Wildmoor Heath School Review 2026: High-performing primary with outdoor learning at its core

Forest School sessions in Wildwood, a Growing Garden with raised beds, and regular outdoor treks on Wildmoor Heath nature reserve set the tone here, this is a primary where learning is designed to extend beyond the classroom. The academic picture matches the ambition. In 2024, 79% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, above the England average of 62%, and 33% reached the higher standard, well above the England average of 8%. The school also posts strong scaled scores, 107 in reading, 107 in mathematics and 108 in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Demand is real rather than theoretical. For the main Reception intake, there were 69 applications for 30 offers, around 2.3 applications per place. That pressure makes admissions rules and deadlines worth understanding early, rather than scrambling in January.

Leadership is stable and clearly structured. Mrs C Vincent is listed as Headteacher, supported by a Deputy Headteacher who also leads special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) coordination.

Wildmoor Heath describes itself as a small school with a big heart, but the more useful clue is the way it frames its identity around five curriculum enrichment areas: Wellbeing, Community, Communication, Environment and Opportunities. That language is not cosmetic. It appears again in the way pupil leadership is organised, with specific roles mapped to those areas, from Eco Ambassadors linked to Environment, to Kindness Ambassadors linked to Wellbeing.

The setting matters. Outdoor learning is presented as a normal part of the weekly rhythm rather than an occasional treat. The school offering references full use of the grounds, Growing Garden raised beds, and a Forest School area called Wildwood. It also links outdoor learning to longer treks on Wildmoor Heath nature reserve, plus adventurous activities through a partnership with Wellington College.

Wildmoor Heath’s story is unusually well documented for a primary. It was founded in 1863 by the Broadmoor Institution, originally for children of staff at the hospital, with an initial roll of eighteen pupils. More recent details are just as specific, including a library built in 2002 and opened by Tony Hart, and the opening of the Wildwood Forest School area in October 2024 by Clare Balding. These small anchors help the place feel rooted rather than generic.

On behaviour and routines, the school is explicit. The Wildmoor Ways form a behaviour curriculum taught through personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), assemblies and direct instruction, with school rules framed simply as Be Ready, Be Safe, Be Kind. There is also a shared language around emotions using the Zones of Regulation, with staff referring to coloured “zones” to help pupils recognise and manage feelings.

The headline for parents is that attainment is strong across the board at Key Stage 2. In 2024:

• 79% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared to the England average of 62%.

• 33% reached the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, compared to the England average of 8%.

• Reading and mathematics scaled scores were both 107; grammar, punctuation and spelling was 108.

These are the kinds of figures that usually sit behind confident secondary transitions, because pupils are leaving Year 6 with secure fundamentals and a meaningful proportion working at higher standard.

Rankings reinforce the same story. Wildmoor Heath is ranked 2856th in England and 4th locally (Crowthorne) for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). That places it above the England average, comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England.

A final point worth noticing is the balance across subjects. Reading, mathematics and grammar are all strong, and science is also high, with 94% meeting the expected standard. That breadth matters at primary, because it suggests the basics are not being pushed up by one narrow strength.

A strong primary rarely relies on one clever initiative, it tends to be consistent in the basics and deliberate about how knowledge builds year to year. Wildmoor Heath signals that intent in two ways: the curriculum enrichment areas that frame content and experiences, and a focus on well sequenced learning.

Reading is positioned as a foundation subject rather than a bolt-on. Story time and high-quality texts are treated as central, and vocabulary is reinforced so pupils can bring it into writing. Phonics is described as well taught with clear support for those who need to catch up, which is usually the difference between a school where early reading issues linger and one where they are dealt with promptly.

Mathematics also comes through as structured. Daily “Flash Back 4” sessions are used to revisit prior learning and address misconceptions, which suits a mixed-ability primary because it keeps prior content live rather than assuming it will stick first time.

The wider curriculum aims to be ambitious and interesting, with content and vocabulary sequenced from early years to Year 6. The most important implication for parents is not the phrasing, but what it allows teachers to do: teach with clarity about what comes next, and check understanding against explicit expectations.

It is also a school that puts effort into experiences as part of learning rather than as occasional extras. Examples include visits to places of worship (including a mosque and a Sikh gurdwara), trips to Winchester Planetarium and Windsor Castle, and theatre trips. Residentials are framed as a sequence across the school, culminating in a week in Snowdonia National Park.

As a state primary, “destinations” mostly means readiness for secondary and the confidence to step into a larger setting. Wildmoor Heath explicitly references links with local secondary schools in Crowthorne, including Edgbarrow School and Wellington College, and it describes partnership activities with Wellington College as part of its enrichment.

For parents, the practical takeaway is that transition is treated as more than a one-off induction day. When a primary builds regular connections with secondary settings, pupils tend to arrive in Year 7 with fewer unknowns, whether that is navigating larger buildings, meeting older students, or experiencing subject specialist teaching.

Wildmoor Heath’s emphasis on pupil responsibility also supports secondary readiness. Roles such as Reading Ambassadors (librarians), Reception Buddies, and Head Boy and Head Girl are designed to give Year 6 pupils practice in representing the school and helping younger pupils. That type of experience tends to translate well into Year 7 tutor roles, school councils and prefect-style responsibilities later on.

Wildmoor Heath is part of the Bracknell Forest co-ordinated admissions scheme for Reception, and applications are made through the child’s home local authority using the Common Application Form. The Reception Published Admission Number is 30 for September 2026 entry, which is also consistent with the offer figure in the demand data.

