The Holy Brook School, Reading
The Holy Brook School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Reading. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2014)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Holy Brook School in detail
The Holy Brook School in its own words
In its own words: "We thought it would be better if some of our pupils shared their thoughts about their school"
From the headteacher's welcome: "Holy Brook School is a Nurturing School which supports pupils to achieve their potential in an inclusive learning environment which removes the barriers to learning they have previously encountered. All pupils will have an Education Health Care Plan for Social Emotional & Mental Health difficulties and may have additional needs."
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Holy Brook School are The Avenue Special School (0.8 miles, Good); Thames Valley School (0.8 miles, Good); Groveside School (2.5 miles); and Hamilton School (2.5 miles, Good).
The Avenue Special SchoolThames Valley SchoolGroveside SchoolHamilton School
Who goes there
67.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 7.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (68%) and Mixed (14%).
Almost every pupil at The Holy Brook School has an education, health and care plan (28 of 28 in 2026). The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.
The Holy Brook School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Reading Green Park, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ashampstead Road (opp 307), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 222 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, other theft and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Reading (351).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Holy Brook School issued 21 suspensions, 72.4 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: 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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from October 2014, 12 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Some aspects are not as strong as at the last graded inspection.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
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
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with The Holy Brook School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Holy Brook School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Holy Brook 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
- 18
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 3
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, 2 serious and 16 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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
88%
Available places
28 pupils
32 places
4 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(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
28
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Holy Brook School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
28
Total Pupils
22
Boys
6
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
7
Teachers
4.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,679
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
14.9%
Overall absence
51.7%
Persistent absence
29
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
The Holy Brook School
Questions parents ask about The Holy Brook School
What are SATs results like at The Holy Brook School?
Of the pupils at The Holy Brook School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is The Holy Brook School's Ofsted rating?
The Holy Brook School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2014, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for The Holy Brook School?
No fixed boundary. When The Holy Brook School is oversubscribed, Reading allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Holy Brook School?
The Holy Brook School has around 28 pupils on roll. 68% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Holy Brook School have specialist SEN provision?
The Holy Brook School provides for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
What is attendance like at The Holy Brook School?
14.9% of sessions were missed at The Holy Brook School in 2024/25. 51.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Holy Brook School?
Apply through Reading's coordinated admissions process, naming The Holy Brook 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 The Holy Brook 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, 2 serious and 16 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 Holy Brook School?
The Holy Brook School is at 145 Ashampstead Road, Southcote, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 3LJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)