The WREN School, Reading

Requires Improvement
Secondary
Free schools
Mixed
Ages 1119

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~426m)Possible (~609m)Unlikely (~792m)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr John Salberg
Pupils:931 / 1,176 capacity
LA:Reading
Phone:01182143888
Address:61-63 Bath Road, Reading, RG30 2BB
Trust:EXCALIBUR ACADEMIES TRUST
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2015

Ofsted Rating

Requires Improvement

Overall

URN:142121
UKPRN:10053828
Constituency:Reading Central
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

The WREN School creates a genuinely inclusive environment where every child is welcomed and supported, regardless of their background or additional needs. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and pupils benefit from a well-designed curriculum that helps them connect learning and build confidence. The school has an exceptional focus on pastoral care, with staff who know pupils well and respond swiftly to any concerns.

Key Strengths

  • Strong safeguarding culture with all legal requirements met and pupils feeling safe
  • Excellent behaviour and attendance, with systematic support to remove barriers to regular school attendance
  • Inclusive provision for pupils with SEND, English as additional language learners, and disadvantaged pupils
  • Well-designed curriculum with strong emphasis on reading, writing and oracy skills
  • Caring, welcoming school community where pupils are proud and ambitious

Areas for Improvement

  • Consistency in checking for gaps in pupils' knowledge during lessons needs to improve
  • Sixth form achievement has been below expectations historically, though recent changes are being implemented
  • Overall impact of recent sixth form improvements is not yet fully visible

Safeguarding

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, concerns are actively identified and acted upon, and pupils are made safer and feel safe.

Extracurricular Activities

Activity clubs, theatre visits, educational trips, sixth form volunteering opportunities, reading practice activities, swap shop

The WREN School is a welcoming and inclusive secondary school where pupils achieve in line with national averages and benefit from strong pastoral support and a diverse, respectful community. Leaders have created an open culture where safeguarding is prioritized and all pupils, including those with additional needs, are carefully supported.

At a Glance

31.8%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder

SEN Provision

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

22.5

Avg class size

40

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Train Stations

Reading West Rail Station (Entrance)
825m · 13 min walk

Bus Stops

Liebenrood Road (adj)
72m · 1 min walk
Parkside Road (opp)
124m · 2 min walk
Monks Way (opp 39)
193m · 3 min walk
Southcote Farm Lane (NE-bound)
254m · 4 min walk
Southcote Road (W-bound)
294m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

79%

Available places

931 pupils

1,176 capacity

245 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Reading

Low pressure
New homes approved:9,179
Projected new pupils:1,652

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Reading

Admissions Demand - Reading

Low demand1.04x oversubscription

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(103)

Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement
Date not published by Ofsted
Requires Improvement

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.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

8.30566%

Overall absence

26.88414%

Persistent absence

889

Enrolments

Authorised4.42897%
Unauthorised3.87669%
Persistent (10%+)26.88414%
Severe (50%+)3.48706%

Absence trend

7.46966%
18/19
6.61044%
20/21
12.48253%
21/22
9.93272%
22/23
9.24596%
23/24
8.30566%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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