Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #24 in West Berkshire public Top 65% UK

Francis Baily Primary School

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs Yvonne Standing

corporate_fareEQUINOX LEARNING TRUST

location_onThatcham, RG19 4GG

language Visit Website phone 1635862188

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2023

groups

Students

551

school

Expected Standard

58%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.0x

summarize

Francis Baily Primary School is a Academy converter primary school in Thatcham, serving ages 4-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 65% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

Francis Baily Primary School is an academy converter in Thatcham, West Berkshire, admitting pupils aged 4-11. It is part of EQUINOX LEARNING TRUST. The school has approximately 533 pupils on roll, of whom 18% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 58% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 3% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #24 of 53 primaries in West Berkshire and #9,790 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2023. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 22.7:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 2.4 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

58%

LA 56%

Reading71% LA 72%

Writing76% LA 65%

Maths67% LA 68%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

41%

LA 55%England 61%

Reading63% LA 73% · Eng 74%

Writing53% LA 65% · Eng 72%

Maths64% LA 68% · Eng 73%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

102

GPS SS

102

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

56%

LA 54%England 60%

Reading77% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Writing61% LA 64% · Eng 71%

Maths74% LA 69% · Eng 73%

Read SS

106

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

104

Progress (0 = national avg)

1.0

Read

LA 0.1

-0.5 to 2.4

-2.9

Write

LA -0.8

-4.3 to -1.5

0.7

Maths

LA -0.8

-0.7 to 2.0

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

07 November 2023

Inspection Report

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07 September 2019

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2023-11-07

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2016-06-09

Requires Improvement S5 Reinspection Visit 1 EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

2014-01-21

None EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

1.5%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.3%(7 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 533 pupils. During this period, there were 8 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 1.5%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	533	8	1.5%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	531	17	3.2%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	544	4	0.7%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	534	2	0.4%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	524	6	1.1%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	554	9	1.6%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	551	7	1.3%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	549	6	1.1%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	555	6	1.1%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	559	1	0.2%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	557	10	1.8%	0.5%
2020/21 (Summer term)	594	15	2.5%	0.4%
2020/21 (Spring term)	590	3	0.5%	0.1%
2020/21 (Autumn term)	586	17	2.9%	0.4%
2019/20 (Summer term)	582	0	0.0%	0.0%
2019/20 (Spring term)	582	14	2.4%	0.4%
2019/20 (Autumn term)	581	13	2.2%	0.6%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Moderate Learning Difficulty 36 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 25 pupils

Speech, Language & Communication 20 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 11 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 5 pupils

Physical Disability 2 pupils

Other Difficulty/Disability 2 pupils

Hearing Impairment 1 pupils

health_and_safety

Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

46.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

48.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

8.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree8%

agree23%

disagree38%

strongly disagree27%

don't know4%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree15%

agree23%

disagree38%

strongly disagree25%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree15%

agree15%

disagree25%

strongly disagree44%

not applicable2%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

yes31%

no69%

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

strongly agree7%

agree7%

disagree13%

strongly disagree67%

dont know7%

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree10%

agree19%

disagree23%

strongly disagree25%

don't know23%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree19%

agree19%

disagree42%

strongly disagree21%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree13%

agree29%

disagree33%

strongly disagree21%

don't know4%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree15%

agree44%

disagree6%

strongly disagree6%

don't know29%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree27%

agree42%

disagree17%

strongly disagree13%

don't know2%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree15%

agree13%

disagree23%

strongly disagree40%

don't know10%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes27%

no73%

Top Primary Schools in West Berkshire

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

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Robert Sandilands Primary School and Nursery

Good

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Theale C.E. Primary School

Outstanding

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Birch Copse Primary School

Outstanding

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Bradfield C.E. Primary School

Good

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emoji_events #4 in LA

Enborne C.E. Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Newbury, RG20 0JU

emoji_events #5 in LA

Streatley C.E. Voluntary Controlled School

Good

location_on Reading, RG8 9QL

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in West Berkshire arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in West Berkshire

Robert Sandilands Primary School and Nursery

Theale C.E. Primary School

Birch Copse Primary School

Bradfield C.E. Primary School

Enborne C.E. Primary School

Streatley C.E. Voluntary Controlled School