New Town Primary School
99%
Capacity
415
Pupils
2.3x
Demand
About New Town Primary School
New Town Primary School in Reading holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its two most recent inspections. In its January 2025 inspection, inspectors awarded Good marks across all five graded categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. The most telling academic metric is the Key Stage 2 combined expected standard in reading, writing and maths, where 57% of pupils met the benchmark. That figure sits just below the Reading local authority average of 61%, placing the school 23rd out of 38 primary schools in the borough. While the school is in the bottom half of the national rankings for this measure, the picture is more nuanced when you look at individual subjects.
In the 2023/24 academic year, 72% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 70% in maths, with average scaled scores of 103 in both subjects. Writing was a relative weak spot at 65% expected, and only 4% of pupils achieved the higher standard across all three subjects. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is hard to say how much value the school adds from starting points. The school's 19.9% of pupils eligible for free school meals is above the national average, which may partly explain the gap with the LA average. Parents are overwhelmingly positive: 96% would recommend the school, and 94% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy there.
The school is oversubscribed for Reception places in 2025/26, with 110 applications for 48 places and 47 first-preference offers, giving a ratio of 2.29 applicants per place. Facilities include a library, sports hall, ICT suite, playing fields and a chapel. The school offers a SEN unit and provisions for moderate learning difficulty, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder, and social and emotional mental health. Clubs include drama, chess and film club, while sports on offer range from football and cricket to gymnastics and swimming. New Town suits families who value a Good-rated local primary with strong parent satisfaction, a broad range of sports, and dedicated SEND support, though those prioritising top-tier academic outcomes may want to look at higher-ranked schools in the area.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Does not apply |
| Address | School Terrace, Reading, Reading, RG1 3LS |
| Headteacher | Polly Cornish |
| Local Authority | Reading |
| Number of Pupils | 415 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 19.9% |
| School Capacity | 415 / 420 (99% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
14 Jan 2025Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 11 Feb 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (57%)
8882nd of 13,686
Nationally
1326th of 2,034
In South East
23rd of 38
In Reading
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
57%
Expected Standard
4%
Higher Standard
'22/23
47%
'23/24
57%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
Ofsted Parent View
55 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
SEN UnitSource: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
5Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
10Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed48
110
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
47 families put this school as their 1st choice (43% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half of schools in England.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- Asian47.4%
- White British11.6%
- White (other)11.3%
- Mixed10.6%
- Black0.7%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
Half of schools in England do better than this.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
10
Total schools
7
Oversubscribed
4
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About New Town Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
School Terrace, Reading
Reading, RG1 3LS
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
Parent Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience at New Town Primary School!
Write a Review