St Nicolas C.E. Junior School, Newbury
St Nicolas C.E. Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Newbury. 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 October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 10th-highest of the 21 schools in Newbury with published results, and 7,842nd of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 106% of capacity.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Capacity
- Full
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Nicolas C.E. Junior School in detail
Results
In 2025, 83% of Year 6 pupils at St Nicolas C.E. Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 69% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 71% in West Berkshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (78% in reading, 73% in maths).
Getting a place at St Nicolas C.E. Junior School
Across West Berkshire, 91% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 98% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in West Berkshire lodged 23 appeals against primary school offers; 9 reached a hearing and 3 succeeded (33.3% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Nicolas C.E. Junior School are St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery School (0.4 miles, Good); Speenhamland School (0.7 miles, Good, 66% reading, 70% maths); The Willows Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 81% reading, 85% maths); and St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 77% reading, 71% maths).
St Nicolas C.E. Junior School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
St John the Evangelist CofE Infant and Nursery SchoolSpeenhamland SchoolThe Willows Primary SchoolSt Joseph's Catholic Primary School
What parents say
59 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Nicolas C.E. Junior School (as of September 2025): 86% would recommend the school, 95% say their child is happy there and 54% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (95%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (54%).
Who goes there
33.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (54%), Asian (25%) and Mixed (6%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Newbury Rail Station, about 160 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).
18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Fair Close (adjacent), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 305 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. 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 Nicolas C.E. Junior School issued 12 suspensions, 4.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Nicolas C.E. Junior School are St Bartholomew's School (0.4 miles), Trinity School (1.2 miles) and Park House School (1.4 miles).
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
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils are proud of their diverse school. The school's vision, 'For the good of all' is well understood. Pupils are friendly and welcome new pupils to the school with warmth and kindness. There is a happy feel to this school. Pupils develop strong, positive relationships with the teaching staff. They know that their trusted adults will help them if they have any worries.
Pupils achieve well across most of the curriculum and therefore are prepared for their next steps in education. There are high expectations set for pupils' behaviour. As a result, most pupils are attentive in their lessons and are keen to learn. At breaktimes, pupils enjoy participating in a wide range of activities with their friends.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has high ambition for all pupils. In every subject, there is a clear learning journey meaning that teachers know what to teach and when. This includes a highly effective and individualised approach for supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils who need extra help with their learning or behaviour gain benefit from their time in the school's nurture group.
The school has acted decisively to strengthen the curriculum. In the past, some pupils did not achieve as well as they should with their writing. Pupils' written work shows that this recent improvement has a positive impact. Pupils have opportunities to build their writing stamina and participate in the school's 'writer of the week' challenge. However, although pupils have a secure understanding of a range of sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation it is not always evident in their written work.
From Ofsted's October 2024 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its May 2015 inspection - up from Requires Improvement.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
16.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
59 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 78% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 73% to 69% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 61% to 55% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.5
Avg class size
30.5
KS2
8
Total classes
4 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Nicolas C.E. Junior School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Nicolas C.E. Junior School.
- Let Me Play @ Northcroft790m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Nicolas C.E. Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Nicolas C.E. Junior 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
- 37
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 37 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 31 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
6 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
106%
Over capacity
254 pupils
240 places
14 pupils over capacity 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.
Inspection History(11)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
33
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
16.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
244
Total Pupils
122
Boys
122
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
16.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,494
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,304
Per pupil
£1466k
Total funding
£56k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.0%
Overall absence
8.3%
Persistent absence
265
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 Nicolas C.E. Junior School
Questions parents ask about St Nicolas C.E. Junior School
What are SATs results like at St Nicolas C.E. Junior School?
Of the pupils at St Nicolas C.E. Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 83% reached the expected standard in reading and 69% did so in maths.
What is St Nicolas C.E. Junior School's Ofsted rating?
St Nicolas C.E. Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, 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 St Nicolas C.E. Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When St Nicolas C.E. Junior 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 Nicolas C.E. Junior School?
St Nicolas C.E. Junior School was full in 2025, at 106% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Nicolas C.E. Junior School?
Classes at St Nicolas C.E. Junior School average 30.5 pupils (2025/26). 4 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Nicolas C.E. Junior School?
St Nicolas C.E. Junior School has around 244 pupils on roll. 17% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Nicolas C.E. Junior School?
4% of sessions were missed at St Nicolas C.E. Junior School in 2024/25. 8.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Nicolas C.E. Junior School?
Apply through West Berkshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Nicolas C.E. Junior 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.
Does St Nicolas C.E. Junior School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Nicolas C.E. Junior School: Let Me Play @ Northcroft (790m away, 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 St Nicolas C.E. Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 37 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 31 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 6 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 Nicolas C.E. Junior School?
St Nicolas C.E. Junior School is at Link Road, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 7LU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)