Sawston Village College

Academy · Secondary, ages 11 to 16 · Mixed

Part of ANGLIAN LEARNING

New Road, Sawston, Cambridge, CB22 3BP

01223 712777 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 6 November 2013; confirmed 2023
Grade 5 or above in English and maths61%England 45% · 2024/25
7th highest of 17 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Higher than 84% of 3,259 state secondary schools in England.
Pupils1,198Room for 1,140 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 1,056 in 2019, 1,084 in 2021, 1,128 in 2022, 1,171 in 2023, 1,162 in 2024, 1,194 in 2025, 1,198 in 2026. Across England, secondary state school pupil numbers were up 10% from 2019 to 2025.
First-choice applications per place1.0238 for 231 places, September 2026
8th highest of 16 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Higher than 66% of 3,219 state secondary schools in England.

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 6 November 2013.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Outcomes for pupilsGood
Leadership and managementGood

Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 5 May 2023: Ofsted found the school was still Good.

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

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Results

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

238 pupils in this year group.

61% — 12 points above the Cambridgeshire average, and 16 points above the England average.

MeasureThis schoolCambridgeshireEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths 61% 50% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. 55.5 48.1 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. 5.2 4.4 4.1
Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
40% 50% 60% 70% 80% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 64%This school 2023/24: 73%This school 2024/25: 61% This school England 45% 2022/23 64% 2023/24 73% 2024/25 61%

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

237 pupils in this year group.

95% — 2 points above the Cambridgeshire average, and 3 points above the England average.

Where pupils went after Year 11
This school 69%11%
England 34%13%37%
MeasureThis schoolCambridgeshireEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 95% 93% 92%
School sixth form 8% 24% 34%
Sixth form college 69% 32% 13%
Further education college 11% 29% 37%
Apprenticeship 3% 3% 3%
Work 3% 3% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
96%95%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Cambridgeshire. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

How hard is it to get in?

For the September 2026 intake there were about one first-choice application for every place.

Places offered231
Families who put it first238
Of those, offered a place219 (92%)
Families who listed it at all351

First-choice applications per place: 2024: 1.0 · 2025: 1.1 · 2026: 1.0

This isn't your chance of getting a place. That depends on the school's admissions rules (for example siblings, distance or faith) and where you live. Source: DfE applications and offers, September 2026 intake.

Admissions dates and schools in Cambridgeshire

Pupils, staff and SEND

PupilsThis schoolCambridgeshireEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years
14th highest of 18 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Higher than 19% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
16.2% 23.3%* 28.9%
With an education, health and care plan
7th highest of 18 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Higher than 69% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
3.9% 4.3%* 3.1%
Receiving special educational needs support
7th highest of 18 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Higher than 59% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
15.1% 11.1%* 13.4%
English as an additional language
13th highest of 18 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Higher than 50% of 3,448 state secondary schools in England.
12.1% 14.3%* 19.2%
Overall absence (sessions missed)
8th lowest of 17 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Lower than 64% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
7.5% 8.3%* 8.4%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more)
8th lowest of 17 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Lower than 77% of 3,411 state secondary schools in England.
17.5% 20.7%* 23.4%
Suspensions per 100 pupils
9th lowest of 18 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Lower than 78% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
6.2 13.6 21.2
Pupils suspended at least once
8th lowest of 18 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Lower than 76% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
3.8% 5.4% 7.3%
Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils 0.00% 0.06% 0.23%
Pupils per teacher
1st highest of 18 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Higher than 95% of 3,442 state secondary schools in England.
20.3 16.9 16.7
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff)
12th highest of 18 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Higher than 49% of 3,445 state secondary schools in England.
11.8 11.8 11.8
Teachers who left during the year
4th highest of 18 state secondary schools in Cambridge.
Higher than 88% of 3,430 state secondary schools in England.
23.3% 16.5%* 14.2%*

Comparisons are with secondary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

Questions parents ask

What is Sawston Village College's Ofsted rating?

Sawston Village College was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 6 November 2013. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 5 May 2023, Ofsted found the school was still Good.

How did Sawston Village College do in its GCSEs?

In 2024/25, 61% of pupils grade 5 or above in English and maths, 16 points above the England average of 45%.

Is Sawston Village College oversubscribed?

For the September 2026 intake, 238 families put Sawston Village College as their first choice for 231 places: about one first-choice application for every place. 219 of those families were offered a place. Whether you get a place depends on the school's admissions rules and where you live.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.