The Holy Brook School, Reading
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
The Holy Brook School has made impressive progress under new leadership, creating a caring environment where staff know each pupil well and support their social and emotional development. Pupils benefit from a broad, engaging curriculum including practical life skills alongside academic subjects. The school has successfully reduced behavioural issues and helped pupils develop a real sense of belonging.
Key Strengths
- New leadership has dramatically reduced behavioural incidents and created a safe, nurturing environment
- Staff understand each pupil's individual needs and provide effective support for social, emotional and mental health
- School offers a broad curriculum including life skills such as drama and cooking
- Pupils feel cared for and develop a strong sense of belonging to the school community
Areas for Improvement
- Learning activities in core subjects like reading and mathematics are not ambitious enough and focus too much on engagement rather than intended curriculum content
- Curriculum is not sequenced systematically, so new learning does not consistently build on what pupils have already learned
- Governors lack sufficient information about the quality of education and curriculum effectiveness
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
visits to local parks and cafes, drama, cooking, personal social health and economic (PSHE) education
The Holy Brook School is a special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs that has experienced significant disruption and decline in standards since its last inspection in 2019, though new leadership since January 2025 has made rapid improvements to school culture and behaviour.
At a Glance
67.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 0%. Maths has remained stable at around 0%. Writing has remained stable at around 0%.
Class Sizes
0.0
Avg class size
0
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
88%
Available places
28 pupils
32 capacity
4 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Reading
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Reading
Admissions Demand - Reading
Places available
1,806
Applications
1,870
Got 1st preference
77.3%
Got preferred school
97.1%
Secondary admissions across Reading (2025/26)
Inspection History(7)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
Pupil Absence2024/25
14.93513%
Overall absence
51.72414%
Persistent absence
29
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
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