Westwood Farm Junior School

Westwood Farm Junior School is an inclusive and welcoming school that has been graded as providing the expected standard across all areas. Pupils achieve well overall, with outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics broadly in line with national averages, and those attending the specialist hearing resource base and complex needs resource unit make secure progress from their starting points. Behaviour is calm, attendance is in line with national averages, and pupils are proud, happy ambassadors who embody the school's values of kindness, honesty and hard work. The school's commitment to inclusion is tangible, with effective support for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum and have created a caring and ambitious culture where pupils and families are known well. Personal development is well-organised, offering a wide range of experiences beyond the classroom. Staff feel supported and appreciated, and governors provide purposeful support and challenge. Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture in which concerns are actively identified and managed. However, there are two areas for improvement. Some pupils do not develop spelling and handwriting skills securely enough, which hampers their progress in some subjects, and there is variation in the teaching of these skills. Additionally, in some subjects other than English and mathematics, teachers' checks on pupils' learning are not consistently effective, meaning pupils do not always develop and apply their knowledge and skills as securely as they could. Leaders are already revising approaches to writing fluency and spelling, and are focused on strengthening assessment practice across the curriculum.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well in national tests, with outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics broadly in line with national averages over time.
• Pupils who attend the hearing resource base and complex needs resource unit make secure progress from their individual starting points.
• Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils, including those in specialist provisions.
• Recent changes to the teaching of reading have had a positive impact.
• Most pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, make links in their learning.
• Pupils speak animatedly about their learning and use subject-specific vocabulary accurately and confidently.
• Attendance is in line with national averages, with leaders working determinedly to reduce barriers.
• Adaptations and reasonable adjustments help pupils with SEND attend school successfully.
• Leaders and staff have established a culture of kindness and inclusion; pupils behave well and treat others with consideration.
• Pupils trust staff to deal promptly and effectively with concerns, including bullying.
• Pupils are courteous and respectful, focus well in lessons, and take pride in their work.
• Staff consistently promote high standards of behaviour and build strong relationships with pupils.
• Leaders quickly identify pupils who need additional support and provide effective help to manage behaviour and emotions.
• Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum, identifying the knowledge, vocabulary and skills pupils need to learn over time.
• The teaching of early reading and phonics remains a high priority.
• Teaching supports pupils to learn successfully, with staff adapting learning and providing additional support when needed.
• Leaders swiftly identify barriers to learning for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, working closely with families and external agencies.
• Staff receive appropriate training, including for specialist resource provisions, and understand pupils' needs well.
• Leaders use additional funding effectively and target support appropriately for disadvantaged pupils.
• Leaders have created a caring and ambitious culture where pupils and families are known well and supported effectively.
• Staff feel supported and appreciated; leaders provide relevant professional learning opportunities and consider workload.
• Governors know the school well and provide purposeful support and challenge.
• The personal development programme extends pupils' horizons and prepares them for life beyond school.
• Pupils enjoy a wide range of experiences beyond the classroom, including visitors, sporting tournaments, and artistic opportunities.
• Pupils develop responsibility, resilience and an understanding of how to contribute positively to their community.
• Pupils learn about different faiths, cultures and beliefs, and value diversity.
• Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.
• The PSHE programme covers all required themes, including healthy relationships and online safety.
• Pupils benefit from effective pastoral support; staff know pupils well and provide timely, sensitive help.

Areas for Improvement

• Some pupils do not develop spelling and handwriting skills securely enough, which hampers their progress in some subjects.
• In some subjects other than English and mathematics, teachers' checks on pupils' learning are not consistently effective to ensure pupils develop and apply their knowledge and skills as securely as they could.
• There is occasional variation in the teaching of handwriting and spelling.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Westwood Farm Junior School attended 94.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 11.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.2% of pupils at Westwood Farm Junior School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Westwood Farm Junior School had 21.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 18.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 20.0% of pupils at Westwood Farm Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 8.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 11 pupils.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Reading · West Berkshire local authority: places and applications

What is Westwood Farm Junior School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Westwood Farm Junior School is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was Westwood Farm Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

Westwood Farm Junior School was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does Westwood Farm Junior School have?

Westwood Farm Junior School has 235 pupils on roll.

What age range does Westwood Farm Junior School cover?

Westwood Farm Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

What are Westwood Farm Junior School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 58% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Westwood Farm Junior School?

Westwood Farm Junior School is at Fullbrook Crescent, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire, RG31 6RY.