The Bellbird Primary School, Cambridge
The Bellbird Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Cambridge. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in July 2024. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 27th-highest of the 76 schools in Cambridge with published results, and 5,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Cambridgeshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Bellbird Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 85% of Year 6 pupils at The Bellbird Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 78% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 74% in Cambridgeshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (81% in reading, 84% in maths).
Getting a place at The Bellbird Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 46 families put The Bellbird Primary School as their first choice and 71 named it as one of their preferences, for 46 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at The Bellbird Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Bellbird Primary School are The Icknield Primary School (0.4 miles, 76% reading, 69% maths); William Westley Church of England VC Primary School (1 mile, Good, 77% reading, 84% maths); Stapleford Community Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 89% reading, 86% maths); and Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School (1.7 miles, Outstanding, 81% reading, 94% maths).
The Bellbird Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
The Icknield Primary SchoolWilliam Westley Church of England VC Primary SchoolStapleford Community Primary SchoolBabraham CofE (VC) Primary School
Who goes there
14.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 56 pupils (13.1%) received SEN support and 12 (2.8%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Whittlesford Parkway Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Chapelfield Way (opposite), 30 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 28 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cambridgeshire (57).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Bellbird Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; 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
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils at The Bellbird enjoy the subjects they study. They particularly enjoy learning about famous musicians or how to play musical instruments. The school has raised its expectations for what pupils can achieve. Being independent and working hard during lessons helps pupils to achieve well. The chance to represent the school in English and mathematics competitions inspires pupils to try their best.
Lunchtime is an enjoyable part of the day. Pupils of different age groups mix well together on the playground and in the dining hall. Year 6 pupils eagerly volunteer to run clubs for younger pupils, such as singing or arts and crafts. They value their role as 'buddies' for children in the Reception Year. Democratically elected school councillors are proud of what they do. They love to see the equipment they have ordered used by their peers. This all helps pupils to learn how to be responsible and reliable.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has made recent improvements to the curriculum. It has broken down, and sequenced, important content into smaller building blocks of knowledge. Staff teach this well. This helps pupils to secure their understanding over time. For example, in mathematics, pupils become increasingly adept in their use of number. This helps them to solve more complex mathematical problems.
Staff present information clearly to pupils. Typically, they check how well pupils learn through well-considered questions. For example, in the Reception Year, teachers probe children's understanding of language effectively. This helps children to develop and improve their vocabulary. In some subjects, the way staff check pupils' understanding lacks precision. Here, the school does not have a secure enough understanding of some of the pupils' gaps in knowledge. This can lead to some pupils not doing as well as they should in some subjects.
From Ofsted's July 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its July 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
14.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 81% to 85% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 84% to 78% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 53% to 72% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.4
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
30.8
KS2
14
Total classes
4 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Bellbird Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Bellbird Primary School.
- Premier Wraparound Care at The Bellbird Primary SchoolAt the school · Not yet graded
- Premier Wraparound Carer at The Icknield Primary School750m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
The Bellbird Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Cambridgeshire. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Bellbird Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Bellbird Primary School 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
- 9
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 6 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
2 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 The Bellbird Primary School
Will you get a place at The Bellbird Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Bellbird Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Bellbird Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Bellbird Primary School.
- Cambridgeshire publishes last distance offered figures, but none for The Bellbird Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Bellbird Primary School 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
99%
Near capacity
416 pupils
420 places
4 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
8,107
Applications
6,292
Got 1st preference
94.7%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Cambridgeshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
56
SEN Support
12
EHC Plans
16.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
426
Total Pupils
195
Boys
231
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
17.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,278
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,139
Per pupil
£2322k
Total funding
£100k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.5%
Overall absence
7.7%
Persistent absence
364
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
The Bellbird Primary School
Questions parents ask about The Bellbird Primary School
What are SATs results like at The Bellbird Primary School?
Of the pupils at The Bellbird Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 85% reached the expected standard in reading and 78% did so in maths.
What is The Bellbird Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The Bellbird Primary School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024.
What is the catchment area for The Bellbird Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When The Bellbird Primary School is oversubscribed, Cambridgeshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Bellbird Primary School?
The Bellbird Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at The Bellbird Primary School?
Classes at The Bellbird Primary School average 30.4 pupils (2025/26). 4 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to The Bellbird Primary School?
The Bellbird Primary School has around 426 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Bellbird Primary School?
3.5% of sessions were missed at The Bellbird Primary School in 2024/25. 7.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Bellbird Primary School?
Apply through Cambridgeshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Bellbird Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does The Bellbird Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Premier Wraparound Care at The Bellbird Primary School (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are The Bellbird Primary School's term dates?
The Bellbird Primary School is a community school, so its term dates are set by Cambridgeshire. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Wednesday 1 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 31 March 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Tuesday 18 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near The Bellbird Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 6 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 2 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 The Bellbird Primary School?
The Bellbird Primary School is at Link Road, Sawston, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3GB.
Sources: Cambridgeshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)