Moorlands Primary School

About Moorlands Primary School

If you're a parent in Reading considering Moorlands Primary School, the feedback from other families is strikingly positive. In the most recent Parent View survey, covering September 2024 to September 2025, a remarkable 97% of the 30 respondents said they would recommend the school. That confidence is backed up by strong individual scores: 87% of parents strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and the same proportion strongly agreed that their child does well there. The school is clearly popular, too. For entry in 2025/26, Moorlands received 97 applications for just 29 places, giving it an oversubscription ratio of 3.34. Every one of those 29 places went to a first-preference applicant, which tells you how highly it's regarded locally. Parents also felt strongly that behaviour is well managed, with 63% strongly agreeing that the school ensures pupils are well behaved, and that their children feel safe, with 87% strongly agreeing on that front.

Academically, Moorlands delivers solid, if not spectacular, results. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 63% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That's a touch above the Reading local authority average of 61%, placing the school 15th out of 38 primary schools in the borough. The school's ranking score of 63 puts it in the bottom 50% nationally, but within the South East region it sits around the middle, ranked 973rd out of 2,034 schools. Looking at individual subjects, reading was a relative strength: 70% of pupils hit the expected standard and 30% reached the higher standard, with an average score of 105. Maths saw 77% at the expected level and an average score of 103, while writing was slightly lower at 68% expected. Only 9% of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects. The school has held a Good rating from Ofsted across its recent inspections, including an ungraded visit in June 2025 where inspectors confirmed that standards were being maintained.

Moorlands is a state primary school for mixed genders aged 4 to 11, with nursery provision available. It's a non-faith school with no religious character. The school has capacity for 490 pupils but currently has 314 on roll, so there is some room, though the oversubscription figures show demand is high. Facilities include art studios, a forest school, music rooms, a library, playing fields, a sports hall and a chapel. Clubs on offer range from science and coding to drama, choir and film club, while sports include cricket, rounders, gymnastics and dance. The school has a significant proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 43.6%, and it provides support for a wide range of special educational needs, including dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. For families who want a well-regarded local school with strong parent satisfaction and a broad offer, Moorlands is clearly a popular choice in Reading.

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