, InspectedThe Perse School, InspectedThe Stephen Perse Foundation, InspectedMander Portman Woodward, InspectedSt. Andrew's College Cambridge, InspectedCambridge Arts and Sciences (CATS and CSVPA), InspectedRidgefield Primary School, GoodMilton Road Primary School, Good or betterCastle School, Cambridge, Requires improvementOrchard Park Community Primary School, Safeguarding not metHeritage School, InspectedAbbey College Cambridge, InspectedQueen Emma Primary School, GoodParkside Community College, OutstandingColeridge Community College, GoodTrumpington Meadows Primary School, GoodChesterton Community College, Outstanding in every areaKing's Hedges Nursery School, GoodSt Bede's Inter-Church School, OutstandingNorth Cambridge Academy, GoodChesterton Primary School, GoodCambridge Academy for Science and Technology, GoodThe Netherhall School, GoodOA - Cambridge, GoodTrumpington Park Primary School, Expected standard or betterTrumpington Community College, GoodThe Galfrid School, GoodSt Luke's CofE Primary School, Requires improvementSt Laurence Catholic Primary School, GoodCardiff Sixth Form College, Cambridge, InspectedCambridge Maths School, Exceptional in every areaSt Alban's Catholic Primary School, Good or betterLong Road Sixth Form College, GoodCambridge Muslim Secondary School, Expected standard in every areaHills Road Sixth Form College, OutstandingUniversity Nursery Edwinstowe Close, Strong standard in every areaBunnybrookes Day Nursery, Expected standard in every areaBright Horizons Fulbourn Day Nursery & Preschool, Expected standard in every areaSmiths Children, GoodBright Horizons Wolfson Court Day Nursery and Preschool, OutstandingPatacake Day Nursery, GoodUnder Fives Roundabout, GoodClarence House Cambridge, GoodMillington Road Nursery School, OutstandingRomsey Mill Pre-school (Hemingford Road), GoodButterfly Day Nursery, GoodStephen Perse Nurseries Salisbury Villas, OutstandingACE Day Nursery, OutstandingACE Nursery School, OutstandingSeesaw Pre-school, GoodMonkey Puzzle Day Nursery Cambridge, GoodMrs Cameron Day Nursery, GoodChestnut@Chesterton, GoodRainbow Day Nursery, OutstandingCambridge Montessori, GoodMonkey Puzzle Day Nursery And Preschool Grange Road, GoodBright Horizons Long Road Day Nursery And Preschool, GoodPeek A Boo Nursery, GoodUniversity of West Cambridge Day Nursery, OutstandingKids Planet Chris Abell, OutstandingTwizzle Tops Day Nursery, GoodNewnham Nursery, GoodSancton Wood School, Baby Unicorns Nursery, GoodPlaylanders Playgroup (St Georges Church Hall), GoodKids R Us Trumpington ParkN Family Club Cambridge, GoodHarvey Road Day Nursery Ltd, GoodLittle Explorers Montessori Nursery Limited, GoodThe Joint Colleges Nursery (Cambridge) Limited, GoodKindred Cambridge, GoodMoonbeams Preschool, GoodOaks NurseryBright Horizons Cambridge Milton Road Day Nursery and PreschoolArbury Preschool, Expected standard in every areaLittle DISCoveries Day Nursery and PreschoolBarton Road Day Nursery (Pembroke and Queen's College)Language Nursery Ross Street
  • Outstanding11
  • Good51
  • Requires improvement2
  • Not graded yet40
Before you apply

Apply through the council where you live

Your home council handles your application, wherever the school is. Living nearby doesn't guarantee a place: each school's admission rules decide.

Postcodes

Browse Cambridge by postcode

Some areas, like parts of a bigger town, are easiest to find by postcode.

Cambridge vs England

How good are Cambridge's schools?

Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.

Worked out by Eduscope from each school's published figures. Not an official statistic for this town.

Numbers that sum up Cambridge

CambridgeEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 18 primaries with one.

    94%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    7 of the 7 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    62%

    England 62%

    Close to England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    66%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

    Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.

    16%

    England 18%

    Better than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    25%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 32 schools that have one.

94%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding3
  • Good27
  • Requires improvement2
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

Cambridge in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%65%80%20182019202320242025
62% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap50%65%80%2018201920222023202420252026
66% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
16% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Cambridge has 104 schools and nurseries.

There are 7% more pupils than in 2018, but numbers have fallen since 2025.

25% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Cambridge's state schools each January.

Up 7% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.

Free school meals

Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.

Cambridge25%

Dates to know

Apply through your local council, even for academies and faith schools.

  • 31 OctSecondary deadlineFor children starting Year 7.
  • 15 JanPrimary deadlineFor children starting Reception.
  • 1 MarSecondary offersOffers day for Year 7 places.
  • 16 AprPrimary offersOffers day for Reception places.

Keep up with schools in Cambridge

Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.

Questions

Questions parents ask about Cambridge

How many schools are in Cambridge?

Cambridge has 104 schools, including 39 primary schools, 24 secondary schools, 47 nurseries, 16 independent schools, 2 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Cambridge?

The highest-ranked schools in Cambridge on Eduscope are St Bede's Inter-Church School, St Alban's Catholic Primary School, Bewick Bridge Community Primary School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.

What percentage of schools in Cambridge are rated Good or Outstanding?

94% of inspected schools in Cambridge hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is below the England average of 94.8%. This includes 3 schools rated Outstanding and 27 rated Good.

How do primary schools in Cambridge perform at Key Stage 2?

Across primary schools in Cambridge, 62% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.

What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in Cambridge?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Cambridge is 17.5:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.

What is the persistent absence rate in Cambridge schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Cambridge is 16.1%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.

How many pupils attend schools in Cambridge?

There are 14,649 pupils enrolled across schools in Cambridge, with 7,650 in primary and 6,541 in secondary. 25.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How many private schools are in Cambridge?

There are 16 independent schools in Cambridge. Fees vary by school and age group, with day school fees typically ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 per year. You can compare all private schools in Cambridge on Eduscope, including ISI inspection ratings where available.

How do I choose the right school in Cambridge?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 104 schools in Cambridge by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.

Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.

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