Demand, however, is the more immediate issue. For the primary entry route there were 69 applications for 30 offers, which is around 2.3 applications per place. First-preference pressure is also high, with first preferences running ahead of first-preference offers. In practice, families should treat this as an oversubscribed primary where criteria matter.

Oversubscription follows a clear structure. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school are placed first, then priority groups including looked-after and previously looked-after children, exceptional medical or social need (supported by evidence), children of certain staff, siblings, then children living within the designated area, and finally distance outside the designated area. Where places are tied within a priority, the admissions arrangements describe a lottery tie-break.

Deadlines are not flexible, so it is worth anchoring them to dates. For Reception entry in September 2026, Bracknell Forest’s application window ran from 05 November 2025 to 15 January 2026, with offers issued on 16 April 2026 and responses due by 30 April 2026. Late applications feed into a second round from 07 May 2026.

FindMySchool tip: if you are weighing several local primaries, use the Local Hub comparison tools to line up Key Stage 2 outcomes side-by-side, then shortlist based on both results and practical fit.

Pastoral strength here is not presented as a separate “nice to have”; it is embedded in systems and pupil roles.

The behaviour approach is structured, with clear routines and shared language. Be Ready, Be Safe, Be Kind is simple enough for Reception and still usable in Year 6. The school also uses the “bucket filler” language from How Full is Your Bucket to help pupils see how actions affect others, and Zones of Regulation to build emotional literacy. The point for parents is consistency: the same language can be used by teachers, support staff, and pupils across the school day.

Pupil leadership also plays a direct wellbeing role. Kindness Ambassadors are linked to Wellbeing, and the school states it has been accredited as a Kindness Ambassador School by the charity 52Lives. Practical examples include a friendship bench in the playground and links with local care homes, including collections for residents. Those are small actions, but they help kindness feel operational rather than abstract.

Support capacity is visible too. The staffing list includes an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA), and the Deputy Headteacher is also SENCO, which matters for parents who want confidence that SEND coordination has leadership weight.

The latest Ofsted inspection (24 to 25 May 2022, published 13 July 2022) confirmed the school continues to be Good and that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Wildmoor Heath’s enrichment offer is unusually specific for a state primary, and it connects closely to its outdoor and community identity.

Outdoor learning and environmental projects

Wildwood is the centrepiece. Forest School sessions are timetabled, and the outdoor offer extends to a Growing Garden, nature reserve treks, and broader “great outdoors” activity days through Wellington College. The implication is straightforward: pupils who learn best with movement, hands-on tasks and real contexts are likely to do well here, and the outdoors is treated as a learning space, not just playtime.

Eco Ambassadors give that emphasis a pupil-led layer. They are involved in compost and recycling systems, tree planting, and reducing plastic waste, as part of an “Eco school” (Green Flag award) journey. That sort of sustained, pupil-driven work can give children a sense that sustainability is something you do, not something you are told about once in an assembly.

Music, performance, and confidence on stage

Music is described as practical and participatory. Pupils have the opportunity to learn an instrument in class lessons, join a rock band, and sing in the choir, including performances at local venues. Annual performances are framed as a normal part of school life, supported by visits such as theatre trips and pantomimes.

Music Ambassadors are listed as new for 2025 to 2026, which hints at an effort to build pupil voice and leadership within the arts as well as in sport and environment.

Sport, swimming, and breadth of opportunities

Sport is described as professionally supported, with named sports including rugby, football, cricket, tennis and golf. Swimming is also referenced as part of learning to swim competently. The key implication is breadth: children can find something they enjoy without the programme being limited to one dominant sport.

Life skills and practical learning

Cookery is unusually prominent. The school offering references cookery sessions for every child, including lessons with professional chefs, covering planning, preparing and eating meals from raw ingredients. For parents, the benefit is twofold: it builds independence, and it helps some children engage with learning through a concrete, purposeful task.

This is a state school with no tuition fees. Families should still plan for usual costs such as uniform, trips, lunch, and wraparound care.

School hours are published as 8:35am to 3:15pm, with morning registration from 8:45am, and the school states this equates to 32.5 hours per week.

Wraparound care is provided by In2Care, introduced from 04 November 2024. The school publishes after-school session options from 3:15pm to 6:00pm with prices from £8.50 to £14.25 depending on the session length.

For lunch, the school publishes a paid meal price of £2.55.

For travel, this is a village primary serving Crowthorne and surrounding areas. Most families will find walking, cycling and short car journeys practical, but admissions criteria mean it is still worth checking designated area rules and distance measurement methods early.

• Admissions pressure. With 69 applications for 30 places, competition is meaningful. Families should read the priority order carefully and work to the official deadlines rather than assuming late changes will be accommodated.

• Designated area and tie-break. After priority groups, the admissions arrangements use a designated area criterion and then distance, with a lottery tie-break if applicants are tied within a priority. That can make outcomes feel less predictable at the margins.

• Curriculum consistency across all subjects. External review notes strong performance in core areas and an ambitious wider curriculum, while also indicating some foundation subjects were still being refined and embedded at the time. Families who place very high weight on art or music may want to ask how subject leadership and staff training have developed since then.

• Wraparound is third-party. In2Care provides breakfast and after-school provision rather than the school running it directly. That is common, but parents should confirm booking expectations and how communication works day to day.

Wildmoor Heath School combines strong Key Stage 2 outcomes with a distinctive offer built around outdoor learning, practical experiences, and pupil leadership that starts early and becomes more formal in Year 6. It suits families who want a high-performing state primary where learning is shaped by place, community, and routines that support behaviour and wellbeing. The main hurdle is admission rather than what happens after.