Francis Baily Primary School, Thatcham
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Overall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
Francis Baily is a friendly, caring school where staff know and support pupils as individuals. The school excels at helping children with special needs and disabilities, providing personalised support to help them learn alongside their peers. Early years teaching is particularly strong, with excellent phonics and reading instruction that helps children get off to a positive start.
Key Strengths
- Strong safeguarding culture with open communication and high standards for pupil safety
- Excellent support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, with early identification and personalised programmes
- Well-established inclusion practices with skilled staff and effective collaboration with external agencies
- Effective early years provision with strong focus on phonics and early writing skills
- Good behaviour and attendance overall, supported by free breakfast club and clear school routines
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching quality is inconsistent - some teachers' explanations are unclear and learning is not always matched to pupils' starting points
- Writing skills need strengthening, particularly in spelling, punctuation and grammar
- Mathematics teaching is uneven and some disadvantaged pupils lack fluency in arithmetic and problem-solving
- Recent curriculum changes are not yet fully embedded, so pupils cannot apply learning and make connections
- Some disadvantaged pupils have attendance below the national average
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Extra-curricular clubs, lunchtime clubs, residential visits, educational outings, visitor talks, themed learning days, care ambassador programme
Francis Baily Primary School is a welcoming and caring school where leaders are ambitious for all pupils. While there are strengths in early years, inclusion support, and safeguarding, teaching quality is inconsistent and not all pupils achieve as well as they could.
At a Glance
17.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 63% to 71%. Maths has remained stable at around 67%. Writing has improved from 53% to 76%.
Class Sizes
29.1
Avg class size
29.7
Infant (KS1)
28.9
KS2
12
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
87%
Available places
491 pupils
567 capacity
76 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Thatcham
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Thatcham
Admissions Demand - West Berkshire
Places available
1,973
Applications
1,515
Got 1st preference
93.9%
Got preferred school
98.9%
Primary admissions across West Berkshire (2025/26)
Inspection History(104)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.53818%
Overall absence
14.02062%
Persistent absence
485
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Francis Baily Primary School
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