The Avenue Special School
The Avenue Centre, Conwy Close, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 4BZOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
The Avenue Special School is a special school in Reading for ages 2 to 19. It is one of the 70 schools in Reading. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in May 2023.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 16 May 2023, report published 27 June 2023
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Outstanding
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 16 May 2023
Pupils are happy to come to school. They are warmly greeted by staff, who know them well. This makes for a positive start to the day. Pupils are quick to settle into their daily routines. Their enjoyment in learning is clear to see. Leaders work with determination to ensure pupils achieve their full potential. The school curriculum has been reviewed and carefully organised to meet the needs of the pupils. This helps pupils develop their confidence and persevere in their learning. Consequently, they thrive and are well prepared for their next steps. Everyone shares the same high expectations for behaviour. Pupils try their best and behave exceptionally well. Staff use consistent routines and thoughtful approaches to understand each pupil. This helps pupils manage their own behaviour effectively and contributes to the calm atmosphere around the school. A culture of warm, nurturing relationships lies at the heart of this friendly school. Staff know and understand the pupils exceptionally well. This means pupils feel safe and trust adults to listen to them. As one parent commented, 'I have nothing but praise for the school and for the support and educational achievements my child has made.'
What the school should improve
- Leaders are still refining the personalisation of the curriculum to meet the individual needs of each pupil. This means that learning is not always broken down precisely into the smaller steps needed to support pupils to make progress in all areas of learning. Leaders should continue their work to integrate pupils' personalised targets into the wider curriculum and ensure systems for oversight are consistently robust.
- Teaching staff do not always possess the necessary knowledge and resources to be able to support pupils appropriately with their communication. This means that not all pupils are able to communicate as confidently and independently as they would like to. This sometimes limits their full involvement in the curriculum. Leaders should continue to ensure staff have the necessary knowledge and expertise through the school's training and development programme.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
22 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
253 pupils on roll, with places for 249
Schools near The Avenue Special School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thames Valley School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| The Holy Brook School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 0% met the expected standard |
| Brookfields School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Not published |
| Haywards Farm School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Not published |
| Groveside School | 3 miles | Report card: Expected standard | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Academy special converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- THE AVENUE SCHOOL SPECIAL NEEDS ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 2 to 19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Headteacher
- Headteacher Symon Cooke
- Phone
- 01183389038
- Address
- The Avenue Centre, Conwy Close, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 4BZ
- Local authority
- Reading
- URN
- 137435
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.