Parsons Down Infant School
Herons Way, Thatcham, RG19 3SROpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Parsons Down Infant School is a primary school in Thatcham for ages 4 to 7. It is one of the 98 schools in West Berkshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in January 2019.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 15 January 2019, report published 3 February 2019
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 21 May 2024
Pupils are happy and secure. They enjoy learning because pupils are at the centre of all that the school does. There are high levels of care for all pupils. Pupils feel safe because they trust the adults who look after them. Relationships are strong at all levels, reflecting the school's well-understood and deep-rooted mantra: 'be safe, be kind, be respectful'. Young children make an excellent start to school. They are very well supported to settle quickly and make friends. Staff are sensitive to children's individual needs so that their first experience of school is positive. Parents' comments, such as, 'My son loves coming to school,' show how much they appreciate this level of care. Pupils work hard in lessons to reach the high expectations set by their teachers in learning and behaviour. The achievement of all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), is improving across all areas of learning. Pupils enjoy the challenges set by their teachers. As a result, low-level disruption is infrequent. Pupils are tolerant and accepting of one another. Bullying is rare. If it does happen, the school deals with incidents swiftly and effectively.
What the school should improve
- There are not enough opportunities for pupils to use their learning in mathematics and apply this to other contexts. Some pupils are unable to deepen their knowledge so that they can achieve more. The school should ensure that these opportunities are identified so that pupils can use their knowledge of mathematics in more problem- solving and reasoning tasks.
- The knowledge and vocabulary the school want pupils to learn are not precisely identified in some foundation subjects as well as they could be. This is leading to some pupils having gaps in their knowledge, or not being able to build on what they already know really effectively. The school should make sure that the necessary knowledge it wants pupils to learn is accurately identified and clearly sequenced.
Pupil numbers and mix
88 pupils on roll, with places for 90
Schools near Parsons Down Infant School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parsons Down Junior School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Good | 39% met the expected standard |
| Whitelands Park Primary School | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 57% met the expected standard |
| Thatcham Park CofE Primary | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 51% met the expected standard |
| Fir Tree Primary School and Nursery | 0.9 miles | Ofsted: Good | 53% met the expected standard |
| Spurcroft Primary School | 0.9 miles | Ofsted: Good | 49% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Community school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 4 to 7
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Miss Alice Mills
- Phone
- 01635866700
- Address
- Herons Way, Thatcham, RG19 3SR
- Local authority
- West Berkshire
- URN
- 109875
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.