Hermitage Primary School, Thatcham
Hermitage Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Thatcham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 10th-highest of the 12 schools in Thatcham with published results, and 10,359th of 14,452 across England. It was 86% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 75 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to West Berkshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
Hermitage Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at Hermitage Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 64% 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 67% in reading and 63% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Hermitage Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 28 families put Hermitage Primary School as their first choice and 47 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Hermitage Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Hermitage Primary School are Curridge Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 82% reading, 64% maths); Hampstead Norreys C.E. Primary School (1.9 miles, Good, 80% reading, 80% maths); Chieveley Primary School (2.3 miles, Good, 74% reading, 70% maths); and Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School (2.3 miles, Good, 77% reading, 71% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Hermitage Primary School.
Curridge Primary SchoolHampstead Norreys C.E. Primary SchoolChieveley Primary SchoolCold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School
What parents say
54 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Hermitage Primary School (as of September 2025): 98% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (93%).
Who goes there
12.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 11.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (80%), Mixed (6%) and Asian (5%).
Staffing
Hermitage Primary School had 13 teachers in 2026, one for every 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Hermitage Primary School.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hermitage Primary School (opposite), 70 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Hermitage Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 4 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, theft from the person and violence and sexual offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in West Berkshire (26).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Hermitage Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 1.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2016, 10 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's March 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Hermitage Primary is a welcoming place where children develop strong love of learning through diverse reading materials and engaging lessons. The school excels at supporting children's emotional wellbeing and provides exceptional opportunities for personal development, including outdoor learning in fields and woodland, leadership roles, and trips that enrich the curriculum. Staff work hard to identify and support any child who needs extra help, ensuring all pupils - including those with additional needs - achieve well.
Key Strengths
- Reading is at the heart of the curriculum with pupils reading widely and often from diverse texts
- Excellent pastoral support helps pupils manage emotions and develop strong attitudes to learning
- Outstanding personal development provision with a wide variety of trips, outdoor learning spaces, and leadership opportunities
- Strong tracking of pupil progress in reading, writing and mathematics to identify those needing extra support
- Impressive range of linguistic, creative and sporting clubs that are well attended
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment in some subjects is not consistently effective, meaning some pupils have unaddressed gaps in knowledge or misconceptions
- Teachers' checks on understanding occasionally lack precision in some subjects, slowing learning
- Writing standards at the end of key stage 2 were lower than usual last year (though the school is addressing this)
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with clear procedures and a positive school culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Linguistic clubs, creative clubs, sporting clubs, eco-council, sports leaders, school council, breakfast club, after-school club
Hermitage Primary School is an inclusive and welcoming community where pupils shine and achieve well. The school is ambitious for its pupils, provides excellent pastoral support, and offers a broad, engaging curriculum with a strong focus on reading.
At a Glance
12.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
54 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 67% to 76% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 64% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 50% to 60% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.6
Avg class size
22.7
Infant (KS1)
29.5
KS2
7
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Hermitage Primary School
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to Hermitage Primary School, with their latest published grades:
- Hermitage Pre School Playgroup - Pre-school, 0.2 milesOfsted, 22 January 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Acres of Fun Limited - Day nursery, 0.7 milesOfsted, 14 February 2024: Outstanding overall; safeguarding is effective
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Hermitage Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hermitage Primary School is in West Berkshire; for families living there:
Apply to West Berkshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight.
The typical figure for schools in West Berkshire is 3 (the median across 99 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Hermitage Primary School
Will you get a place at Hermitage Primary School?
For 2026 entry it had 28 first choices for 30 places. The report sets your home postcode against these figures.
£9.99 once (inc. VAT; £19.99 for up to three schools), or Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time. What's in the report
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
86%
Available places
180 pupils
210 places
30 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Across West Berkshire council
Places available
2,024
Applications
1,547
Got 1st preference
90.8%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across West Berkshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Future places in the local planning area
DfE estimates the Area 6 - Central Villages Primary planning area (West Berkshire) will have 274 spare primary places in 2027/28.
Source: Department for Education, School capacity: Academic year 2024/25 (published 19 March 2026), estimates of future school place demand by planning area. Council pupil forecasts against reported places, counting places councils and DfE plan to add or remove; rounded to whole places. Explore Education Statistics
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
22
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
17.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
186
Total Pupils
87
Boys
99
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
13
Teachers
14.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,280
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,499
Per pupil
£1035k
Total funding
£29k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.3%
Overall absence
12.0%
Persistent absence
167
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Hermitage Primary School
What are SATs results like at Hermitage Primary School?
Of the pupils at Hermitage Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 76% reached the expected standard in reading and 64% did so in maths.
What is Hermitage Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Hermitage Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded. At its last graded inspection, in February 2016, it was rated Good.
Is it hard to get a place at Hermitage Primary School?
Hermitage Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 86% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Hermitage Primary School?
Classes at Hermitage Primary School average 26.6 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils.
How many pupils go to Hermitage Primary School?
Hermitage Primary School has around 186 pupils on roll. 13% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Hermitage Primary School?
5.3% of sessions were missed at Hermitage Primary School in 2024/25. 12% of pupils were persistently absent.
How many road collisions happen near Hermitage Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight. The typical figure for schools in West Berkshire is 3 (the median across 99 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Hermitage Primary School?
Hermitage Primary School is at Hampstead Norreys Road, Hermitage, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG18 9SA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)