St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst

St Nicholas Church of England Primary School is performing well overall, with an overall effectiveness rating of 'Good.' The school provides a safe and welcoming environment where pupils feel valued and enjoy their learning. High academic expectations and a dedicated staff contribute to a positive atmosphere. The personal development of pupils is particularly strong, with a wealth of extra-curricular opportunities and community involvement enhancing their education experience. This was the school's first inspection since becoming an academy, and it has shown a commitment to sustaining good educational standards amidst recent changes in leadership and curriculum adaptation.

Strengths

• Strong emphasis on pupils' personal development and well-being.
• High academic expectations that pupils strive to meet.
• Effective support for pupils with SEND.
• Well-planned curriculum with engaging fieldwork opportunities.
• Positive relationships between staff and pupils.
• Community involvement and support for local initiatives.

Areas for Improvement

• In a few subjects, important knowledge to be learned remains unclear.
• Some new subject leaders are still developing their understanding of curriculum effectiveness.

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 St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst attended 96.4% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.6% 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 St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst 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 St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst had 21.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 10.9% of pupils at St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.6% 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 St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst received £6,721 and spent £6,409 for each of its 139 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £63,000 (£454 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of The Keys Academy Trust, income was £6,910 and spending £6,798 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 Wokingham · Wokingham local authority: places and applications

St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst is part of The Keys Academy Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

• Polehampton Church of England Infant and Nursery School Reading
• Polehampton Church of England Junior School Reading
• St Cecilia's CofE Primary School Wokingham
• Sonning Church of England Primary School Reading
• Earley St Peter's Church of England Primary School Reading
• The Coombes Church of England Primary School Reading
• Crazies Hill Church of England Primary School Reading
• Saint Sebastians Church of England Primary School and Nursery Wokingham
• Alder Grove Church of England Primary School Shinfield
• Grazeley Church of England Primary School Reading

What is St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst is Good, from an inspection in November 2023.

When was St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst last inspected by Ofsted?

St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst was last inspected in November 2023.

How many pupils does St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst have?

St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst has 138 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst cover?

St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst?

St Nicholas Church of England Primary, Hurst is at School Road, Hurst, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG10 0DR.