In short: Most primary schools here are rated Good or better, about the same as across England. Results at 11 are below England, and results at 16 were above England in 2026. Fewer pupils miss a lot of school than across England.
Schools and nurseries15667 primary · 10 secondary · 60 nurseries
Primaries Good or better100%England 96%
Met the standard at 1157%England 62%
Grade 5 in English and maths51%Attainment 8 49.2, England 46.2
Free school meals, primary16%A sign of family income
Missed a lot of school17%England 18%
Top-rated
The highest-rated schools in West Berkshire
Primary and secondary schools are ranked by Eduscope score, which weighs up results, inspections, attendance and more. Nurseries, special and independent schools aren't ranked. A high score isn't everything: always visit.
Apply through the council where you live, even for a school in another council's area. Independent schools take applications directly.
About West Berkshire
West Berkshire is a unitary authority in the South East with 67 mainstream primary schools and 10 mainstream secondary schools. Towns with the most schools include Newbury, Thatcham and Theale. The council still runs or maintains most state schools here: only 26% are academies or free schools. Most families get the secondary school they want: 94.9% got their first choice, against 83.6% across England.
Good to know in West Berkshire
West Berkshire has a School Catchment Checker where you enter your address to see which schools are in your catchment area. Source
West Berkshire has infant, junior and primary schools: you apply for reception in an infant or primary school, or for Year 3 in a junior school. Source
Free school transport is not given to the catchment school unless it is also the nearest school and the distance rules are met. Source
If you need school transport, West Berkshire advises naming your closest school as your first preference. Source
If you appeal against more than one school, you need to fill in a separate appeal form for each. Source
Academy, voluntary aided and foundation schools in West Berkshire set their own term dates, so check with the school. Source
From West Berkshire council's website, checked 7 November 2026. Check the council's pages before you apply.
If a date falls on a weekend or bank holiday, offers go out the next working day.
90.8%got their first-choice primary school in West Berkshire in 2026. England: 92.4%. Ranked 109 of 151 councils. 98.1% got one of their top three.5.5% were offered a primary school in another council. England: 3.6%.
94.9%got their first-choice secondary school in West Berkshire in 2026. England: 83.6%. Ranked 12 of 151 councils. 98.8% got one of their top three.4.1% were offered a secondary school in another council. England: 8.0%.
Source: DfE applications and offers, 2026. A low rate shows high demand, not poor schools.
3 of 9 primary appeals heard in West Berkshire succeeded in 2025. 12 of 40 secondary appeals heard in West Berkshire succeeded in 2025.
For schools that follow the council's dates. Academies, faith and foundation schools can set their own, and schools add training days. Source, checked 7 November 2026.
Inspections, exam results and attendance, next to the figure for England where we have it.
Numbers that sum up West Berkshire
West BerkshireEngland
Primaries rated Good or Outstanding
Latest Ofsted grade, 37 primaries with one.
100%
England 96%
Close to England
Secondaries rated Good or Outstanding
4 of the 4 with a grade.
100%
England 93%
Above England
Met the expected standard at 11
Reading, writing and maths.
57%
England 62%
Below England
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
At GCSE.
51%
Pupils who miss a lot of school
Missed 1 in 10 days or more. Lower is better.
17%
England 18%
Better than England
Primary pupils on free school meals
A sign of family income, not of school quality.
16%
Ofsted grades
Latest graded inspection for the 50 schools that have one.
96%
Good or Outstanding
Outstanding7
Good41
Requires improvement1
Inadequate1
How it has changed
West Berkshire in blue. There were no tests in 2020 and 2021 because of Covid.
Met the expected standard at 1157% in 2025. England now 62% (dashed line).Grade 5 or above in English and maths51% in 2026.Pupils who miss a lot of school17% in 2025. England now 18% (dashed line).
The figures in full
The latest published year for each measure. Sources and years are on our data sources page.
Measure
West Berkshire
England
Good or Outstanding (Ofsted)
96%
95%
Met the expected standard at 11 (KS2)
57%
62%
Attainment 8
49.2
46.2
Persistent absence
17%
18%
Pupils per teacher
17.0:1
17.9:1
Spending per pupil
£8,008
£8,120
In education or work after 16
93%
91%
Went on to higher education
52%
56%
Pupils with special educational needs
22%
21%
Pupils with English as an additional language
12%
22%
Pupils on free school meals
16%
27%
DfE local authority code 869, ONS code E06000037.
Living here
What it's like for families
West Berkshire has 156 schools and nurseries across 3 towns and villages, the biggest being Newbury, Thatcham and Theale.
There are 2% more pupils than in 2018, but numbers have fallen since 2025.
16% of primary pupils here get free school meals. Schools get extra money for each of them.
Pupil numbers
Pupils in West Berkshire's state schools each January.
25.7k2018
26.3k2019
26.7k2021
27.0k2022
27.1k2023
26.8k2024
26.6k2025
26.3k2026
Up 2% since 2018. More children can mean popular schools fill up faster.
Free school meals
Out of every 10 primary pupils, how many get free school meals. It's a sign of family income, not of school quality.
West Berkshire16%
Keep up with schools in West Berkshire
Follow any school and we'll email you when it gets a new Ofsted report or new results are out. Nothing else.
West Berkshire has 156 schools, including 80 primary schools, 26 secondary schools, 60 nurseries, 15 independent schools, 11 special schools. Some count in more than one group. You can browse each category using the filters on Eduscope.
What are the best schools in West Berkshire?+
The highest-ranked schools in West Berkshire on Eduscope are Enborne C.E. Primary School, Birch Copse Primary School, Theale C.E. Primary School. We rank each state school against schools of the same phase across England on its Ofsted inspection, results and attendance. Independent, special and nursery schools aren't ranked.
What percentage of schools in West Berkshire are rated Good or Outstanding?+
96% of inspected schools in West Berkshire hold a Good or Outstanding Ofsted rating, which is above the England average of 94.8%. This includes 7 schools rated Outstanding and 41 rated Good.
How do primary schools in West Berkshire perform at Key Stage 2?+
Across primary schools in West Berkshire, 57% of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing, and maths at Key Stage 2. This is based on the latest published results from the Department for Education.
What is the average pupil-teacher ratio in West Berkshire?+
The average pupil-teacher ratio across schools in West Berkshire is 17.0:1. While not a direct measure of class size, this indicates the level of teaching resource available per pupil. Across England it is 17.9:1.
What is the persistent absence rate in West Berkshire schools?+
The persistent absence rate across schools in West Berkshire is 16.5%. A pupil is classed as persistently absent if they miss 10% or more of school sessions. Across England it is 18.1%.
How many pupils attend schools in West Berkshire?+
There are 26,260 pupils enrolled across schools in West Berkshire, with 12,573 in primary and 13,462 in secondary. 15.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.
How many private schools are in West Berkshire?+
There are 15 independent schools in West Berkshire, all special schools for children with special educational needs, where councils usually pay the fees. You can compare them on Eduscope, including inspection reports where available.
How do I choose the right school in West Berkshire?+
Start by considering your child's age, your location, and whether you prefer a state or independent school. Use Eduscope to compare 156 schools in West Berkshire by Ofsted ratings, exam results, and distance. Filter by school type, gender, religious character, and admissions policy to narrow your options.
Sources: DfE school performance tables, DfE school census and workforce, DfE pupil absence, Ofsted. Photos are stand-ins.
