Where to move to in Cambridgeshire

[Fran2190]

Currently considering moving to Cambridgeshire nearer to OH family who live in and around St Ives. Where is best to look for good schools, children are currently reception, year 1 and year 4 but thinking move of the future to be in the catchment for secondary schools. I’m lost as I do not know the area at all and can only look at ofsted ratings and results data. Looking for a village location but with amenities and entertainment within driving distance.

St Ivo Academy in St Ives doesn’t have a great reputation. You’d be better off in one of the villages to the south and west of Huntingdon to get in the catchment for Hinchingbrooke at secondary (you don’t want St Peter’s!).
Nice villages include Stow Longa, Ellington, Leighton Bromswold, the Offords (or, further afield but still with school bus services into Hinchingbrooke) places like Catworth, Brington, Keyston.

Going the other way, Cambourne/Papworth Everard might be an option as Cambourne secondary has a great reputation. I don’t know the villages round there as well, though. The Hemingfords are lovely villages but £££!

Good luck, happy to help further if I can.

There is little choice re secondary as Astrea have a few. They do suit some children but by no means all. I would look very carefully at catchment. I believe Cambourne is a cam trust academy so different again. I have no experience of this school but many pupils are who are wanting to move from Astrea may look there. Of course this will depend on what area of Cambs you are looking at. There are other schools/ academies which may suit your needs. I would suggest you check them prior to making a choice. The primary schools in my area are generally very good but sadly the secondary schools aren’t as great ( that is my opinion/ experience and of course others may be different)
I absolutely don’t want to put you off Cambridgeshire. It is a lovely place to live, fairly safe and my town has a great community. Just be aware public transport is pretty dire in some areas so if you want a more rural location you could be playing mums taxi once the kids get older.

I don't know the whole area well, but I have friends who live in Willingham, which seems to be a very nice, quite big, village. It has a good primary school and their DC caught a bus to Swavesey Village College and did well there (and then to one of the Cambridge sixth form colleges.) Their dad works in St Ives. The busway from St Ives to Cambridge goes through nearby Northstowe which is a new development but it seems to be ok as well.

Depending on how near St Ives you need to be Impington Village College is outstanding and won Sunday times secondary of the year. Histon primaries are excellent too.

From my research and these comments. The best places to look are in the catchment areas for Impington, Swavesey, Comberton and Hinchingbrooke. Or possibly Sawtry. Do you have any experience or the pros and cons for any of those?

Go for Impington or Comberton. 20 mins from St Ives. EXCELLENT schools.

Thank you

Thank you for you response. I’ve been looking in the catchment area for hinchingbrooke and Brampton is in that area? What is that like? Also looked at the new builds in Sawtry and Stilton, do you know much about that area and the secondary school? And finally what about Swavesey?

It depends on your housing budget.
comberton is very good but the villages are expensive.

both my kids went to comberton and were well supported.

We live in Ramsey. Beautiful town and the schools are good. The secondary school gets some bad rep but my child is doing ok there. My youngest is SEN and his primary school have supported him well. Look into Alconbury Weald and Sawtry to, they are decent areas with positive school reputations.

Sawston Village College is brilliant, especially for music. I’ve lived in the village for twenty years and it’s great: excellent High Street, with independent butcher and green grocer, Co-op supermarket, and a wonderful village magazine. Half an hour walk to Whittlesford to get the train to London.

IVC, Chesterton CC. Both excellent. Then Hills Road, Cambridge.