St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School, Newbury
St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 7 in Newbury. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2025 did not change this grade. It was 96% full in 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to West Berkshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School in detail
Getting a place at St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School
For September 2026 entry, 53 families put St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School as their first choice and 123 named it as one of their preferences, for 58 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 5 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School are St Nicolas C.E. Junior School (0.4 miles, Good, 83% reading, 69% maths); The Willows Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 81% reading, 85% maths); John Rankin Junior School (0.7 miles); and John Rankin Infant and Nursery School (0.7 miles).
St Nicolas C.E. Junior SchoolThe Willows Primary SchoolJohn Rankin Junior SchoolJohn Rankin Infant and Nursery School
What parents say
53 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School (as of September 2025): 91% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 43% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (43%).
Who goes there
11.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 31.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (57%), Asian (20%) and Black (7%).
In 2026, 16 pupils (8.5%) received SEN support and 3 (1.6%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Staffing
St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School had 12 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
The nearest railway station is Newbury Rail Station, about 700 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Priory Road (adjacent), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 256 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in West Berkshire (26), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School issued 4 suspensions, 2.1 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School are St Bartholomew's School (0.3 miles), Park House School (1 mile) and Trinity School (1.5 miles).
Sources: 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2011, 15 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
This school creates a welcoming, inclusive environment where children flourish emotionally and academically. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and the curriculum is thoughtfully planned to build pupils' knowledge over time. Children develop into confident, caring citizens with a deep understanding of respect, equality and British values.
Key Strengths
- Well-designed, ambitious curriculum with clear guidance on important knowledge and vocabulary for all subjects
- Strong early reading programme with diverse, inclusive texts and dedicated phonics instruction from Reception
- Effective support for pupils with SEND who achieve well from their individual starting points
- Positive behaviour and calm, orderly classrooms where pupils listen attentively and work well together
- Excellent personal development including leadership opportunities and deep understanding of British values and respect for differences
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers sometimes do not identify and address weaknesses in pupils' understanding quickly enough, leading to knowledge gaps
- Key gaps in phonics knowledge are occasionally missed, and some older pupils' reading books do not match their learned sounds, slowing reading progress
- Persistent absence among some pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, causes them to miss vital learning and school experiences
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Breakfast club, after-school clubs, cricket club, dance club, multi-sport club, eco-councillors, school council, trips to Town Hall and woodland area
St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School is a welcoming and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe and happy. The school has been rated Good across all areas, with a well-crafted curriculum and strong relationships built on mutual respect and trust.
At a Glance
11.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
53 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
26.9
Avg class size
28.8
Infant (KS1)
7
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery 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
- 19
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 14 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
8 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 West Berkshire is 3 (the median across 99 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 St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School
Will you get a place at St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from West Berkshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in West Berkshire 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
96%
Near capacity
173 pupils
180 places
7 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Newbury
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Newbury
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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
16
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
10.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
188
Total Pupils
107
Boys
81
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
12
Teachers
15.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£54,009
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,668
Per pupil
£1088k
Total funding
£35k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.0%
Overall absence
23.6%
Persistent absence
123
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School
Questions parents ask about St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School
What is St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?
St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School?
No fixed boundary. When St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School is oversubscribed, West Berkshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School?
St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School?
Classes at St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School average 26.9 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School?
St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School has around 188 pupils on roll. 12% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School?
6% of sessions were missed at St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School in 2024/25. 23.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School?
Apply through West Berkshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery 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.
How many road collisions happen near St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 14 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 8 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 West Berkshire is 3 (the median across 99 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School?
St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School is at Old Newtown Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 7DE.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)