Comberton Village College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Comberton Village College is a highly successful school which enables its pupils to achieve not only academic excellence but also to become mature, confident, thoughtful and rounded individuals with clear goals for their future lives.

Standards of work are high and pupils achieve outstandingly well across the college and in all subjects. Their literacy and numeracy skills are highly developed, as is their ability to think through their ideas to develop their understanding further. These features of learning enable pupils to grasp new ideas and information quickly.

Teaching is strong across the college and is key to the high-quali...ty performance of pupils. Teachers set high expectations and provide excellent individual support which pupils value and appreciate. Excellent relationships between adults and pupils, and amongst pupils themselves, provide the perfect foundation for pupils' exemplary behaviour and attitudes to work.

The atmosphere in lessons is very purposeful and pupils learn exceptionally well through discussion and collaboration with one another. Pupils are safe in school and feel safe. They The relatively new sixth form is outstanding.

In a short time, it has become firmly established. Students are now achieving exceptionally well and are on track to attain high standards at the end of their courses. The executive principal provides inspirational leadership and sets a very positive tone for the work of the college.

The principal has established a strong leadership team and together they are extremely successful in getting the best out of all pupils and staff. The success with which the college has achieved significant and major change in recent years without losing sight of its primary goal, that of enabling its pupils to achieve their very best, pays tribute to the academy's capacity to become better still. Governors have their finger on the pulse in terms of overseeing the quality of provision, including teaching, and ensuring that outcomes are the best they can possibly be.

The college's significant partnerships with other institutions, including through its international links, have a highly positive impact on the academy. Its outreach work benefits both itself and the institutions with which it works. are very well looked after and treat one another with respect.

Information about this school

The college is much larger than other secondary schools. It has grown rapidly over the last three years, partly to accommodate the new sixth form, now in its second year of operation. A new building was added to house the sixth form.

The college converted to an academy in February 2011 and is the founder academy for the Comberton Academy Trust. This is the first inspection of the college since it became an academy. When the predecessor school, also called Comberton Village College, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding.

The principal of the college is the executive principal for the trust, which currently sponsors one other academy, The Voyager Academy in Peterborough. The college provides outreach support to this academy as well as other schools in the area. It also runs regular training for staff from other schools.

The college has teaching school status. The trust is currently building a brand new academy in Cambourne and the college is involved in getting this major project off the ground. The very large majority of pupils are White British but a very small minority are from a wide range of other ethnic backgrounds.

About a third of these pupils speak English as an additional language, though most are fluent English speakers. The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is below average. This is extra government funding given to the school on the basis of the numbers known to be eligible for free school meals, in the care of the local authority or from service families.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported at school action is in line with the national average. The proportion at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average. Many of these pupils have emotional and behavioural needs.

The school has a behavioural support area in school, called The Green Room, which provides specialist support as and when needed and for any pupil in the school who may need time out from mainstream lessons. The college manages specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs. Called 'The Cabin', this unit caters for pupils with Aspergers syndrome.

The number on roll in the unit is 16, and four of the pupils are in the sixth form. The college meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' progress and attainment in English and mathematics. The school does not offer alternative provision on another site for its pupils.