Schools by area › West Berkshire › Birch Copse Primary School
Birch Copse Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Community school
Wittenham Avenue, Tilehurst, Reading RG31 5LN · birchcopse.co.uk · 0118 942 7442
On the mapSearch near RG31 5LN
Overview
- Ofsted
- Outstanding
- 2019 framework · inspected Jul 2024
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 72%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. West Berkshire 57%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 1.7
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 420
- At capacity · 420 places
- Local authority
- West Berkshire
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 6.9%
- First language not English
- 9.8%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 99 families put the school first and 60 places were offered; 57% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 60 | 99 | 1.7▲ | 57% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 58 | 80 | 1.4▲ | 73% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 60 | 74 | 1.2▲ | 78% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 53 | 49 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 60 | 61 | 1▲ | 97% |
Results
In 2024/25, 72% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 20% the higher standard. Across West Berkshire it was 57%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲72% | 62% | ||
| ▲20% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●108 | 106 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
| ▲109 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Birch Copse Primary School was judged Outstanding at its last graded inspection, on 9 July 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Outstanding
- Inspected
- 9 Jul 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Outstanding |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Outstanding |
| Leadership and management | Outstanding |
| Early years | Outstanding |
Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, Nov 2011
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Nov 2011Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Requires improvement Jan 2007Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good
What parents said
97% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (171 replies, to 7 April 2025).
- Recommend
- 97%
- Replies
- 171
- 41% · 7 Apr 2025
based on the 63% who raised concerns
based on the 20% who had a child bullied
based on 21 parents (12%) with SEND