Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School

Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School continues to be a good school, showcasing a strong sense of belonging and community among its pupils. The school has established warm relationships that foster an inclusive environment, with a notable buddy system aiding new students in their transition. Pupils exhibit high motivation and engagement, supported by staff who hold high expectations for both achievement and behavior. There's a strong emphasis on core values, with a well-received programme to promote kindness, honesty, and mutual respect. Parents express immense satisfaction with their children's experiences at the school.

Strengths

• Pupils love attending and feel safe at the school.
• Strong relationships and a sense of community foster inclusion.
• Teaching phonics is a major strength with above-average results.
• Pupils exhibit excellent behavior and high motivation in lessons.
• A wide range of enrichment opportunities enhances pupil development.
• Staff are equipped to support pupils with special educational needs.

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum in some foundation subjects lacks clarity on prior knowledge.
• Expectations in certain subjects are not always high enough.

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 Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School attended 96.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.6% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary 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 Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School had 21.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.2% 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, 12.3% of pupils at Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.1% 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.

In 2025–26 Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School received £6,556 and spent £6,554 for each of its 195 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £15,000 (£78 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

What is Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2024.

When was Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School was last inspected in May 2024.

How many pupils does Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School have?

Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School has 195 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School cover?

Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 61% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School?

Cold Ash St Mark's CE Primary School is at Cold Ash Hill, Cold Ash, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG18 9PT.