Schools by area › Cambridgeshire › Ely College
Ely College
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Downham Road, Ely CB6 2SH · elycollege.com · 01353 667763
Overview
- Ofsted
- Improved significantly
- Ungraded inspection · Mar 2025
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 49.7
- average Attainment 8 score. Cambridgeshire 48.1, England 46
- Last distance offered
- 3.66 mi
- 5.90 km · Year 7, September 2026 entry · Criterion 4CF · Cambridgeshire Council
- Demand for places
- 1.2
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,635
- 99% of 1,650 places
- Local authority
- Cambridgeshire
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 16.7%
- First language not English
- 4.6%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Meridian Trust
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, the last place offered under “Criterion 4CF” went to a home 3.66 mi (5.90 km) from the school. Source: Cambridgeshire Council’s document.
For Year 7 in September 2026, 304 families put the school first and 261 places were offered; 83% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 261 | 304 | 1.2▲ | 83% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 258 | 252 | 1 | 99% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 259 | 277 | 1.1▲ | 92% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 259 | 312 | 1.2▲ | 80% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 292 | 294 | 1▲ | 94% |
Last distance offered
| Year 7 – Criterion 4CF | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 3.66 mi5.90 km | |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 49.7, and 53.5% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Cambridgeshire it was 48.1, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C- (25.1 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲49.7 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲53.5% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲73.6% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼36.3% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.33 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 33.5 | +5.8 |
| Sixth form college | 33.9 | −6.6 |
| Further education | 24.2 | +8.8 |
| Apprenticeship | 3.2 | −0.9 |
| Employment | 0.8 | −4.3 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 3.2 | −0.9 |
| Activity not captured | 1.2 | −0.9 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63 students | C- (25.1) | Average -0.10 | |
| 64 students | C- (25.2) | Average -0.09 | |
| 53 students | Merit+ (28.6) | Average 0.00 | |
| 6 students | Merit (26) | — | |
| 15 students | L2Merit- (5.7) | Average +0.16 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 51 | C- (26.1) | -0.19 |
| 2022/23 | 44 | C (29) | — |
| 2021/22 | 36 | C- (25.7) | — |
| 2016/17 | 13 | D- (15.6) | -1.01 |
| 2015/16 | 35 | D- (15.7) | -0.37 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 30.9 | +2.3 |
| Other education | 2.7 | 0 |
| Apprenticeship | 8.2 | −2.5 |
| Employment | 41.8 | −0.2 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 10.9 | −4.3 |
| Activity not captured | 5.5 | +4.6 |
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 26 March 2025, Ofsted’s outcome for Ely College was: Improved significantly.
- Outcome
- Improved significantly
- Inspected
- 25 Mar 2025
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Jun 2019
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 137779), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Jun 2019Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Leadership and management Outstanding 16 to 19 study programmes Good Safeguarding Effective Feb 2015Inadequate
Outcomes for pupils Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 137779)
What parents said
75% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (293 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 75%
- Replies
- 293
- 18% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 81% who raised concerns
based on the 41% who had a child bullied
based on 70 parents (24%) with SEND