The Holy Brook School
145 Ashampstead Road, Southcote, Reading, RG30 3LJOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
The Holy Brook School is a special school in Reading for ages 5 to 11. It is one of the 70 schools in Reading. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2014.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 22 October 2014, report published 21 November 2014
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 7 May 2025
Pupils have experienced a period of significant disruption at this school, which has had an impact on their learning and progress. Following recent improvements, most pupils enjoy coming to school. They particularly appreciate the caring and supportive culture that has been developed. Pupils appreciate that staff get to know each of them individually and understand their needs, interests and motivations. Although pupils are cared for, they do not learn as well as they should. Gaps in their learning have developed over time because the curriculum has not always been delivered systematically and coherently. Until recently, pupils' learning has also been disrupted by frequent poor behaviour and a high turnover of staff. Pupils benefit from a range of enrichment activities, such as visits to local parks and cafes, which help them to develop their social skills and independence. Through personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education pupils develop their understanding of themselves, and they are encouraged to identify their strengths and interests. Pupils are taught to communicate their feelings and provided with choices about the support and education they receive. This helps them to feel a sense of connection and belonging to their school community.
What the school should improve
- The learning activities provided for pupils in lessons are not always sufficiently ambitious because there is more focus on engagement than the intended curriculum content. This means that pupils do not learn as well as they should. The school should ensure that the curriculum delivered to pupils is suitably ambitious in core academic subjects.
- The school does not make sure that learning activities routinely link to pupils' prior understanding and build on what they already know. This has contributed towards gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school should ensure that staff have the necessary expertise to deliver the curriculum in a more coherent and systematic way, particularly in mathematics and phonics.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
7 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
28 pupils on roll, with places for 32
Schools near The Holy Brook School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Avenue Special School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 0% met the expected standard |
| Thames Valley School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Groveside School | 2 miles | Report card: Expected standard | Not published |
| Hamilton School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 3.3 |
| Brookfields School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Outstanding | Not published |
School details
- School type
- Community special school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 5 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Headteacher
- Mrs Kay Charles
- Phone
- 01189375489
- Address
- 145 Ashampstead Road, Southcote, Reading, RG30 3LJ
- Local authority
- Reading
- URN
- 110193
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.