Wilson Primary School

About Wilson Primary School

Wilson Primary School in Reading is a mixed state primary for ages 3 to 11, currently home to 458 pupils against a capacity of 477. That’s a near-full school, and the demand is clear: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 160 applications for 60 places, with 60 first-preference applications and 53 first-preference offers made. The oversubscription ratio sits at 2.67, meaning nearly three families applied for every spot. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 12.2%, which is below the national average for primary schools, suggesting a relatively less disadvantaged intake compared with many schools nationally. The school has a nursery provision on site, and while it has no religious character, it does list a chapel among its facilities. Headteacher Claire Hurst leads a school that has held a Good Ofsted rating across both its most recent inspections, with the latest graded inspection taking place in 2022.

Academically, Wilson’s KS2 results for the 2023/24 year show a mixed picture. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined was 47%, which is below the Reading local authority average of 61%. That places the school 35th out of 38 primary schools in the local authority ranking, putting it in the bottom tier. Broken down by subject, 73% met the expected standard in maths, 63% in writing, and 58% in reading. Higher attainment at the higher standard was notably low: just 5% achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined, with 24% hitting the higher standard in maths and 27% in reading. Average scaled scores were 104 in maths and 103 in reading. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it’s hard to say how much value the school adds relative to starting points, but the raw outcomes are below the local norm.

On the practical side, Wilson offers a decent range of facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, playing fields, art studios, and an outdoor playground. Sports on offer include netball, cricket, dance, and football, while clubs cover science, coding, and drama. The school has a broad set of SEND provisions, supporting pupils with specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, speech language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families considering Wilson, the oversubscription is a key factor — with 160 applications for 60 places, it’s not a school you can assume a place at, especially if it’s not your first preference. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Battle Primary Academy, half a kilometre away, which may be an alternative for families prioritising a higher Ofsted grade. Wilson suits families who value a Good-rated, well-subscribed community school with nursery provision and a broad SEND offer, but who are comfortable with below-average KS2 outcomes.

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