Thoughts on Primary schools in Reading, Wokingham and Farnborough (Berkshire)

[Imlee]

Hi all, we are exploring Reading, Wokingham and Farnborough as areas we would like to move to (a) bigger place for the same money outside London with a fast commute into London (b) increase our chances of getting our boy into an outstanding primary school so be as close as possible to the relevant school.

I would be grateful for any feedback on schools from parents in the areas above (particularly Reading) where you kids may go to the schools above which is rated as outstanding and what your thoughts are.

I suppose the other way to look at it is to find outstanding schools which face the least amount of competition for places (in comparison to others) any guidance on this will also be great. Some of the schools we have been looking at (online only so far)

Caversham Primary School, RG4
Emmer Green Primary School, RG4
Aldryngton Primary School, RG6
Birch Copse Primary School, RG31

Hi there:) Here's my thoughts on two of your listed schools. Caversham Primary is and always has been very academic, if that suits your child then fine, but it wouldn't be right for us. I don't particularly like it & you'll get a lot of 'pushy' parent types there. Not my bag at all.

Emmer Green has a fantastic head teacher & I really think the right leadership makes or breaks a school. Their academic record is very good also, but I think its a more well rounded school personally. It also has a huge amount of green space for the kids to play on, which for me would be important. They have more of a 'mixed' catchment than Caversham primary, but I consider that a good thing not a bad thing. More chilled out parents at the school gate, but depends what you want.

BTW, my kids don't go to either as we are not in catchment, but I have lived in the area of those schools & know people whose kids go to both and also have done supply in both:)

In terms of living in those areas, I personally slightly prefer Caversham though.

The commute from Wokingham to Waterloo is NOT fast, so do keep that in mind. Having said that, St Pauls has got a good reputation. Are you planning to go private for secondary? If not, careful with Reading. Choice is not great

I think Caversham Primary was oversubscribed by about 90 children for September's intake. Lovely place to live and there's a new free school opening next month which may be of interest- will probably also be oversubscribed once it's established. Bit of a baby boom recently apparently.
Not sure about the other schools on your list.

Aldryngton is a lovely school, the teachers are great and the head is a very good leader. Worth noting that it is a pretty small school considering the area, only 45 intake each year - you must live in catchment to be sure of getting in, although in previous years one or two outside catchment got in, this year it filled from catchment and a couple of siblings out of catchment didn't get in. The year groups are mixed as the children go up the school - reception has 45 children with 2 teachers and 4 TAs, then the 90 children in Y1 & Y2 are mixed up and split into 3 classes of 30, same for Y3 & Y4, and Y5 & Y6. I had reservations about this at first, but what happens is the children know so many children in all year groups and have good friends in the year above and below them, so it makes for a lovely community. It also makes the transition to secondary easier as there are already older children there that they know well when they start.

Also in Earley you have the choice of the Waterloo line at around an hour and a half into London, or five minutes on the train into Reading and then a fast train into Paddington (around 30 mins). Maiden Erlegh secondary school on the same site as Aldryngton is also an outstanding school.

Caversham Primary and Emmer Green Primary are notoriously difficult to get in to, even if you live in catchment. Also consider what you are doing for secondary school, as you'd be in Highdown catchment which has its problems.

We were exceptionally lucky to get into Emmer Green with a bulge year in 2012, otherwise at edge of catchment it would have been impossible. The new Free School means no more bulge classes for the established schools. My DD will be starting in 2015 and we have figured there will be almost a whole class just of siblings that year which means only 30/40 kids will be able to start at EG that year!

In saying that i love the school and have been nothing but impressed over and over in the past two years. Previous posters comments on Cav Primary are spot on, you couldn't pay me to put up with that school gate!!!

How about Twyford? Good train line, schools and central location for many other bigger towns.

You should also look at Waverley School in Finchampstead, Wokingham. It's a lovely school and gets great results academically but also produces really lovely, confident kids.

DH was at Walter County in Wokingham about 25 years ago and he's turned out ok

As a pp says though the commute into London is not quick and even that far up the line you will struggle to get a seat unless you go really early.