North Cambridge Academy, Cambridge
North Cambridge Academy is a secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Cambridge, part of Meridian Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2026 GCSE results were the 16th-highest of the 17 schools in Cambridge with published results, and 1,201st of 3,298 across England. It was 81% full in 2025.
- GCSE results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
- Progress (2024)
- Above average
Year 7 applications for September 2027 close in 5 days
Deadline Saturday 31 October 2026. Apply to Cambridgeshire (the council where you live). Offers on 1 March.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
North Cambridge Academy in detail
North Cambridge Academy in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is my honour and privilege to introduce myself as the Principal of North Cambridge Academy (NCA). I am extremely proud to lead this growing school which has consistently excellent student progress outcomes and is rated Good by Ofsted."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, gymnastics, basketball, dance, drama, orchestra, photography and homework club.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2026, pupils at North Cambridge Academy averaged an Attainment 8 score of 48.6, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.3 in Cambridgeshire and 47 across England.
40% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 52% in Cambridgeshire and 47% in England.
That is up from 43.9 in 2025.
Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.19: pupils made 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 40.8, against 55.4 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 14.6 points.
Pupils sat GCSEs in 22 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, Sports Studies and Art and Design.
Getting a place at North Cambridge Academy
For September 2026 entry, 68 families put North Cambridge Academy as their first choice and 180 named it as one of their preferences, for 150 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at North Cambridge Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state secondary schools to North Cambridge Academy are Chesterton Community College (0.7 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 65.4); Parkside Community College (1.5 miles, Outstanding, Attainment 8 65.9); Impington Village College (1.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 61.4); and Coleridge Community College (2.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 58.7).
Each of them had higher 2026 results than North Cambridge Academy.
Chesterton Community CollegeParkside Community CollegeImpington Village CollegeColeridge Community College
The trust
North Cambridge Academy is one of 36 schools run by Meridian Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 46.9 in 2024/25.
What parents say
59 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about North Cambridge Academy (as of September 2025): 64% would recommend the school, 70% say their child is happy there and 48% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (76%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (48%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 128 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 79% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 26% to a further education college and 5% into work.
Who goes there
51.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 34.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (43%), Asian (15%) and Mixed (11%).
In 2026, 108 pupils (15.7%) received SEN support and 43 (6.3%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Cambridge North Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Nursery School (opposite), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood North Cambridge Academy stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 416 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.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, North Cambridge Academy issued 286 suspensions, 41.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Primary schools nearby
The primary schools closest to North Cambridge Academy are The Grove Primary School (0.2 miles), Arbury Primary School (0.4 miles), Kings Hedges Primary School (0.5 miles) and Milton Road Primary School (0.5 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.
The Grove Primary SchoolArbury Primary SchoolKings Hedges Primary SchoolMilton Road Primary School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; Ofsted Parent View; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Cambridgeshire published that the last place for 2024 entry went to a family 4.031 miles away (straight line). The cut-off moves every year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
North Cambridge Academy creates high ambitions for all pupils and provides a welcoming, diverse community where pupils feel respected and cared for. The school excels at building pupils' confidence and independence through varied enrichment activities and strong careers guidance, helping them progress to a range of appropriate colleges and workplaces. Teachers have good subject knowledge and support most pupils well, with additional effective support available through the 'Hub' for pupils who need it.
Key Strengths
- Strong careers guidance and links with local businesses and universities that broaden pupils' horizons and build confidence
- Effective support for pupils with reading difficulties and special educational needs through the 'Hub' and targeted interventions
- Good behaviour routines and improved attendance due to strong work with families to break down barriers
- Rich range of clubs, leadership opportunities and 'PLEDGES' award that build pupils' confidence and independence
- Well-trained staff with good subject knowledge who generally support pupils' learning effectively in the classroom
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching needs to be more consistently adapted to meet the varying needs of all pupils, particularly those with SEND, as some pupils are not learning as well as they could in certain areas
- Ongoing work needed to ensure all staff consistently adapt lessons to support pupils' additional needs effectively
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Community cafe, clubs, leadership opportunities, PLEDGES award, curriculum trips, flatpack days with external visitors
North Cambridge Academy is a welcoming secondary school that has successfully maintained its good standards. The school has high ambitions for its pupils and supports them well to achieve and progress to appropriate next steps.
