Birch Copse Primary School, based in Reading, provides primary education, serving pupils aged 4 to 11. The school is a community school and operates as a mixed school. It follows a not applicable admissions policy. It does not have a designated religious character, which may suit families looking for a non-faith school.
Birch Copse Primary School currently has around 416 pupils on roll, which is about 99% of its capacity. The gender split is relatively balanced, with approximately 57.5% boys and 42.5% girls. Around 7.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which gives an indication of the socio-economic mix. The student population reflects a mixed community across different backgrounds and needs.
Overall absence at the school is 4%. Persistent absence is recorded at 7.4%.
The majority of pupils are from a white british background (69.2%).
At its latest Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Outstanding. This indicates exceptional performance across all areas. Safeguarding was judged to be effective, which is a key consideration for many parents.
| Address: | Wittenham Avenue, Reading, RG31 5LN |
| Website: | www.birchcopse.co.uk |
| Telephone: | 01189427442 |
| School Type: | Community school |
| Education phase: | Primary |
| Local authority: | West Berkshire |
| Headteacher / Principal: | Mr J Micklewhite |
| Religious character: | Does not apply |
| Admissions policy: | Not applicable |
| Unique reference: | 109844 |
Ofsted inspection date: 09/07/2024
Safeguarding is effective
| Age Range: | 4 - 11 |
| Gender: | Mixed |
| School Capacity: | 420 |
| Number of Pupils: | 416 |
| Number of Boys: | 239 |
| Number of Girls: | 177 |
| School | England state-funded schools: | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall absence: | 4% | 4% |
| Persistent absence: | 7.4% | 8.2% |
| White British | 69.20% | 288 |
| Indian | 5.80% | 24 |
| White and Black Caribbean | 5.50% | 23 |
| Other White | 4.10% | 17 |
| Other Mixed | 3.80% | 16 |
| White and Asian | 1.90% | 8 |
| Chinese | 1.90% | 8 |
| Bangladeshi | 1.70% | 7 |
| Pakistani | 1.20% | 5 |
| Caribbean | 1.00% | 4 |
| Other Black | 1.00% | 4 |
| White and Black African | 1.00% | 4 |
| Other Asian | 0.70% | 3 |
| African | 0.50% | 2 |
| Unclassified | 0.50% | 2 |
| Other (any other ethnic group) | 0.20% | 1 |
| Irish | 0.00% | 0 |
| Gypsy/Roma | 0.00% | 0 |
| Irish Traveller (Traveller of Irish heritage) | 0.00% | 0 |
Progress scores show how pupils performed compared with pupils nationally who had similar prior attainment. Scores above 0 are better than average; below 0 are worse than average.
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blagrave Nursery School Recreation Road , Tilehurst RG30 4UA | 3out of 4 | 1,166 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Norcot Early Years Centre 82 Lyndhurst Road , Tilehurst RG30 6UB | 4out of 4 | 2,372 yd | Local authority nursery school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birch Copse Primary School Wittenham Avenue , Tilehurst RG31 5LN | 4out of 4 | 0 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| St Paul's Catholic Primary School City Road , Tilehurst RG31 4SZ | 3out of 4 | 506 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Park Lane Primary School School Road , Tilehurst RG31 5BD | 3out of 4 | 558 yd | Community school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Springfield Primary School Barton Road , Tilehurst RG31 5NJ | 3out of 4 | 582 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Moorlands Primary School Church End Lane , Tilehurst RG30 4UN | 3out of 4 | 1,682 yd | Community school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Heath School Little Heath Road , Tilehurst RG31 5TY | 3out of 4 | 609 yd | Voluntary aided school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| Denefield School Long Lane , Tilehurst RG31 6XY | - not rated | 1,774 yd | Foundation school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Denefield School Long Lane , Tilehurst RG31 6XY | 3out of 4 | 1,774 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Meadway School The Meadway , Tilehurst RG30 4NN | - not rated | 1,847 yd | Community school | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| King's Academy Prospect Cockney Hill , Tilehurst RG30 4EX | 3out of 4 | 2,732 yd | Academy converter | Not Applicable | Mixed | More About School |
| Ofsted Overall Effectiveness | Distance | Establishment Type | Has Nursery Classes | Gender | More Info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Highlands School Wardle Avenue , Tilehurst RG31 6JR | - not rated | 1,148 yd | Other independent school | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Badgers Hill Highview , Calcot RG31 4XD | - not rated | 1,653 yd | Pupil referral unit | No | Mixed | More About School |
| TLG Reading Empress Road , Calcot RG31 4XR | - not rated | 1,747 yd | Other independent school | No | Mixed | More About School |
| The Avenue Special School The Avenue Centre, Conwy Close , Tilehurst RG30 4BZ | 3out of 4 | 1,827 yd | Academy special converter | Yes | Mixed | More About School |
| Thames Valley School 2 Conwy Close , Tilehurst RG30 4BZ | 3out of 4 | 1,829 yd | Free schools special | No | Mixed | More About School |
School statistics for this postcode are based on Ofsted rankings.