Moving to Cambridge - advice needed!

[Fitnik]

I've been offered a new job in Cambridge and we are relocating from St Albans. The role is based in the CB4 area.

I have no idea about schools or where to live in Cambridge!

My DS is in year 5 and very bright (level 5) - currently preparing for entrance tests for local grammar and super selective indies close to us. I have no idea about similar schools in Cambridge except the Perse School.

Any advice about where to live and schools (both primary for year 6 and secondary, state and indie) in light of future work location (CB4) would be much appreciated!

CB4 is in the north of Cambridge so you could very easily chose one of the nice outlying villages off the A14. CB4 itself covers some not-so-desirable areas.

The village colleges all generally have good reputations. Swavesey Village College is Outstanding by Ofsted and 'parent' standards - you'd need to be west of Cambridge to be in catchment and some of these villages are lovely. All very varied - some old, some modern, varied facilities. www.swaveseyvc.cambs.sch.uk/page/?pid=12 The catchment Primaries are also all generally Good or Outstanding.

choose!

I would look at Comberton VCR (west of Cambridge) and Impington VCR (north) if you are going to live that side of Cambridge as well as Swavesey. Not much choice for independent secondaries - Perse is rather more academic (and cheaper) than the Leys.

Love where we live in north cambridgeshire. About 20 mins from cambridge (I also used to live in St A.) Great village school - YR6 child done exceptionally well and going to great semi selective secondary in Peterborough - outstanding school. Yr 2 summer birthday boy - doing well. School do extra groups for core to support them to reach potential - not just SEN and G&T.

Should have also said - as yours is level 5 - in year 5 - school also enter for L6 (not all do). DD is doing this for english and maths and ontrack to do v well.