St Thomas' Church of England Infant School, Woolton Hill

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 3 to 7
Ofsted: Good

Woolton Hill, Newbury, RG20 9XFOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

St Thomas' Church of England Infant School, Woolton Hill is a primary school in Newbury for ages 3 to 7. It is one of the 600 schools in Hampshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in January 2023.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 24 January 2023, report published 14 March 2023

Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 24 January 2023

Pupils describe this as a friendly school. They strongly feel that 'anyone can fit in here'. Pupils are keen to learn. Their enthusiasm creates a purposeful buzz around the school. The values of 'wisdom, courage and respect' are applied to their learning, as well as to their friendships. The school motto of 'let your light shine' sums up leaders' high expectations of pupils' learning and behaviour. Pupils take pride in meeting these. They are kind to each other and listen to teachers respectfully. They look forward to celebrating their achievements in assemblies. Leaders are determined to offer pupils an irresistible invitation to learn. To achieve this, each term starts with an exciting 'hook' experience to spark interest in learning. Pupils animatedly recalled a recent example of a visit, which gave them a close encounter with bird of prey. The school's Christian values are evident in the way that staff nurture and value every pupil. Pupils like that they all know one another. Being part of this small and happy community helps them feel safe. They are not worried about bullying. They have great trust in adults to listen to any worries and to help them if they need it.

What the school should improve

  • In the early years, the activities provided do not always help children achieve leaders' curriculum aims. This means there are missed opportunities for children to learn and build their knowledge over time. Leaders should ensure that all adults have the necessary skills and expertise they need to prioritise the right activities and approaches so that all children are ready for key stage 1.
  • Opportunities for pupils to learn about different ways of life are currently limited. Consequently, pupils' depth of knowledge and understanding about people from different religions and ways of life could be further developed. Leaders are aware of this. They now need to implement their new curriculum plans to provide pupils with a wider range of learning experiences to broaden their understanding of cultures, beliefs and ways of life that are different from their own.

Pupil numbers and mix

85 pupils on roll, with places for 112

Eligible for free school meals7.1%

7.1%, 19.4 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language2.4%

2.4%, 19.2 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support16.5%

16.5%, 1.7 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan4.7%

4.7%, 1.3 percentage points below the England average of 6%.

Schools near St Thomas' Church of England Infant School, Woolton Hill

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Woolton Hill Junior School0.1 milesOfsted: Good76% met the expected standard
Thorngrove School0.3 milesNo Ofsted inspectionNot published
St Martin's East Woodhay Church of England (Aided) Primary School1 mileOfsted: Good67% met the expected standard
Enborne C.E. Primary School2 milesOfsted: Outstanding92% met the expected standard
Falkland Primary School2 milesOfsted judgements: Good65% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Voluntary controlled school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
3 to 7
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Mr Paul Davies
Address
Woolton Hill, Newbury, RG20 9XF
Local authority
Hampshire
URN
116328

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.