The Grange School, Thatcham
The Grange School is a special school for pupils aged 7 to 16 in Thatcham. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2024. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2026 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
The Grange School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Grange School are Engaging Potential (1.7 miles, Good); Northcroft Vocational School (2.8 miles); The Castle School (3.2 miles, Outstanding); and Mary Hare School (3.9 miles, Good).
Engaging PotentialNorthcroft Vocational SchoolThe Castle SchoolMary Hare School
What parents say
30 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Grange School (as of September 2025): 83% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that pupils behave well (80%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at The Grange School has an education, health and care plan (40 of 40 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Thatcham Rail Station, about 0.9 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Nevil Court (opposite), 210 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 113 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.
Sources: 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 9 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Grange School has created a nurturing environment where staff know pupils well and provide the support they need. The school has successfully managed growth and is well-prepared for its planned expansion, with new learning spaces fully resourced and additional specialist staff recruited. Safety and accessibility are priorities, with thorough risk assessments for individual pupils and facilities designed to support their therapeutic and learning needs.
Key Strengths
- Highly effective leadership with strong understanding of safeguarding, health and safety, and equality legislation
- Well-planned expansion with fully prepared new learning spaces and appropriate staffing levels
- Comprehensive safeguarding systems including regular staff training and external quality assurance
- Thorough risk assessment processes tailored to individual pupils' needs
- Safe, well-maintained premises with excellent facilities including therapy rooms and sensory play areas
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective - the school has a compliant child protection policy, staff receive regular comprehensive training, and leaders work well with external agencies to ensure timely support for pupils and families.
Extracurricular Activities
Football, sensory play areas, outdoor learning areas, sensory circuits, speech and language work
The Grange School is an independent special school applying to increase its maximum capacity from 40 to 60 pupils. The school is likely to meet all relevant independent school standards if the material change is approved.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
30 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Grange School
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to The Grange School, with their latest published grades:
- Pied Piper Pre-School - Pre-school, 0.2 milesOfsted, 5 October 2021: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Dingley's Promise West Berkshire - Pre-school, 0.3 miles
- Swings & Smiles - Pre-school, 0.4 miles
- Ollie's Therapy Centre and Nursery - Pre-school, 0.4 milesOfsted report card, 9 March 2026: Strong standard in 4 areas, Expected standard in 2 areas; safeguarding standards met
- Little Me Day Nursery - Day nursery, 0.5 milesOfsted, 29 March 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 18
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 14 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle.
3 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 are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
67%
Available places
40 pupils
60 places
20 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Across West Berkshire council
Places available
2,143
Applications
1,680
Got 1st preference
94.9%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All secondary applications across West Berkshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
40
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Grange School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
40
Total Pupils
25
Boys
15
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about The Grange School
What is The Grange School's Ofsted rating?
The Grange School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2026, was ungraded. At its last graded inspection, in November 2024, it was rated Outstanding.
Does The Grange School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in November 2024, The Grange School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to The Grange School?
The Grange School has around 40 pupils on roll.
Does The Grange School have specialist SEN provision?
The Grange School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How many road collisions happen near The Grange School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 14 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on a bicycle. 3 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 The Grange School?
The Grange School is at 18 - 21 Church Gate, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 3PN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)