Purley CofE Primary School, Reading

Primary
Voluntary controlled school
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~642m)Possible (~917m)Unlikely (~1.2km)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mrs Amy Holland
Pupils:85 / 105 capacity
LA:West Berkshire
Phone:01189842384
Address:Purley Village, Purley-on-Thames, Reading, RG8 8AF
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 5 months ago

Report card - no overall grade (new Ofsted framework from Sep 2024)

Achievement
Expected Standard
Behaviour
Expected Standard
Personal Development
Strong Standard
Leadership
Expected Standard
Early Years
Expected Standard
Inspected 21 April 2026View full report
URN:109971
UKPRN:10075928
Diocese:Diocese of Oxford
Constituency:Reading West and Mid Berkshire
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Purley CofE provides a nurturing environment where children develop strong character values of love, courage and wisdom. The school excels at personal development, helping pupils understand complex issues in age-appropriate ways and preparing them well for life beyond school. Staff are highly dedicated and supported, creating a positive community where every child feels valued and included.

Key Strengths

  • Strong personal development and wellbeing programme with impressive pupil maturity and understanding of complex issues
  • Effective phonics and early mathematics teaching with logical sequencing of curriculum
  • Low persistent absence and uncommon bullying with pupils confident issues are dealt with quickly
  • Well-planned, ambitious wider curriculum that connects subjects meaningfully
  • Strong leadership and governance with excellent staff support and professional development

Areas for Improvement

  • Some adaptations for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND could be more precise and consistently applied
  • Occasional gaps in ensuring all pupils clearly understand their learning activities
  • Vocabulary development in early years could be strengthened by maximising learning opportunities across activities

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Football, running club, rugby, musical instruments, educational trips including residential visits, school plays and productions (Nativity, The Tempest)

Purley CofE Primary School is a well-led primary school where pupils feel safe, behave well, and benefit from a carefully planned approach to personal development. The school has established strong safeguarding practices and creates a positive, enriching environment for all learners.

At a Glance

22.1%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading+10ppMaths+17ppWriting-11pp

Reading has improved from 67% to 77%. Maths has improved from 60% to 77%. Writing has declined from 73% to 62%.

Class Sizes

20.0

Avg class size

7.0

Infant (KS1)

4

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Infants School (Adj)
33m · 1 min walk
Sherwood Rise (E-bound)
267m · 4 min walk
New Hill (opp)
302m · 5 min walk
Cecil Aldin Drive (adj 5)
325m · 5 min walk
Colyton Way (NE-bound)
366m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

81%

Available places

85 pupils

105 capacity

20 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Reading

Low pressure
New homes approved:9,179
Projected new pupils:2,295

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Reading

Admissions Demand - West Berkshire

Low demand0.77x oversubscription

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(6)

21 April 2026Report card
Achievement
Behaviour
Personal Development
Leadership
Early Years
23 November 2021
7 December 2016
Leadership & ManagementGood

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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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

4.0956%

Overall absence

8.97436%

Persistent absence

78

Enrolments

Authorised3.23921%
Unauthorised0.85639%
Persistent (10%+)8.97436%
Severe (50%+)0%

Absence trend

3.33006%
18/19
2.422%
20/21
4.60483%
21/22
5.45328%
22/23
5.22335%
23/24
4.0956%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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