The Harbour School, Ely
The Harbour School is a special school for boys aged 5 to 16 in Ely, part of Meridian Trust. It was rated Requires improvement at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2023.
- Ofsted
- Requires improvement (2023)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Harbour School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Harbour School are Active Learning Trust Linc 19 - 25 (4.7 miles, Good); and Highfield Ely Academy (4.7 miles, Good).
The trust
The Harbour School is one of 36 schools run by Meridian Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 6 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 100% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 17% to a further education college.
Who goes there
74.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (90%) and Mixed (6%).
Almost every pupil at The Harbour School has an education, health and care plan (95 of 95 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of The Harbour School.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 3 crimes within a mile of the school, most often vehicle crime and weapons possession. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cambridgeshire (57).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Harbour School issued 57 suspensions, 60 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Requires Improvement at its December 2023 inspection.
Rated Good for
Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Quality of education (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
74.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 0% to 8% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 0% to 8% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 0% to 8% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 3 nearby schools
Keep up with The Harbour School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Harbour School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Harbour 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
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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
91%
Near capacity
95 pupils
104 places
9 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Ely
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Ely
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
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
95
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
95
Total Pupils
95
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
6.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,860
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
23.6%
Overall absence
62.9%
Persistent absence
105
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 The Harbour School
What are GCSE results like at The Harbour School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at The Harbour School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 9. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is The Harbour School's Ofsted rating?
The Harbour School was rated Requires Improvement at its most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2023.
What is the catchment area for The Harbour School?
No fixed boundary. When The Harbour School is oversubscribed, Cambridgeshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Harbour School?
The Harbour School has around 95 pupils on roll. 75% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Harbour School?
23.6% of sessions were missed at The Harbour School in 2024/25. 62.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Harbour School?
Apply through Cambridgeshire's coordinated admissions process, naming The Harbour School 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 The Harbour School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Harbour School?
The Harbour School is at Station Road, Wilburton, Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB6 3RR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)