Parsons Down Infant School

Parsons Down Infant School continues to demonstrate strong performance, maintaining its good status since its last inspection in January 2019. The school excels in providing a nurturing environment where pupils feel happy, secure and valued, enabling them to thrive academically and socially. High expectations for pupil behaviour and learning are set by teachers, leading to a positive and engaging learning atmosphere. The curriculum, especially in early years, is effectively designed to promote learning through play, fostering positive attitudes from the outset. The commitment to inclusivity is evident, with effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs.

Strengths

• Pupils feel happy, secure, and valued.
• High levels of care for all pupils.
• Strong relationships among pupils and staff.
• Teachers set high expectations for learning and behaviour.
• Early years curriculum is well-sequenced and engaging.
• Effective phonics teaching promotes a love of reading.
• Strong support systems in place for pupils with SEND.

Areas for Improvement

• Opportunities for applying mathematical knowledge in other contexts are limited.
• Knowledge and vocabulary in some foundation subjects are not precisely identified.

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 Parsons Down Infant School attended 93.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.8% 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, 3.3% of pupils at Parsons Down Infant 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 Parsons Down Infant School had 19.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 21.7% 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, 15.9% of pupils at Parsons Down Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

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 Thatcham · West Berkshire local authority: places and applications

What is Parsons Down Infant School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Parsons Down Infant School is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.

When was Parsons Down Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?

Parsons Down Infant School was last inspected in June 2024.

How many pupils does Parsons Down Infant School have?

Parsons Down Infant School has 88 pupils on roll.

What age range does Parsons Down Infant School cover?

Parsons Down Infant School for pupils aged 4 to 7.

Where is Parsons Down Infant School?

Parsons Down Infant School is at Herons Way, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 3SR.