Sonning Church of England Primary School
99%
Capacity
208
Pupils
3.1x
Demand
About Sonning Church of England Primary School
Parents at Sonning Church of England Primary School are overwhelmingly positive about their experience, with 98% of respondents to the most recent Parent View survey saying they would recommend the school. That survey, which ran between September 2024 and September 2025 and collected 90 responses, paints a picture of a community where children are genuinely happy: 88% of parents strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 90% strongly agreed that their child feels safe. The school is also clearly popular among prospective families. For entry in the 2025/26 academic year, Sonning received 94 applications for just 30 places, making it oversubscribed with a ratio of 3.13 applicants per place. Of those, 35 were first-preference applications, and all 30 places went to first-preference families. This level of demand places the school among the most sought-after primaries in Wokingham.
Academically, Sonning is a standout performer in the local authority. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 93% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, well above the Wokingham local authority average of 70%. The school ranks second out of 34 primary schools in Wokingham on this metric, placing it in the top 5% nationally. A closer look at the results shows particularly strong reading outcomes: every single pupil reached the expected standard in reading, and 63% achieved the higher standard. In maths, 93% met the expected standard and half of all pupils reached the higher standard. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, awarded Outstanding grades across the board for quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, early years provision, and leadership and management. This is an upgrade from its previous Good rating in 2011.
The school is a Church of England primary with a capacity of 210 pupils and currently has 208 on roll, so it is running nearly full. It offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, playing fields, music rooms, an ICT suite, art studios, and a forest school. Clubs include science, coding, gardening, film and art, while sports on offer range from football and cricket to gymnastics and dance. The school has identified SEND provisions for a range of needs, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health support. With just 5.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the intake is relatively affluent. Sonning is best suited to families who value strong academic outcomes, a clear Christian character, and a school where parental satisfaction is exceptionally high and demand for places is fierce.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | Liguge Way, Reading, Wokingham, RG4 6XF |
| Headteacher | Philip Sherwood |
| Local Authority | Wokingham |
| Number of Pupils | 208 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 5.3% |
| School Capacity | 208 / 210 (99% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
8 Jul 2025Quality of Education
Outstanding
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 7 Sept 2025. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (93%)
150th of 13,686
Nationally
19th of 2,034
In South East
2nd of 34
In Wokingham
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
93%
Expected Standard
17%
Higher Standard
'22/23
80%
'23/24
93%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
Ofsted Parent View
90 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
10Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed30
94
High Demand
Competitive - many more applications than places available
35 families put this school as their 1st choice (37% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:35 – 15:15
Source: sonning.wokingham.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Half of schools in England do better than this.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British56.3%
- Asian25.9%
- Mixed10.1%
- White (other)4.3%
- Black0.5%
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
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
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.
5
Total schools
3
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Sonning Church of England 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
Liguge Way, Reading
Wokingham, RG4 6XF
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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