Sonning Church of England Primary School

Sonning Church of England Primary School is performing at an outstanding level across all inspected areas. Inspectors found exceptionally high expectations, an impressively ambitious curriculum, and pupils who achieve extremely well and leave with remarkable maturity, self-motivation and deep knowledge. Behaviour and attitudes are outstanding, with pupils showing habitual kindness, excellent focus in lessons and high attendance. The school’s personal development programme is exceptional and the school is unwaveringly inclusive, with pupils with SEND identified quickly and supported expertly to achieve extremely well. Early years provision is also outstanding, with children flourishing in a carefully designed environment. Reading and phonics are prioritised from the early years, and staff have excellent subject knowledge, check understanding rigorously and adapt learning effectively. The trust and governors are extremely well informed and clear structures maintain high standards, while staff well-being and workload are managed very well. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. The school is part of The Keys Academy Trust and was previously graded Good; this graded inspection found all key judgements outstanding. No areas of concern or weakness are identified in the report. As the inspection took place under the current framework, no overall effectiveness grade was given.

Strengths

• Exceptionally high expectations and an impressively ambitious curriculum across all subjects
• Pupils achieve extremely well and leave with remarkable maturity and self-motivation
• Reading and phonics are prioritised from the early years with precise teaching
• Pupils who need additional reading support receive expert help to keep up
• Early years provision is exceptionally effective, with children flourishing
• Staff have excellent subject knowledge and check pupils’ understanding rigorously
• Pupils with SEND are identified quickly and supported expertly to achieve extremely well
• Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent
• The personal development programme is exceptional and builds deep understanding of British values
• The school is unwaveringly inclusive and knows pupils’ needs and backgrounds very well
• The trust and governors are extremely well informed and maintain high standards
• Staff well-being and workload are managed very well
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective
• Pupils’ attendance is high and parents are full of praise for the school

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 Sonning Church of England Primary School attended 95.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.4% 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, 0.0% of pupils at Sonning Church of England 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 Sonning Church of England Primary School had 23.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.5% 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, 4.3% of pupils at Sonning Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.9% 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 Sonning Church of England Primary School received £6,259 and spent £6,294 for each of its 208 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £34,000 (£162 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
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All schools in Reading · Wokingham local authority: places and applications

Sonning Church of England Primary School is part of The Keys Academy Trust, which runs 13 schools. The nearest others:

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

What is Sonning Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sonning Church of England Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Sonning Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Sonning Church of England Primary School was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Sonning Church of England Primary School have?

Sonning Church of England Primary School has 210 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sonning Church of England Primary School cover?

Sonning Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Sonning Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 93% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Sonning Church of England Primary School?

Sonning Church of England Primary School is at Liguge Way, Sonning, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 6XF.