Spring Common Academy, Huntingdon
Spring Common Academy is a special school for pupils aged 2 to 19 in Huntingdon, part of Horizons Education Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2012)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Spring Common Academy in detail
Spring Common Academy in its own words
In its own words: "At Spring Common Academy, we have high expectations for all our pupils. Every moment is a learning moment, where we are committed to providing an ambitious, personalised education that supports our learners to develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to become as independent as possible in adulthood. We are a value-driven school."
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Spring Common Academy are Prestley Wood Academy (3.1 miles); and Aurora Fairway School (3.7 miles, Good).
The trust
Spring Common Academy is one of 3 schools run by Horizons Education Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
20 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Spring Common Academy (as of September 2025): 75% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 17% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (90%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (17%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 10 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 50% to a further education college.
Who goes there
50.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 10.4% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%), Asian (8%) and Mixed (6%).
Almost every pupil at Spring Common Academy has an education, health and care plan (211 of 211 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Spring Common Academy provides for pupils with autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Huntingdon Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Coldhams North (opposite), 100 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 231 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Cambridgeshire (57), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
Spring Common Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from December 2012, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school creates warm, caring environments where pupils develop positive relationships with staff and peers. Staff work hard to support pupils' medical and therapeutic needs, partnering effectively with health professionals. Pupils enjoy activities like careers events and volunteering that build confidence and prepare them for life after school.
Key Strengths
- Warm, caring relationships between staff and pupils that help them stay focused and engaged
- Effective use of sensory and practical teaching methods in areas like hydrotherapy and swimming
- Strong advocacy for pupils' additional needs, working well with health professionals and external specialists
- Improving attendance, behaviour and sense of safety through effective policies and systems
- Positive behaviour celebrated regularly through assemblies and reward schemes
Areas for Improvement
- Curriculum lacks clear definition of what knowledge and skills pupils should learn at each stage
- Teaching of phonics and reading is inconsistent, with pupils sometimes staying on the same book too long
- Early years staff lack sufficient guidance on using high-quality equipment effectively
- Communication strategies are not used consistently across staff, limiting pupils' independence
- Leadership of curriculum areas needs stronger subject knowledge to support teaching quality
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and support pupils' attendance and wellbeing.
Extracurricular Activities
School council, exchange programme with Belgian school, careers events, volunteering in shops and schools, hydrotherapy, swimming
Spring Common Academy is a special school for pupils aged 2-19, all of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school requires improvement overall, though staff-pupil relationships are warm and behaviour is generally good.
At a Glance
50.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
Autism, MLD, SLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
20 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 2 nearby schools
Social & online
Keep up with Spring Common Academy
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Spring Common Academy from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Spring Common 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
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
211 pupils
210 places
1 pupil over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Huntingdon
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Huntingdon
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.
Inspection History(4)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
211
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Spring Common Academy provides for pupils with autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
211
Total Pupils
147
Boys
64
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
27
Teachers
7.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,880
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
14.0%
Overall absence
40.7%
Persistent absence
189
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
Questions parents ask about Spring Common Academy
What are SATs results like at Spring Common Academy?
Of the pupils at Spring Common Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is Spring Common Academy's Ofsted rating?
Spring Common Academy's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in December 2012, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Spring Common Academy?
No fixed boundary. When Spring Common Academy is oversubscribed, Cambridgeshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Spring Common Academy?
Spring Common Academy has around 211 pupils on roll. 50% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Spring Common Academy have specialist SEN provision?
Spring Common Academy provides for pupils with autism, moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Spring Common Academy?
14% of sessions were missed at Spring Common Academy in 2024/25. 40.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Spring Common Academy?
Apply through Cambridgeshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Spring Common Academy on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Spring Common Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 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 Spring Common Academy?
Spring Common Academy is at American Lane, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, PE29 1TQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)