Thames Valley School
2 Conwy Close, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 4BZ
- Phase
- Free Schools
- School type
- Free schools special
- Ages
- 4 to 16
- Gender
- Mixed
- Trust
- LIBERTY ACADEMY TRUST LTD.
- Principal
- Mrs Gemma Buley
- Religious ethos
- None
- Sponsor
- Liberty Academy Trust Ltd.
- Constituency
- Reading West and Mid Berkshire
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Capacity
- 78
- Pupils on roll
- 78
- URN
- 139728
- Local authority
- Reading
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01189424750
About this school
Thames Valley School is a special academy in Reading. It teaches children aged 4 to 16 and has 78 pupils on roll.
You can read Ofsted's latest judgement for the school below. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Seeing a school for yourself shows what no page can, so arrange a visit before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
Overall judgement at the last full inspection
This inspection took place under the previous framework, which gave a single overall grade. Ofsted now publishes report cards instead, so newer inspections of other schools will look different. How Ofsted report cards work
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Outstanding
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Effective
Exam results
Key stage 2 (end of primary school)
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of key stage 2 | 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | - | 38% | - |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | - | 0% | - |
| Expected standard in reading | - | 63% | - |
| Expected standard in maths | - | 38% | - |
| Expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling | - | 25% | - |
| Average scaled score in reading | - | 103.0 | - |
| Average scaled score in maths | - | 96.0 | - |
Key stage 4 (GCSEs)
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of key stage 4 | 10 | 10 | 4 |
| Attainment 8 score | 11.6 | 17.5 | - |
| Progress 8 score | -1.32 -2.19 to -0.44 | -1.85 -2.77 to -0.92 | - |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 0% | 20% | - |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 10% | 30% | - |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate | 0% | 0% | - |
| English Baccalaureate average point score | 1.0 | 1.5 | - |
Progress 8 is paused nationally for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 school years. Those pupils sat no key stage 2 tests during the Covid pandemic, so there is no starting point to measure progress from. A blank figure here is not missing school data.
Trends over time
How Thames Valley School has moved over recent years against the local and national picture. Every figure is shown in the table beneath its chart.
| Year | This school | Reading average | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 11.6 | 42.8 | 39.8 |
| 2023/24 | 17.5 | 41 | 39.5 |
| 2024/25 | — | 44.3 | 39 |
Department for Education KS4 performance data, published school results.
| Year | This school | England average |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 19.6% | 6.8% |
| 2023/24 | 14.8% | 6.6% |
| 2024/25 | 9.5% | 6.2% |
Department for Education pupil absence data.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 53 |
| 2023/24 | 55 |
| 2024/25 | 59 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
Inspection history
- 16 April 2024
-
Ungraded inspection report6 November 2019
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 45.76%
- English as an additional language
- 1.7%
- Overall absence
- 9.53%
- Persistent absence
- 26.56%
Location
Nearby schools
-
The Avenue Special School0.0 miles
Academies · Reading
-
The Holy Brook School0.8 miles
Special schools · Reading
-
Cranbury College1.3 miles
Academies · Reading
-
St Edward's Prep1.5 miles
Independent schools · Reading
-
Brookfields School1.7 miles
Academies · Reading
Other schools in Reading
- Addington School Academies
- Aurora Rowan School Special schools
- Bishopswood School Academies
- Brookfields School Academies
- Cranbury College Academies
- Cressex Lodge School Special schools
- Groveside School Special schools
- Hamilton School Academies
- Haywards Farm School Special schools
- Riseley Green School Special schools
- The Avenue Special School Academies
- The Holy Brook School Special schools
Common questions
- What year groups does Thames Valley School teach?
- Thames Valley School teaches children aged 4 to 16. It is a special school in Reading.
- Who is the principal of Thames Valley School?
- The principal of Thames Valley School is Mrs Gemma Buley, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- When was Thames Valley School last inspected?
- Ofsted has inspected Thames Valley School, and its latest judgement is set out in the inspection section on this page, with the framework and the date it was made.
- How big is Thames Valley School?
- Thames Valley School has 78 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 4 to 16.
- Is Thames Valley School full?
- Thames Valley School has capacity for 78 pupils and 78 on roll (100%), so it is at or above its published capacity. Places are allocated through the local authority's admissions process, so capacity alone does not tell you whether a place is available.
- Is Thames Valley School a faith school?
- No. Thames Valley School has no designated religious character.
- Who runs Thames Valley School?
- Thames Valley School is part of LIBERTY ACADEMY TRUST LTD.. Schools in a trust or federation share leadership and governance, but each keeps its own inspection record and results.
- What is Thames Valley School's absence rate?
- Thames Valley School's overall absence rate is 9.5% in the latest published census, above the England average of 6.2%.
- What are Thames Valley School's exam results?
- Where the Department for Education has published them, Thames Valley School's key stage results are shown in the results section on this page, with the last three years so you can see the trend rather than a single year.
School details come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register. Inspection outcomes come from Ofsted, and exam results from the Department for Education's school performance service. This page was last updated on 1 July 2026.