Chesterton Community College, Cambridge

In its own words: "We ensure students are equipped with the requisite ‘powerful knowledge’ across a truly broad range of subject areas to make the transition to young adulthood with the ability to debate and discuss key ideas related to academic disciplines and our wider society."

From the headteacher's welcome: "Our school ethos is the foundation for all of our work. The ethos was created in consultation with all members of our community and it focuses on mutual respect and creating an environment where everyone can flourish. Our curriculum sits at the heart of what we do in and out of the classroom."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, cricket, tennis, athletics, basketball, badminton, dance, drama, choir and orchestra.

In 2026, pupils at Chesterton Community College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 65.4, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.3 in Cambridgeshire and 47 across England.

73% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 52% in Cambridgeshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 68 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 1.05: pupils made well above average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 40.3, against 70.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 30.1 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 27 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Social Studies, Geography and Combined Science.

For September 2026 entry, 293 families put Chesterton Community College as their first choice and 633 named it as one of their preferences, for 174 places offered. That is 1.7 first choices for every place. 121 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Chesterton Community College are North Cambridge Academy (0.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 48.6); Parkside Community College (1 mile, Outstanding, Attainment 8 65.9); Impington Village College (2.1 miles, Good, Attainment 8 61.4); and Coleridge Community College (2.2 miles, Good, Attainment 8 58.7).

Chesterton Community College's 2026 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.

Chesterton Community College is one of 8 schools run by Eastern Learning Alliance, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 54.7 in 2024/25.

186 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Chesterton Community College (as of September 2025): 90% would recommend the school, 91% say their child is happy there and 64% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (64%).

Of the 196 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 92% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 11% to a further education college, 1% to an apprenticeship and 2% into work.

Of the 22 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 46% went on to university or other higher education and 23% into work.

16.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 119 pupils (10.6%) received SEN support and 36 (3.2%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.

Chesterton Community College had 88 teachers in 2026, one for every 13 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical secondary school, at about one for every 17.

The nearest railway station is Cambridge North Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Courtney Way (opposite), 230 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Chesterton Community College stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 675 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cambridgeshire (57), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Chesterton Community College issued 85 suspensions, 7.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Chesterton Community College are St Luke's CofE Primary School (0.3 miles), Milton Road Primary School (0.3 miles), Arbury Primary School (0.4 miles) and Park Street CofE Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.