Hamilton School, Reading
Hamilton School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Reading, part of Maiden Erlegh Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Hamilton School in detail
Hamilton School in its own words
In its own words: "Hamilton School is a SEMH (Social, Emotional, and Mental Health) Special School in Reading catering for up to 64 students with Education, Health Care Plans (EHCP). Social, emotional and mental health difficulties as defined by the code of practice (2014): "Children and young people may experience a wide range of social and emotional difficulties which manifest themselves in many ways."
Coming up: an open evening on Monday 26 October 2026, an open evening on Wednesday 18 November 2026, an open evening on Thursday 19 November 2026 and an open evening on Tuesday 24 November 2026 at 9am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Reading
Vision and values (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Hamilton School are Groveside School (under 0.1 miles); Addington School (1.9 miles); The Holy Brook School (2.5 miles, Good); and Thames Valley School (3.1 miles, Good).
Groveside SchoolAddington SchoolThe Holy Brook SchoolThames Valley School
The trust
Hamilton School is one of 11 schools run by Maiden Erlegh Trust, an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 13 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 62% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 54% to a further education college.
Who goes there
73.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 0% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (77%), Mixed (17%) and Black (6%).
Almost every pupil at Hamilton School has an education, health and care plan (64 of 64 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Reading Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Christchurch Green (w-bound), 150 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Hamilton School issued 219 suspensions, 353.2 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2024 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
73.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Hamilton School
Open evening - October 2026
16 Sep 2026
open evening - November 2026
16 Sep 2026
SEND Parent and Carer Forum - Register to take part
21 Jan 2026
Join the discussion on SEND Reform
10 Dec 2025
Save the Date! Christmas Fair
13 Nov 2025
Congratulations Preeti Anchan 👏
10 Oct 2025
From Hamilton School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Hamilton School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Hamilton School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hamilton School is in Reading; for families living there:
- How to apply: apply for school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 47
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 47 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 38 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot.
14 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 Reading is 21 (the median across 71 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
94%
Near capacity
64 pupils
68 places
4 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Reading
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Reading
Across Reading council
Places available
1,744
Applications
1,794
Got 1st preference
73.1%
Got preferred school
95.4%
All secondary applications across Reading council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
64
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
64
Total Pupils
61
Boys
3
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
5.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,451
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
39.2%
Overall absence
78.8%
Persistent absence
66
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Hamilton School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Hamilton School
What are GCSE results like at Hamilton School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Hamilton School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 4.5. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Hamilton School's Ofsted rating?
Hamilton School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2024.
What is the catchment area for Hamilton School?
No fixed boundary. When Hamilton School is oversubscribed, Reading allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Hamilton School?
Hamilton School has around 64 pupils on roll. 73% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Hamilton School?
39.2% of sessions were missed at Hamilton School in 2024/25. 78.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Hamilton School?
Apply through Reading's coordinated admissions process, naming Hamilton School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Hamilton School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 47 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 38 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot. 14 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 Reading is 21 (the median across 71 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hamilton School?
Hamilton School is at 135 Bulmershe Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5SG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)