The Heights Primary School, Reading
The Heights Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Reading, part of Bellevue Place Education Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 24th-highest of the 85 schools in Reading with published results, and 2,822nd of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 102% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2017)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Reading (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
The Heights Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 85% of Year 6 pupils at The Heights Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 88% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Reading and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (88% in reading, 83% in maths).
Getting a place at The Heights Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 63 families put The Heights Primary School as their first choice and 161 named it as one of their preferences, for 50 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 15 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at The Heights Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to The Heights Primary School are Caversham Primary School (1 mile, Good, 88% reading, 86% maths); Emmer Green Primary School (1.3 miles, Outstanding, 84% reading, 83% maths); Chiltern Nursery Nurse Training School (1.3 miles); and E P Collier Primary School (1.3 miles, Good, 83% reading, 75% maths).
The Heights Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Caversham Primary SchoolEmmer Green Primary SchoolChiltern Nursery Nurse Training SchoolE P Collier Primary School
The trust
The Heights Primary School is one of 12 schools run by Bellevue Place Education Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 74% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
171 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Heights Primary School (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (97%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (67%).
Who goes there
2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Tilehurst Rail Station, about 1.5 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Gurney Close (opposite), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Heights Primary School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 28 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and drug offences. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Reading (351).
Suspensions and exclusions
The Heights Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to The Heights Primary School are River Academy (0.9 miles) and Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre (1 mile).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from May 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils enjoy coming to this exceptional school. The school has high aspirations for all pupils from the moment that they arrive. It puts pupils' learning at the centre of everything it does. As a result, pupils become confident, articulate and passionate learners. This enables them to learn very well across the full curriculum. The school is particularly ambitious for disadvantaged pupils.
Pupils' behaviour in and beyond the classroom is exemplary. Pupils said that everyone treats each other with the same respect. Older pupils are exceptional role models, displaying respect, kindness and positivity. They form strong relationships with their younger peers, helping them to live up to these high standards of behaviour.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school has extremely high expectations for pupils' achievement. All pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, rise to this challenge. The school has put a lot of thought into shaping a curriculum that meets pupils' learning needs and interests. The careful construction of the curriculum means that pupils continually build on their prior learning. The curriculum sets out the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils need to learn, starting from the early years. Pupils thrive and achieve exceptionally well across the curriculum. This is consistently reflected in pupils' high outcomes at the end of key stage 2.
Teaching of reading is a top priority. Pupils throughout the school are immersed in high quality books. Teachers are well trained and deliver the phonics programme expertly with high levels of consistency. Pupils read books that are carefully matched to the sounds they already know. Staff act quickly to support pupils who struggle with reading. This enables them to read fluently and accurately. Nearly all pupils achieve highly in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1.
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 Outstanding at its May 2017 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
2.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
171 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 remained stable at around 85% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 83% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 90% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.2
Avg class size
25.3
Infant (KS1)
25.1
KS2
14
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with The Heights Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near The Heights Primary School.
- KOOSA Kids Breakfast, After School and Holiday Club at The Heights Primary, CavershamAt the school · Not yet graded
- Kumon Caversham Study Centre780m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Heights Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Heights Primary 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
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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
Your chances of a place at The Heights Primary School
Will you get a place at The Heights Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against The Heights Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for The Heights Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to The Heights Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Reading, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at The Heights Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Reading 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.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
102%
Over capacity
356 pupils
350 places
6 pupils over capacity 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 Reading council
Places available
2,001
Applications
1,844
Got 1st preference
91.1%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Reading council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
48
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
16.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
353
Total Pupils
188
Boys
165
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
19.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,448
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£1929k
Total funding
£20k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.2%
Overall absence
5.1%
Persistent absence
314
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
The Heights Primary School
Questions parents ask about The Heights Primary School
What are SATs results like at The Heights Primary School?
Of the pupils at The Heights Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 85% reached the expected standard in reading and 88% did so in maths.
What is The Heights Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The Heights Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2017, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Heights Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When The Heights Primary School is oversubscribed, Reading allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at The Heights Primary School?
The Heights Primary School was full in 2025, at 102% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at The Heights Primary School?
Classes at The Heights Primary School average 25.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to The Heights Primary School?
The Heights Primary School has around 353 pupils on roll. 2% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at The Heights Primary School?
3.2% of sessions were missed at The Heights Primary School in 2024/25. 5.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Heights Primary School?
Apply through Reading's coordinated admissions process, naming The Heights 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 The Heights Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: KOOSA Kids Breakfast, After School and Holiday Club at The Heights Primary, Caversham (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near The Heights Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 The Heights Primary School?
The Heights Primary School is at 129 Upper Woodcote Road, Reading, RG4 7LB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)