Waterbeach Community Primary School, Cambridge
Waterbeach Community 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 February 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 62nd-highest of the 76 schools in Cambridge with published results, and 10,716th of 14,452 across England. It was 82% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
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 26 Oct 2026
Waterbeach Community Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at Waterbeach Community Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 60% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 74% in Cambridgeshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 79% in reading and 65% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Waterbeach Community Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 63 families put Waterbeach Community Primary School as their first choice and 78 named it as one of their preferences, for 65 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 Waterbeach Community Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Waterbeach Community Primary School are Milton Church of England Primary School (2.2 miles, Good, 79% reading, 83% maths); Cottenham Primary School (3.3 miles, Good, 82% reading, 75% maths); Fen Ditton Primary School (3.3 miles, Good, 68% reading, 84% maths); and Shirley Community Primary School (3.5 miles, Good, 61% reading, 63% maths).
Waterbeach Community Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Milton Church of England Primary SchoolCottenham Primary SchoolFen Ditton Primary SchoolShirley Community Primary School
What parents say
104 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Waterbeach Community Primary School (as of September 2025): 93% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 64% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (64%).
Who goes there
29% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (64%), Mixed (8%) and Asian (7%).
In 2026, 72 pupils (13.8%) received SEN support and 11 (2.1%) 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 Waterbeach Rail Station, about 830 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cody Road (opposite), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 26 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cambridgeshire (57).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Waterbeach Community Primary School issued 2 suspensions, 0.4 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; Ofsted Parent View; 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 agoThis judgement is from February 2016, 10 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 March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school creates a calm, happy environment where children feel safe and supported. Staff have high expectations for all pupils, including those with additional needs, and provide a rich curriculum with exciting learning opportunities. Pupils benefit from residential trips, sporting and creative clubs, and teaching from subject experts that develops their talents and confidence.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with well-delivered phonics programme and effective staff coaching
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND from Reception onwards, with clear targets and additional help when needed
- Wide-ranging curriculum including educational visits, residential trips, and extra-curricular clubs that build confidence
- Subject experts teaching specific subjects like art and music, resulting in impressive pupil work
- Clear leadership vision with accurate understanding of strengths and areas for improvement
Areas for Improvement
- Mathematics curriculum recently changed but not yet taught consistently across all classes - teachers need more confidence with new approach
- In some wider curriculum subjects, teachers do not check carefully enough what pupils have learned, missing misconceptions
- Assessment practices need development in some subjects to identify knowledge gaps quickly and consistently
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with pupils confident that staff will help them with worries and concerns.
Extracurricular Activities
Residential trips, culinary adventures, French club, yoga, outdoor curriculum with tree climbing and den building, instrumental music lessons, art and sculpture activities
Waterbeach Community Primary School is a kind, nurturing school where pupils are happy and feel safe. The school has maintained good standards with effective teaching across a broad and balanced curriculum.
At a Glance
18.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
104 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)
Reading has remained stable at around 78% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 65% to 60% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 69% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.1
Avg class size
25.6
Infant (KS1)
29.1
KS2
16
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Waterbeach Community Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Waterbeach Community Primary School.
- Premier Wraparound Care at Waterbeach Primary SchoolAt the school · Not yet graded
- WASPS (Waterbeach After School Play Scheme)At the school · Not yet graded
Term dates
Waterbeach Community 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
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Waterbeach Community Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Waterbeach Community 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
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
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 Waterbeach Community Primary School
Will you get a place at Waterbeach Community Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Waterbeach Community Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Waterbeach Community Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Waterbeach Community Primary School.
- Cambridgeshire publishes last distance offered figures, but none for Waterbeach Community Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Waterbeach Community 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
82%
Available places
516 pupils
630 places
114 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(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
72
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
15.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
521
Total Pupils
271
Boys
250
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
30
Teachers
17.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,815
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,153
Per pupil
£3016k
Total funding
£162k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.2%
Overall absence
8.7%
Persistent absence
470
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Waterbeach Community Primary School
What are SATs results like at Waterbeach Community Primary School?
Of the pupils at Waterbeach Community Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 78% reached the expected standard in reading and 60% did so in maths.
What is Waterbeach Community Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Waterbeach Community Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Waterbeach Community Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Waterbeach Community 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 Waterbeach Community Primary School?
Waterbeach Community Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 82% of its 630 places.
How big are the classes at Waterbeach Community Primary School?
Classes at Waterbeach Community Primary School average 27.1 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Waterbeach Community Primary School?
Waterbeach Community Primary School has around 521 pupils on roll. 19% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Waterbeach Community Primary School?
4.2% of sessions were missed at Waterbeach Community Primary School in 2024/25. 8.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Waterbeach Community Primary School?
Apply through Cambridgeshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Waterbeach Community 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 Waterbeach Community Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 2 out-of-school clubs at the school: Premier Wraparound Care at Waterbeach Primary School (registered, not yet graded) and WASPS (Waterbeach After School Play Scheme) (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
What are Waterbeach Community Primary School's term dates?
Waterbeach Community 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 Waterbeach Community Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 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 Waterbeach Community Primary School?
Waterbeach Community Primary School is at High Street, Waterbeach, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB25 9JU.
Sources: Cambridgeshire term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)