Thames Valley School

Special free school · All-through, ages 4 to 16 · Mixed

Part of LIBERTY ACADEMY TRUST LTD.

2 Conwy Close, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 4BZ

0118 942 4750 · School website · Map and directions

OfstedGoodInspected 16 April 2024
Pupils78Room for 78 Pupil numbers in January of each year: 52 in 2019, 48 in 2021, 50 in 2022, 53 in 2023, 55 in 2024, 59 in 2025, 78 in 2026. Across England, special state school pupil numbers were up 39% from 2019 to 2025.
Free school meals49%of pupils eligible now

Ofsted inspection

Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 16 April 2024.

This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.

AreaGrade
Quality of educationGood
Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
Personal developmentGood
Leadership and managementGood
SafeguardingEffective

Read the full Ofsted reports for this school

Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.

What parents say

31 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 2 April 2024 and 7 April 2025.

StatementThis schoolEngland
My child is happy at this school 77% 89%
My child feels safe at this school 74% 90%
The school makes sure pupils are well behaved 71% 84%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOf 17 parents whose child had been bullied 47% 51%
Concerns were dealt with properlyOf 28 parents who had raised a concern 64% 76%
I would recommend this school to another parent 74%said yes 84%

Parents choose whether to take part, so these answers may not represent all families. Figures are the share who agree or strongly agree. England figures are all parents answering the same questions over the same period, for state-funded schools. The scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) agreement, and the dot marks this school among state schools of the same phase that used the same survey questions. The third it falls in is coloured: green for the top third, amber the middle, red the bottom. This survey used Ofsted's previous Parent View questions, which changed in November 2025. Source: Ofsted Parent View management information.

We'll ask you to confirm. One email per change, and you can unsubscribe at any time. Privacy.

Results

Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25

4 pupils in this year group.

Only 4 pupils took these tests, so results can change a lot from year to year. Compare with care.

MeasureThis schoolReadingEngland
Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths Not published 62% 62%
Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths Not published 8% 8%
Met the expected standard in reading Not published 75% 75%
Met the expected standard in writing Not published 70% 72%
Met the expected standard in maths Not published 74% 74%
Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 106 106
Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. Not published 105 105

"Not published": Not published: too few pupils, so individual pupils could be identified.

Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, over time

2022/232023/242024/25
Not published38%Not published

Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

GCSEs (key stage 4, age 16), 2024/25

4 pupils in this year group.

Only 4 pupils took these tests, so results can change a lot from year to year. Compare with care.

MeasureThis schoolReadingEngland
Grade 5 or above in English and maths Not published 51% 45%
Attainment 8 scoreAverage of each pupil's grades across 8 GCSE-level subjects, with English and maths counted twice. Around 50 means grade 5s on average. Not published 50.2 46.1
EBacc average point scoreAverage points across the English Baccalaureate subjects: English, maths, sciences, a language and history or geography. Not published 4.6 4.1

"Not published": Not published: too few pupils, so individual pupils could be identified.

Grade 5 or above in English and maths, over time
0% 20% 40% 60% England 2022/23: 45%England 2023/24: 46%England 2024/25: 45% This school 2022/23: 0%This school 2023/24: 20% This school England 45% 2022/23 0% 2023/24 20% 2024/25 –

Progress 8 isn't shown. DfE didn't publish it for 2024/25 because this year group's key stage 2 tests in 2020 were cancelled, and older progress scores aren't comparable.

Source: DfE key stage 4 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.

After Year 11

Where pupils went next. DfE measures this for pupils who finished in an earlier year, so these figures describe a previous year group.

10 pupils in this year group.

70% — 23 points below the Reading average, and 22 points below the England average.

MeasureThis schoolReadingEngland
Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or workPupils recorded in sustained education, apprenticeship or employment in the year after finishing Year 11. 70% 93% 92%
School sixth form 0% 51% 34%
Sixth form college 0% 9% 13%
Further education college 50% 26% 37%
Apprenticeship 0% 2% 3%
Work 0% 2% 3%

Stayed in education, an apprenticeship or work, over time

2023/242024/25
Not published70%

Source: DfE key stage 4 destination measures, 2024/25 performance tables. England figures are for state-funded schools.

Admissions

Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Reading. The national closing date for secondary applications is 31 October, and offers are sent on 1 March.

Admissions dates and schools in Reading

Pupils, staff and SEND

This is a special school for children with an education, health and care plan (EHCP). Places are arranged through the council's SEND team, not the normal admissions round.

PupilsThis schoolReadingEngland
Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 45.8% 49.4%* 51.9%
With an education, health and care plan 100.0% 100.0%* 99.5%
Receiving special educational needs support 0.0% 0.0%* 0.5%
English as an additional language 1.7% 21.7%* 14.4%
Overall absence (sessions missed) 9.5% 16.7%* 12.8%
Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 26.6% 43.2%* 35.3%
Suspensions per 100 pupils 6.8 64.4 12.3
Pupils suspended at least once 5.1% 14.4% 5.1%
Pupils permanently excluded1 pupil 1.69% 0.25% 0.08%
Pupils per teacher 4.0 5.6 6.6
Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 1.9 1.7 2.3
Teachers who left during the year 33.6% 16.6%* 14.3%*

Comparisons are with special schools. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.

SEND provision: Get Information about Schools (DfE).

Nearby special schools

Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.

Questions parents ask

What is Thames Valley School's Ofsted rating?

Thames Valley School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 16 April 2024.

How did Thames Valley School do in its GCSEs?

DfE didn't publish this figure for 2024/25. Not published: too few pupils, so individual pupils could be identified.

Would parents recommend Thames Valley School?

74% of the 31 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey between 2 April 2024 and 7 April 2025 said they would recommend Thames Valley School to another parent. Parents choose whether to respond, so this may not represent all families.

Sources

Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.

Page updated 26 September 2026.