In your opinion - what is best infant/primary in West Berks?

[Valdeeves]

As above! In your opinion what is the best infant/primary school in West Berkshire?

If in Newbury area, and state school, I'd go for any that feed into Kennet secondary school.

'Best' in what sense?

The best school for your child is the one that best fits your child. A school that is great for one child mught be horrendous for another. It's like Ofsted grading - an 'oustanding' school might be far worse for a particular child than the 'failing' one down the road....

So no one answer is possible.

Several years back I taught in many of them in a peripatetic role. My personal favorite was Streatley.

Teacherwithkids - I just want your opinion - I am
aware of all that as I am also a teacher with kids! Ha ha. I'm new
to the area and I just want to scope out people's opinions.

Are you thinking about place to work or place to put your children? Obviously if it's the latter it will be dependent on exactly where you live.

If it the former it kind of depends whether you like little village schools, of which there are a plethora, or bigger town schools.

As I say, my favorite place to go was always Streatley. However, other places I liked going included Bradfield, Chieveley, Cold Ash, Hungerford, Robert Sandilands, Yattendon and St Nicholas' (Junior).

I've heard good things about Pangbourne but never actually went there. At the time I was working there some of the very tiny village schools were undergoing the process of confederating. In some cases was a bit of a rocky process as the Head needed to be in two places (sometimes a couple of miles apart) at once.

Now, I am an SEBD teacher. I like rogues and scoundrels and I'm never happier than when I'm up to my eyes in trouble. TBH none of the West Berks schools would reach my standards, but if I had to work there it would probably be Speenhamland or Fir Tree (disclaimer- I left the area 6 years ago and have no up to date info).

PS I also did the private schools and LOVED St Andrew's, liked St Gabriels and would rather have thrown myself under a bus than worked full time at Brockhurst.

HTH.

Apologies, OP.

@EBDTeacher . Ermmmm what's wrong with brockhurst? Please share insight as my dd used to go there 2 years ago.

Good primary schools in west Berkshire IMO are cur ridge, chieveley, hermitage, stock cross.

Honestly?

I found the behaviour dire. Arrogant and nasty and it was pretty widespread, not just one class that was like that. The atmosphere in the staffroom was also terrible, really subdued, miserable seeming teachers. I actually saw one sobbing after some sort of run in she'd had with the Head.

I was there for four days, two years in a row and was very pleased to leave both times.

I hope it's changed for the better and your DD had a lovely time there!

Welford and Stockcross have good reputations...one Head covers both schools. Hungerford seems popular. Baydon (just into Wiltshire) is popular with local mums. Chieveley and Hermitage seem lovely. I've heard great things about Speenhamland and Winchcombe.

Feeder status has been removed from West Berkshire primaries plus it feels like with head of kennet also becoming executive head of trinity his is spread to thin. My business is across the road from Kennet if we had smokers behind us and phoned the school Mr D used to come himself, but now we get well their not supposed to be off school property, but there is nothing we can do.
Can report EBD that St Gabs is still lovely having got new head of junior school a lovely man who you probably came across at speenhamland.

I didn't ever meet the staff at Speenhamland because they didn't allow peripatetic staff to go in the staffroom! I was told that I could eat my lunch in an empty classroom!! As you can imagine, I went out for a sandwich instead!

Gosh that's awful. Was wait rose open to help you out then?

It is pretty unfriendly, is it not?

The kids at Speenhamland were fun- lively and interested, which is the best indicator of a good school. I've already said that Speenhamland was a school I would have been happy to work in. They also seemed to have a good set-up in terms of resourced provision and were catering really well for children with additional needs.

Non the less, it is the only school I've ever been in that is so unwelcoming to visiting staff as to not allow them in the staffroom.

Thanks for these!

Winchcombe has got better in recent years and has had a new build.

If I were moving in now, I'd look at where they feed into secondary schools. There are plenty of good primaries - but the good secondaries are more spread out.

I like Falkland and St Johns/St Nicholas myself.

Hi EBD Teacher, I've been really interested in your posts. I'd really like to pm you if I can as I probably really need some inside knowledge concerning schools in Ascot. I have a little one going between SA+ and SA and am trying to find an appropriate school, independent or otherwise... X