The Royal First School
100%
Capacity
110
Pupils
5.3x
Demand
About The Royal First School
If you are looking for a primary school that local families clearly want to get into, The Royal First School in Windsor and Maidenhead is a strong contender. For its 2025/26 reception intake, the school received 107 applications for just 20 places, giving it an oversubscription ratio of 5.35. That means more than five families applied for every spot. Of those, 42 put it as their first preference, and the school was able to offer places to exactly 20 of those first-preference families. It is a small Church of England primary for children aged 4 to 9, with a current roll of 110 pupils, which matches its full capacity. The school is led by headteacher Victoria Harrall, and while no parent survey data is available in the latest records, the sheer demand for places suggests a strong local reputation.
Academically, the school has a solid track record. Its most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2016 rated it Good overall, with Good marks for leadership and management and for early years provision. An ungraded inspection in 2021 confirmed the school remains Good. This is a notable improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2014, when it was rated Requires Improvement across the board. The school serves a relatively affluent intake, with only 4.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, well below the national average. While specific Key Stage 2 results are not available in this data, the local authority average for KS2 attainment is 64, and the school sits within a competitive local market where only 7 out of 46 primary schools in the borough are rated Outstanding. The Royal First School’s Good rating places it in the solid middle tier of local options.
The school offers a range of facilities including a library, music rooms, a dining hall, a chapel, and a sensory room, which suggests a thoughtful approach to supporting different needs. It provides targeted SEND support for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. Sports on offer include gymnastics, netball, rounders, tennis and athletics, while clubs range from drama and choir to gardening and book club. There is no nursery or sixth form, and the school is not a boarding option. Given its small size and high demand, this is a school that will suit families who are confident they can secure a place early and who value a close-knit, faith-based setting with a clear improvement story and a broad enrichment offer.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 4 to 9 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Church of England |
| Address | The Great Park, Windsor, Windsor and Maidenhead, SL4 2HP |
| Headteacher | Victoria Harrall |
| Local Authority | Windsor and Maidenhead |
| Number of Pupils | 110 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 4.5% |
| School Capacity | 110 / 110 (100% full) |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
21 Oct 2021Overall Effectiveness
Good
Latest inspection (21 Oct 2021): School remains Good
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 8 Nov 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
SEND Support
Source: 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
2025/26Oversubscribed20
107
Extremely High Demand
Very competitive - significantly more applications than places
42 families put this school as their 1st choice (39% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
School day
Teaching hours
08:50 – 15:20
After-school care
15:20-18:00
Source: theroyalschool.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than 75% 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
2024/25Lower-disadvantage intake compared to the national average (25%).
Below most schools — predominantly English as first language.
Ethnic background
- White British71.8%
- Mixed15.3%
- Asian7.2%
- White (other)2.7%
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
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
Better than half 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.
1
Total schools
1
Oversubscribed
1
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 The Royal First 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
The Great Park, Windsor
Windsor and Maidenhead, SL4 2HP
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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