The Palmer Primary Academy

The Palmer Primary Academy is performing well overall, achieving a 'Good' rating in all areas except for early years provision, which is rated 'Outstanding.' The school is praised for its inclusive culture, with staff prioritizing relationships with pupils and families. The curriculum is well-structured and supports high expectations for all, particularly in early reading and phonics. However, there are challenges in ensuring that all teachers possess the required subject knowledge across the curriculum, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Strengths

• Strong supportive relationships among staff and pupils.
• Well-sequenced curriculum from Nursery to Year 6.
• High expectations and values promoting resilience and independence.
• Outstanding early years provision and exceptional emphasis on communication and language.
• Effective strategies for encouraging good behavior among pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Inadequate support plans for pupils with SEND.
• Varied subject knowledge among teachers affecting learning efficacy.

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 The Palmer Primary Academy attended 93.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 20.5% 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, 2.3% of pupils at The Palmer Primary Academy 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 The Palmer Primary Academy had 30.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 29.8% 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, 16.1% of pupils at The Palmer Primary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.7% 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 2024–25 The Palmer Primary Academy received £6,983 and spent £6,656 for each of its 422 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £96,000 (£228 per pupil).

Across all 65 schools of Reach2 Academy Trust, income was £7,346 and spending £7,105 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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

The Palmer Primary Academy is part of Reach2 Academy Trust, which runs 65 schools. The nearest others:

• Civitas Academy Reading
• Green Park Village Primary Academy Reading
• Ranikhet Academy Reading
• Green Ridge Primary Academy Aylesbury
• Summerside Primary Academy London
• Aerodrome Primary Academy Croydon
• Robert Fitzroy Academy Croydon
• St Mark's Church of England Primary Academy London
• Tidemill Academy London
• Desmond Anderson Primary Academy Crawley

What is The Palmer Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Palmer Primary Academy is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.

When was The Palmer Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

The Palmer Primary Academy was last inspected in January 2023.

How many pupils does The Palmer Primary Academy have?

The Palmer Primary Academy has 436 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Palmer Primary Academy cover?

The Palmer Primary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are The Palmer Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 66% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Palmer Primary Academy?

The Palmer Primary Academy is at 70 Northumberland Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 7PP.