Francis Baily Primary School, Thatcham

Ofsted's report card from its 19 May 2026 inspection grades Francis Baily Primary School on 7 areas: 5 expected standard and 2 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Overall, pupils attend well."

Early years - Expected standard. "The early years is happy and safe."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders are ambitious for what all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can achieve."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders are effective, ambitious and aspirational."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain."

Achievement - Needs attention. "Not all pupils achieve as well as they could."

Curriculum and teaching - Needs attention. "The quality of teaching is inconsistent."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should continue to ensure that their plans to improve and develop the curriculum and teaching are implemented and embedded consistently"; "Leaders should ensure that all pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, achieve consistently well, particularly in core subjects of English and mathematics"; "Leaders should continue to develop their pupil attendance strategy, particularly for disadvantaged pupils, so that recent improvements can be built upon and sustained over time".

From the headteacher's welcome: "At Francis Baily Primary School, we are proud to serve families across Thatcham and the wider West Berkshire community. Our school is a warm, inclusive place where every child is encouraged to thrive - academically, socially and personally. Inspired by our namesake, the astronomer Francis Baily , we believe that curiosity, creativity and perseverance help every pupil 'shine'."

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, athletics, gymnastics, dance, drama, choir, coding and Lego.

The school runs a breakfast club from 7:30am and after-school care, from £5 per session.

Coming up: an open day on Tuesday 10 November 2026, an open day on Wednesday 18 November 2026, an open day on Thursday 26 November 2026 and an open day on Saturday 28 November 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.

In 2025, 71% of Year 6 pupils at Francis Baily Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 67% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 71% in West Berkshire and 77% and 75% across England.

Results rose from 63% in reading and 64% in maths in 2024.

For September 2026 entry, 38 families put Francis Baily Primary School as their first choice and 72 named it as one of their preferences, for 40 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Francis Baily Primary School are Spurcroft Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 70% reading, 74% maths); Thatcham Park CofE Primary (0.6 miles, Good, 74% reading, 69% maths); Whitelands Park Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 75% reading, 77% maths); and Bucklebury C.E. Primary School (1.2 miles, Good, 67% reading, 73% maths).

Each of them had higher 2025 results than Francis Baily Primary School.

Francis Baily Primary School is one of 3 schools run by Equinox Learning Trust, an academy trust.

11.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (77%) and Black (5%).

In 2026, 78 pupils (15.9%) received SEN support and 15 (3.1%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is autism.

The nearest railway station is Thatcham Rail Station, about 1060 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Thatcham Cemetery (adjacent), 60 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Francis Baily Primary School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 8th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In August 2026, police recorded 93 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Berkshire (26), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, Francis Baily Primary School issued 35 suspensions, 6.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.