Best Secondary Schools in Cambridgeshire 2026

Ranked by Ofsted rating, exam results, attendance, and class sizes. 33 schools across Cambridgeshire. Updated with 2025–26 data.

Cambridgeshire has 33 open secondary schools. Of the 32 with a published Ofsted inspection, 7 (22%) held a historic grade of Outstanding and 84% held Good or Outstanding — these are the last single-word grades from before Ofsted retired them on 10 November 2025 (how we treat Ofsted data). On our composite Schools Near Me score, Parkside Community College currently leads the local rankings. Closed schools are excluded from every list on this page.

Use the ranked table below to compare schools side by side, then open any school for the full picture. Application deadlines in Cambridgeshire follow the national calendar: 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively.

33
Total schools
7
Outstanding (historic grade)
22%
of inspected schools (pre-Nov-2025)
60.1%
Avg KS2 SATs
36.7
Avg GCSE A8
All schools Primary Secondary
Rank School Ofsted (historic) SNM Score
🥇 Parkside Community College
Secondary
 Outstanding 89 View school
🥈 St Bede's Inter-Church School
Secondary
 Outstanding 87 View school
🥉 Swavesey Village College
Secondary
 Outstanding 78 View school
4. Soham Village College
Secondary
 Outstanding 74 View school
5. Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology
Secondary
 Good 74 View school
6. Chesterton Community College
Secondary
 Outstanding 73 View school
7. Sawston Village College
Secondary
 Good 72 View school
8. Coleridge Community College
Secondary
 Good 71 View school
9. Linton Village College
Secondary
 Good 68 View school
10. Cottenham Village College
Secondary
 Good 67 View school
11. Hinchingbrooke School
Secondary
 Good 65 View school
12. Trumpington Community College
Secondary
 Good 65 View school
13. Ely College
Secondary
 Good 65 View school
14. Sawtry Village Academy
Secondary
 Good 64 View school
15. Longsands Academy
Secondary
 Good 63 View school
16. Bassingbourn Village College
Secondary
 Good 62 View school
17. St Ivo Academy
Secondary
 Good 61 View school
18. Impington Village College
Secondary
 Good 61 View school
19. Abbey College, Ramsey
Secondary
 Good 60 View school
20. The Netherhall School
Secondary
 Good 59 View school

Ranked by the Schools Near Me score. Ofsted grades shown are each school's last single-word grade from before 10 November 2025, when Ofsted retired single-word overall judgements — they are historic and not comparable to the new report cards. How we use Ofsted data. Closed schools are excluded.

Related lists for Cambridgeshire

Best primary schools in CambridgeshireTop-ranked Reception–Year 6 Best secondary schools in CambridgeshireTop-ranked Year 7 onwards All schools in CambridgeshirePrimary & secondary combined Primary schools in CambridgeshireReception–Year 6 only How the Schools Near Me score worksOur ranking methodology, explained

Nearby areas

Schools in PeterboroughCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in BedfordCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in North NorthamptonshireCompare neighbouring authoritySchools in Central BedfordshireCompare neighbouring authority

See full data for any school in Cambridgeshire

Catchment distances, exam trends, SEN data, attendance, and more — all in one place.

Search schools in Cambridgeshire

Frequently asked questions

How many secondary schools are there in Cambridgeshire?
There are 33 open secondary schools in Cambridgeshire (closed schools are excluded). 7 of the 32 with a published inspection held a historic Ofsted grade of Outstanding (the last single-word grade before single-word grades were retired on 10 November 2025).
What are the best-rated secondary schools in Cambridgeshire?
On our Schools Near Me score, the top-ranked secondary school in Cambridgeshire is Parkside Community College. The full ranked table above lists the top 20 schools with their score and last historic Ofsted grade. We never list closed schools.
How is the Schools Near Me score calculated?
The Schools Near Me score is a 0–100 composite combining the school's last historic Ofsted grade, published exam and assessment results, attendance and pupil–teacher ratio. It is not an Ofsted rating. Full methodology: https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#score
Are Ofsted single-word grades still current in Cambridgeshire?
No. Ofsted retired single-word overall grades (Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate) on 10 November 2025 and replaced them with report cards. Any single-word grade shown on this page is the school's last historic grade from before that date and is not comparable to the new report cards. See https://schoolsnearme.ai/methodology#ofsted
How do I apply for a school place in Cambridgeshire?
Primary and secondary applications in Cambridgeshire are coordinated by the local authority on the national timetable: apply by 31 October for Year 7 secondary entry and by 15 January for Reception primary entry, with offers on 1 March and 16 April respectively. Check the Cambridgeshire council website for local forms and any in-year rules.

Data sourced from Ofsted, Department for Education, and ISI. School rankings reflect the Schools Near Me composite score combining Ofsted ratings, exam results, attendance, and pupil-teacher ratios. Last updated April 2026.