About
North Cambridge Academy is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school with academy status, located in the suburb of King's Hedges in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1959 the school was previously known as Manor Community College, and The Manor.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
51.5%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
59 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Secondary Performance (GCSE)
Academic year 2025/26GCSE Results
2025/26 academic year
Progress 8 has declined from 0.36 to 0.19 (2023 to 2024). Attainment 8 has improved from 48.3 to 48.6 (2023 to 2026). GCSE English & Maths 5+ has improved from 33% to 40% (2023 to 2026).
Performance by Group
| Group | Progress 8 | Attainment 8 | Eng+Maths 5+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| All pupils | - | 48.6 | 40.2% |
| Disadvantaged(57) | - | 40.8 | 26.3% |
| Not known to be disadvantaged(65) | - | 55.4 | 52.3% |
| Boys(60) | - | 46.8 | 40% |
| Girls(62) | - | 50.3 | 40.3% |
Show more breakdowns (2)
| Known or believed to be other than English(49) | - | 54.1 | 49% |
| Non mobile(116) | - | 48.7 | 40.5% |
2025/26 academic year - DfE performance tables data
GCSE Subjects Offered
+ 2 more subjects
2025/26 academic year - entries by number of pupils
After GCSEs - Leaver Destinations
After GCSEs (Year 11) - 128 students
2023/24 data
Exclusions & Suspensions
1
Permanent exclusions
0.15%
Exclusion rate
286
Suspensions
41.51%
Suspension rate
85 pupils received one or more suspensions out of 689 pupils
2024/25 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby secondary schools
Latest from North Cambridge Academy
From North Cambridge Academy's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with North Cambridge Academy
Term dates
North Cambridge Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Cambridgeshire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to North Cambridge Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. North Cambridge Academy is in Cambridgeshire; for families living there:
- Cambridgeshire's school travel policy: School Travel Assistance Policy - Mainstream September 2025 326KB - pdf
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 14
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 11 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at North Cambridge Academy
Will you get a place at North Cambridge Academy? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against North Cambridge Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for North Cambridge Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to North Cambridge Academy.
- Last distance offered for 2024 entry, from Cambridgeshire's own figures, and how your distance compares each year.
- Applications, first choices and offers at North Cambridge Academy for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Cambridgeshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
81%
Available places
687 pupils
849 places
162 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Cambridge
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Cambridge
Across Cambridgeshire council
Places available
7,228
Applications
6,755
Got 1st preference
88.3%
Got preferred school
96.6%
All secondary applications across Cambridgeshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
108
SEN Support
43
EHC Plans
22.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
687
Total Pupils
335
Boys
352
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
47
Teachers
14.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,544
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,743
Per pupil
£5874k
Total funding
£369k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
10.1%
Overall absence
27.8%
Persistent absence
709
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
North Cambridge Academy
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about North Cambridge Academy
What are GCSE results like at North Cambridge Academy?
In the 2026 results, pupils at North Cambridge Academy achieved an Attainment 8 score of 48.6. 40% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is North Cambridge Academy's Ofsted rating?
North Cambridge Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2015, it was rated Good.
How close to North Cambridge Academy do you need to live?
Cambridgeshire published for September 2024 entry that the last place offered at North Cambridge Academy on distance went to a family 4.031 miles away. This is the authority's own figure for one year, not a fixed boundary - the cut-off moves with the number of applications, so treat it as a guide rather than a guarantee.
Is it hard to get a place at North Cambridge Academy?
North Cambridge Academy was not full in 2025: it ran at 81% of its 849 places.
How big are the classes at North Cambridge Academy?
Classes at North Cambridge Academy average 22.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to North Cambridge Academy?
North Cambridge Academy has around 687 pupils on roll. 52% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at North Cambridge Academy?
10.1% of sessions were missed at North Cambridge Academy in 2024/25. 27.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to North Cambridge Academy?
Apply through Cambridgeshire's coordinated admissions process, naming North Cambridge Academy on your application. Applications for Year 7 places starting in September 2027 close on Saturday 31 October 2026, and offers are made on Monday 1 March 2027.
How many road collisions happen near North Cambridge Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 14 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 11 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 4 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Cambridgeshire is 5 (the median across 312 schools, same distance and years).
Where is North Cambridge Academy?
North Cambridge Academy is at Arbury Road, Kings Hedges, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB4 2JF.
Sources: Cambridgeshire admissions booklet; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)