Sir Harry Smith Community College, Peterborough

In its own words: "Children living in the areas served by the following primary schools: Coates Primary School, Park Lane Primary School, New Road Primary School, Alderman Jacobs Primary School, Heritage Park Primary School and Duke of Bedford Primary School. Students will be admitted into Year 7 without reference to ability or aptitude. All preferences are treated equally."

In 2026, pupils at Sir Harry Smith Community College averaged an Attainment 8 score of 38.6, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 50.3 in Cambridgeshire and 47 across England.

32% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 52% in Cambridgeshire and 47% in England.

That is down from 40.6 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was -0.66: pupils made well below 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 27.1, against 42.3 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.2 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 21 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and Business Studies.

For September 2026 entry, 190 families put Sir Harry Smith Community College as their first choice and 229 named it as one of their preferences, for 206 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Sir Harry Smith Community College are Stanground Academy (4.6 miles, Good, Attainment 8 46.9); St John Fisher Catholic High School (4.6 miles); and City of Peterborough Academy (4.7 miles, Good, Attainment 8 42.2).

Each of them had higher 2026 results than Sir Harry Smith Community College.

Sir Harry Smith Community College is one of 3 schools run by Aspire Learning Trust (whittlesey), an academy trust.

61 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Sir Harry Smith Community College (as of September 2025): 43% would recommend the school, 53% say their child is happy there and 29% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (57%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (29%).

Of the 176 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 76% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 48% to a further education college, 7% to an apprenticeship and 5% into work.

Of the 58 students who left the sixth form in 2023/24, 47% went on to university or other higher education, 9% to apprenticeships and 28% into work. 9% went to one of the most selective third of universities.

5.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The nearest railway station is Whittlesea Rail Station, about 1030 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is H&R Coronation Avenue (n-bound), 130 metres away.

In 2024/25, Sir Harry Smith Community College issued 394 suspensions, 35.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to Sir Harry Smith Community College are Alderman Jacobs School (0.2 miles), New Road Primary & Nursery School (0.6 miles) and Park Lane Primary & Nursery School (0.7 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.