Silchester Church of England Primary School, Reading
Silchester Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Reading. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 11th-highest of the 85 schools in Reading with published results, and 941st of 14,452 across England. It was 81% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Hampshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Silchester Church of England Primary School in detail
Silchester Church of England Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I would like to welcome you to Silchester Church of England Primary School which is nestled in the heart of the beautiful Silchester woodland. As a small school with a big heart, we take great pride in our commitment to our core Christian values of Compassion, Courage, and Respect. Our vision for Silchester is for everyone to flourish ."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, tennis, judo, choir, Lego and homework club.
The school runs after-school care, from £7.50 per session.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 97% of Year 6 pupils at Silchester Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 88% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 75% in Hampshire 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 Silchester Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 33 families put Silchester Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 81 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.1 first choices for every place. 8 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Silchester Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Silchester Church of England Primary School are Tadley Community Primary School (1.7 miles, Good, 50% reading, 43% maths); Bishopswood Infant School (1.8 miles, Good); Bishopswood Junior School (1.8 miles, Good, 65% reading, 66% maths); and Mortimer St. John's C.E. Infant School (2.2 miles, Good).
Silchester Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 2 of them.
Tadley Community Primary SchoolBishopswood Infant SchoolBishopswood Junior SchoolMortimer St. John's C.E. Infant School
What parents say
91 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Silchester Church of England Primary School (as of September 2025): 91% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 81% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (100%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (80%).
Who goes there
7.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bramley (Hants) Rail Station, about 2.5 miles away in a straight line.
2 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Calleva Arms (se-bound), 300 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 8 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and burglary. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Hampshire (72).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Silchester Church of England 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; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2015, 11 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 February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This school creates a warm, supportive environment where children are curious and enthusiastic learners. Reading is a particular strength, with expert phonics teaching ensuring pupils read fluently by Year 2. The school goes beyond academics to develop well-rounded citizens through leadership opportunities, community service and celebration of individual talents.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading with phonics taught from early years and fluent readers by end of Year 2
- Staff have excellent subject knowledge and explain ideas clearly to pupils
- High attendance rates and positive pupil attitudes with low disruption
- Strong emphasis on character development through clubs, leadership roles and community service
- Effective support for pupils with SEND in core subjects
Areas for Improvement
- Not all pupils' misconceptions and mistakes are identified and addressed quickly enough during lessons
- Some subjects lack established systems to check how well pupils remember key knowledge
- Adaptations in wider curriculum subjects are newer and still developing as staff expertise grows
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong safeguarding culture and procedures in place.
Extracurricular Activities
Choir, netball, junior road safety officers, eco-leaders, visits to local museums and places of worship, litter picking in village
Silchester Church of England Primary School is a happy and harmonious community where pupils achieve well due to strong teaching and high aspirations for all. The school has undergone significant improvements in the last year and maintains good standards across all key areas.
At a Glance
7.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
91 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 97% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 63% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 63% to 73% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.0
Avg class size
21.0
Infant (KS1)
28.5
KS2
6
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from Silchester Church of England Primary School
02.10.26 - Newsletter
2 Oct 2026
Primary road safety newsletter Autumn 2026
Let's Play Letter to Parents - Sept 2026
From Silchester Church of England Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Silchester Church of England Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Silchester Church of England Primary School.
- Gol Elite Coaching LTD at Silchester Primary SchoolAt the school · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Silchester Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Silchester Church of England Primary School is in Hampshire; for families living there:
Apply to Hampshire 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
- 0
- 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, 0 serious and 2 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 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
Your chances of a place at Silchester Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at Silchester Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Silchester Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Silchester Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Silchester Church of England Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hampshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Silchester Church of England Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Hampshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
81%
Available places
170 pupils
210 places
40 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Reading
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Reading
Across Hampshire council
Places available
15,642
Applications
12,982
Got 1st preference
93.4%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All primary applications across Hampshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
29
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
24.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
156
Total Pupils
71
Boys
85
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
15.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,940
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,061
Per pupil
£934k
Total funding
£11k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.1%
Overall absence
3.9%
Persistent absence
152
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Silchester Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at Silchester Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at Silchester Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 97% reached the expected standard in reading and 88% did so in maths.
What is Silchester Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Silchester Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Silchester Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Silchester Church of England Primary School is oversubscribed, Hampshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Silchester Church of England Primary School?
Silchester Church of England Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 81% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at Silchester Church of England Primary School?
Classes at Silchester Church of England Primary School average 26 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Silchester Church of England Primary School?
Silchester Church of England Primary School has around 156 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Silchester Church of England Primary School?
3.1% of sessions were missed at Silchester Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 3.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Silchester Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming Silchester Church of England Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does Silchester Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Gol Elite Coaching LTD at Silchester Primary School (registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Silchester Church of England 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, 0 serious and 2 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 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 Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Silchester Church of England Primary School?
Silchester Church of England Primary School is at School Lane, Silchester, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 2NJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)