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Schools in Cottenham

A town in Cambridgeshire

  • Town
  • 5 schools and nurseries
  • 1,468 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. Missing school is a bigger problem than across England.

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

Cottenham at a glance

Strong results at 16, weaker attendance

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

DfE and Ofsted data, 2014 to 2026How we work this out
  • Schools and nurseries51 primary · 1 secondary · 2 nurseries
  • Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
  • Met the standard at 1161%England 62%
  • Grade 5 in English and maths57%Attainment 8 52.9, England 46.2
  • Free school meals, primary17%A sign of family income
  • Missed a lot of school21%England 18%
Top-rated

The highest-rated schools in Cottenham

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 Cottenham primary schools

Top Primary Schools in Cottenham

1 mainstream schools in Cottenham, best first

Cottenham Primary School

Cambridge, CB24 8TA · State · Primary · Ages 5 to 11

  • Ofsted:Good

Results close to the England average.

65 first choices, 65 offers made

Met the standard at 1161%

England 62%

Days missed
4.5%
Pupils
471
Pupils per teacher
21.7
View school Cottenham Primary School

Top Secondary Schools in Cottenham

1 mainstream schools in Cottenham, best first

Cottenham Village College

Cambridge, CB24 8UA · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 16

  • Ofsted:Good

Results above the England average.

104 first choices, 142 offers made

Attainment 8 at 1652.9

England 46.2

Days missed
8.4%
Pupils
860
Pupils per teacher
18.2
View school Cottenham Village College

Nurseries in Cottenham

2 in Cottenham, highest Ofsted grade first

Sixth Forms in Cottenham

1 in Cottenham, by the school's Eduscope score

The Centre School

Cambridge, CB24 8UA · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

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

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
22.8%
Pupils
137
Pupils per teacher
4.4
View school The Centre School

Special Schools in Cottenham

1 in Cottenham. Eduscope doesn't rank these.

The Centre School

Cambridge, CB24 8UA · Academy · Secondary · Ages 11 to 19

  • Ofsted:Good

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

Results

Not published for this kind of school.

Days missed
22.8%
Pupils
137
Pupils per teacher
4.4
View school The Centre School
The map

Every school in Cottenham, 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
Cottenham Primary School, GoodCottenham Village College, GoodThe Centre School, GoodChestnut @ Cottenham, OutstandingLadybird Pre-school, Good
  • Outstanding1
  • Good4
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 Cottenham by postcode

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

Cottenham vs England

How good are Cottenham'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 Cottenham

CottenhamEngland

  • Primaries rated Good or Outstanding

    Latest Ofsted grade, 1 primaries with one.

    100%

    England 96%

    Close to England

  • Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding

    1 of the 1 with a grade.

    100%

    England 93%

    Above England

  • Met the expected standard at 11

    Reading, writing and maths.

    61%

    England 62%

    Close to England

  • Grade 5 or above in English and maths

    At GCSE.

    57%

  • Pupils who miss a lot of school

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

    21%

    England 18%

    Worse than England

  • Primary pupils on free school meals

    A sign of family income, not of school quality.

    17%

Ofsted grades

Latest graded inspection for the 3 schools that have one.

100%

Good or Outstanding

  • Outstanding0
  • Good3
  • Requires improvement0
  • Inadequate0

How it has changed

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

Met the expected standard at 11
Covid gap50%70%90%20182019202320242025
61% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Covid gap40%55%70%2018201920222023202420252026
50% in 2026.
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Covid gap0%15%30%20142015201620172018201920212022202320242025
21% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
Living here

What it's like for families

Cottenham has 5 schools and nurseries.

Pupil numbers are about the same as in 2018.

17% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.

Pupil numbers

Pupils in Cottenham's state schools each January.

Up 0% since 2018.

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.

Cottenham17%

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 Cottenham

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 Cottenham

How many schools are in Cottenham?

Cottenham has 5 schools, including 1 primary school, 2 secondary schools, 2 nurseries, 1 special school. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.

What are the best schools in Cottenham?

The highest-ranked schools in Cottenham on Eduscope are Cottenham Village College, Cottenham 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 Cottenham are rated Good or Outstanding?

100% of inspected schools in Cottenham hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 0 schools rated Outstanding and 3 rated Good.

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

Across primary schools in Cottenham, 61% 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 Cottenham?

The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in Cottenham is 14.7:1. 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 Cottenham schools?

The persistent absence rate across schools in Cottenham is 21.3%. 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 Cottenham?

There are 1,468 pupils enrolled across schools in Cottenham, with 471 in primary and 997 in secondary. 23.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

How do I choose the right school in Cottenham?

Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 5 schools in Cottenham 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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