Thames Valley School, Reading
Thames Valley School is a special school for pupils aged 4 to 16 in Reading, part of Liberty Academy Trust Ltd.. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2024.
- Ofsted
- Good (2024)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Thames Valley School in detail
Thames Valley School in its own words
In its own words: "Thames Valley School helps autistic students build on their strengths, learning, confidence and enjoyment. Our aim is to respond to the needs of each of our students, helping them to grow in confidence and achieve. Each child at Thames Valley School is treated as an individual."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Thames Valley School are The Avenue Special School (under 0.1 miles, Good); The Holy Brook School (0.8 miles, Good); Brookfields School (1.7 miles); and Haywards Farm School (2.4 miles, Outstanding).
The Avenue Special SchoolThe Holy Brook SchoolBrookfields SchoolHaywards Farm School
The trust
Thames Valley School is one of 3 schools run by Liberty Academy Trust Ltd., an academy trust.
Where pupils go next
Of the 10 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 90% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 60% to a further education college.
Who goes there
48.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 5.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (71%), Mixed (8%) and Asian (5%).
Almost every pupil at Thames Valley School has an education, health and care plan (78 of 78 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Tilehurst Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church End Lane (adjacent), 200 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Thames Valley School issued 4 suspensions, 6.8 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its April 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Behaviour & attitudes.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
48.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2023/24KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Thames Valley School
Newsflash
18 May 2026
TVS Newsflash
11 May 2026
TVS Newsflash
28 Apr 2026
TVS Newsflash
20 Apr 2026
TVS Newsletter
13 Apr 2026
TVS Newsflash
23 Mar 2026
From Thames Valley School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Thames Valley School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Thames Valley School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Thames Valley School is in Reading; for families living there:
- How to apply: apply for school transport
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 10 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
7 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 Reading is 21 (the median across 71 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
100%
Full
78 pupils
78 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Reading
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Reading
Across Reading council
Places available
1,744
Applications
1,794
Got 1st preference
73.1%
Got preferred school
95.4%
All secondary applications across Reading council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
78
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
78
Total Pupils
64
Boys
14
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
3.7:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,301
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.5%
Overall absence
26.6%
Persistent absence
64
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Thames Valley School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Thames Valley School
What are GCSE results like at Thames Valley School?
In the 2024 results, pupils at Thames Valley School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 17.5 and a Progress 8 score of -1.85, well below the national average. 20% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Thames Valley School's Ofsted rating?
Thames Valley School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2024. At its previous graded inspection in 2021 it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Thames Valley School?
No fixed boundary. When Thames Valley School is oversubscribed, Reading allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Thames Valley School?
Thames Valley School has around 78 pupils on roll. 49% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Thames Valley School?
9.5% of sessions were missed at Thames Valley School in 2024/25. 26.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Thames Valley School?
Apply through Reading's coordinated admissions process, naming Thames Valley 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.
How many road collisions happen near Thames Valley School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 10 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 7 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 Reading is 21 (the median across 71 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Thames Valley School?
Thames Valley School is at 2 Conwy Close, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 4BZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)