Ely College is a mainstream secondary school in Ely, Cambridgeshire, for children and young people aged 11 to 18. In January 2026, 138 of its 1,635 pupils (8.4%) were getting SEN support and 70 (4.3%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 11–18
- 1,635 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Cambridgeshire.
8.4% get SEN support
138 of 1,635 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
Lower than the England average.
4.3% have an EHC plan
70 of 1,635 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
About the same as the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health54
- Autism28
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia24
- Speech, language and communication23
- Moderate learning difficulty11
- Severe learning difficulty7
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- Academy
- Ages
- 11 to 18
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 1,635 (places for 1,650)
- Headteacher
- Mr Simon Warburton
- Part of
- Meridian Trust
- Free school meals
- 16.7% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Cambridgeshire
- School reference (URN)
- 143404
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Cambridgeshire council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Rated Good, June 2019; improved significantly (March 2025)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in June 2019. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Improved significantly (ungraded inspection, March 2025).
Contact and getting there
Downham Road, Ely, CB6 2SH
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Highfield Ely Academy Special school · Ages 2–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.6 miles
- Active Learning Trust Linc 19 - 25 Independent · Ages 19–25 0.6 miles
- Spring Meadow Infant School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–7 · Ofsted: Good 1.2 miles
- Witchford Village College Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 2.2 miles
Other mainstream schools
- Lantern Community Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 11.2%, EHC plans 2.7% 0.5 miles
- Isle of Ely Primary School Primary · Ages 3–11 · SEN support 10.8%, EHC plans 2.9% 0.7 miles
- Ely St John's Community Primary School Primary · Ages 4–11 · SEN support 5.9%, EHC plans 3% 1.0 mile
All mainstream schools in Cambridgeshire SEND schools in Cambridgeshire
Questions about Ely College
How many pupils at Ely College have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 138 of the 1,635 pupils (8.4%) were getting SEN support and 70 (4.3%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at Ely College?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (54 pupils), autism (28 pupils) and dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (24 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at Ely College?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at Ely College?
Through Cambridgeshire council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to Ely College?
You can ask for Ely College to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does Ely College have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is Spring Meadow Infant School, about 1.2 miles away.
Where is Ely College?
Downham Road, Ely, CB6 2SH, in Cambridgeshire.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.