Cottenham Village College

About Cottenham Village College

Cottenham Village College, part of the Astrea Academy Trust, a highly successful 11-16 mixed academy situated close to the beautiful city of Cambridge; here you will find hard-working, well-behaved students and dedicated staff who are committed to a fully inclusive, comprehensive education. There are around 880 students on roll and CVC shares the site with a special school, The Centre School, which is also administered by the Astrea Academy Trust.

The college is a friendly, positive and exciting place to work and to learn and we take great pride in the high standards our students consistently achieve. We have very high expectations of all members of the college community and provide an inclusive, friendly and supportive environment in which everyone can thrive and achieve. Students leave as happy, well-qualified and well-motivated individuals who go on to excel in local sixth forms, colleges, universities and the wider world.

The college was established in 1963, one of several village colleges in the region that were the inspiration of educational pioneer Henry Morris, who believed that the school should be at the heart of its community and that education should be a lifelong process. This vision of a school that serves and involves its whole community, that fosters high aspirations and inspires a love of learning is as central to our ethos today as it was when it opened.

Zoe Andrews

Principal

Vision and values

A school at the heart of a small community, Cottenham Village College works hard to engage with local families. The secondary school has a strong academic focus, with a diverse and engaging curriculum on offer and a wide range of subjects both at Key Stage 4.

In order to get the best out of students, teachers set rigorous standards in terms of behaviour and attendance. Students are encouraged to developed respect for themselves, their peers and staff members.

Ofsted report

Cottenham Village College was inspected in October 2023, achieving a 'good' rating in all areas and an overall grading of 'good'.

"The school’s well-designed curriculum supports pupils to achieve well. The results of national examinations in 2022 were impressive, placing the school in the highest 20% of schools nationally for progress and attainment in many subjects"

"Teachers have strong subject knowledge and deliver the curriculum effectively. They help pupils remember knowledge over time by regularly reviewing what has been taught. Teachers check what pupils know and understand. They provide timely support for pupils who need it."

"Staff report positively about pupils’ experiences while at Cottenham. Staff have confidence in the leadership of the school and appreciate leaders’ support to maintain positive workload."

View Cottenham Village College's latest Ofsted report

Astrea Academy Trust

Astrea Academy Trust is committed to high quality professional development and career opportunities for all staff, we are also passionate about cultivating our own talented workforce. At Astrea we believe that we can provide these unique roles by providing a huge opportunity to join a dynamic team working across the entire organisation. For more information about the Astrea Academy Trust please visit our website astreaacademytrust.org

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion at Astrea Academy Trust

Astrea Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.

Astrea Academy Trust embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. As an equal opportunity employer, we consider all requests for flexible working as we know that diversity fosters creativity and innovation.

We are committed to developing and retaining a workforce that is representative of the diverse communities that we serve.  We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive and building our culture of belonging.  We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in Astrea’s workforce.  These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ people.

All successful appointments will be subject to suitability checks in accordance with KCSIE, including identity, Right to Work, prohibition, qualifications, online searches, two references and enhanced DBS check including the Children’s Barred List.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. Guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, which provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974