Community school · Cambridgeshire

The Bellbird Primary School

4–11Ages
426Pupils
PrimaryPhase
135132URN

Link Road, Sawston, Cambridge, CB22 3GB · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jul 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.5per place

0.2 below Cambridgeshire median (1.8)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Cambridgeshire

71 applications for 46 places · 109th of 162 in Cambridgeshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

70%met the expected standard

Cambridgeshire 62% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 9 July 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.5applications per place, Reception

0.2 below Cambridgeshire median (1.8) 0.6 below England median (2.2)

71 applications · 46 places offered · 46 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 1.5; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2025 1.6; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2024 1.4; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2023 1.7; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2022 1.8; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2021 1.6; Cambridgeshire median median 1.9
2020 1.8; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2019 1.7; Cambridgeshire median median 1.9
2018 1.6; Cambridgeshire median median 1.8
2017 1.8; Cambridgeshire median median 1.9
2016 1.7; Cambridgeshire median median 1.9
2015 1.6; Cambridgeshire median median 1.9
2014 1.7; Cambridgeshire median median 1.9

More applications per place than the Cambridgeshire median in 0 of 13 years.

This school
Cambridgeshire median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	46	71	1.5	46	1.00
Sep 2025	60	98	1.6	60	1.00
Sep 2024	56	80	1.4	56	1.00
Sep 2023	60	102	1.7	70	1.17
Sep 2022	59	105	1.8	71	1.20
Sep 2021	54	85	1.6	52	0.96
Sep 2020	59	105	1.8	68	1.15
Sep 2019	55	92	1.7	52	0.95
Sep 2018	59	92	1.6	54	0.92
Sep 2017	44	81	1.8	50	1.14
Sep 2016	44	74	1.7	36	0.82
Sep 2015	45	72	1.6	40	0.89
Sep 2014	40	67	1.7	34	0.85

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 85% · Writing 72% · Maths 78% → all three 70% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard70%49th of 195 in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire 62% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard85%

Cambridgeshire 78% England 78%

Higher standard52%

Cambridgeshire 34% England 33%

Average scaled score 109 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard72%

Cambridgeshire 70% England 75%

Greater depth2%

Cambridgeshire 10% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard78%

Cambridgeshire 76% England 77%

Higher standard40%

Cambridgeshire 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Cambridgeshire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	70%	2%	109	106
2023/24	53%	3%	107	107
2022/23	40%	2%	106	104

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

The Bellbird Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

1.5applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
The Icknield Primary School
0.7 km · Cambridgeshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.8applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
William Westley Church of England VC Primary School
1.6 km · Cambridgeshire

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.4applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Stapleford Community Primary School
2.7 km · Cambridgeshire

Remains Good2022

2.5applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Babraham CofE (VC) Primary School
2.7 km · Cambridgeshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

6.6applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
Duxford Church of England Community Primary School
3.4 km · Cambridgeshire

Remains Good2024

1.4applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Great and Little Shelford CofE (Aided) Primary School
3.6 km · Cambridgeshire

Good2024

2.1applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
Great Abington Primary School
4.7 km · Cambridgeshire

Good2024

2.4applications per place 45%met the SATs standard
Hauxton Primary School
5.2 km · Cambridgeshire

Good2023

1.9applications per place 69%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 135132 · 873/3943
Capacity: 420 pupils · 426 on roll
Free school meals: 14.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2007
Address: Link Road, Sawston, Cambridge, CB22 3GB
Local authority: Cambridgeshire · South Cambridgeshire

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources