Cressex Lodge School, Reading
Cressex Lodge School is a special school for boys aged 11 to 18 in Reading. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in December 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Cressex Lodge School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Cressex Lodge School are Odyssey House School (1.2 miles); Kennel Lane School (1.4 miles); High Close School (2.1 miles, Good); and Chiltern Way Academy Wokingham (2.3 miles, Outstanding).
Odyssey House SchoolKennel Lane SchoolHigh Close SchoolChiltern Way Academy Wokingham
Who goes there
In 2026, 7 pupils (38.9%) received SEN support and 11 (61.1%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bracknell Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Roebuck Estate (n-bound), 250 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Cressex Lodge School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 7th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 56 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Bracknell Forest (84).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school excels at welcoming pupils who have had difficult educational experiences and helping them thrive. Staff combine strong subject knowledge with genuine care, understanding each pupil's needs and providing skilled emotional support. The calm, positive environment and high expectations mean pupils make significant progress in their learning while developing confidence and resilience.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional behaviour management and emotional wellbeing support, with staff trained to use therapeutic approaches effectively
- Strong individualised teaching that matches each pupil's needs, with regular checks on progress and support for gaps in learning
- High-priority reading programme with effective support to help pupils who have fallen behind
- Ambitious broad curriculum with no limits on what pupils can achieve
- Excellent attendance rates, particularly for pupils who struggled to attend previous schools
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with robust systems in place and a relentless commitment to pupil wellbeing at the centre of all decisions.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports (individual and team games), trips to London galleries and museums, Charles Dickens themed walk, charity shop work, community events, careers advice, work experience, teamwork and leadership skills development through personal responsibilities
Cressex Lodge School is an independent special school for boys aged 11-17 with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. The school has been rated Outstanding across all areas, up from Good at the previous inspection.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Cressex Lodge School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Bracknell Forest is 7 (the median across 46 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
75%
Available places
18 pupils
24 places
6 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Reading
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Reading
Across Bracknell Forest council
Places available
1,500
Applications
1,337
Got 1st preference
82.7%
Got preferred school
95.0%
All secondary applications across Bracknell Forest council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
7
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Cressex Lodge School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
18
Total Pupils
18
Boys
0
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Cressex Lodge School
What are GCSE results like at Cressex Lodge School?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Cressex Lodge School can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
What is Cressex Lodge School's Ofsted rating?
Cressex Lodge School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in December 2024.
Does Cressex Lodge School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in December 2024, Cressex Lodge School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Cressex Lodge School?
Cressex Lodge School has around 18 pupils on roll.
Does Cressex Lodge School have specialist SEN provision?
Cressex Lodge School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Cressex Lodge School?
Cressex Lodge School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Cressex Lodge School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 5 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Bracknell Forest is 7 (the median across 46 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Cressex Lodge School?
Cressex Lodge School is at Cressex Lodge, Terrace Road South, Reading, Berkshire, RG42 4DE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)