All Saints Church of England Aided Infant School Review 2026: A small, faith-led infant school with a distinctive sense of community

This is an infant school, so there is less published statutory attainment data in the usual Key Stage 2 format. For many families, the more useful lens is the quality of early reading, curriculum sequencing, and whether pupils leave at age seven ready to thrive in Year 3.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (08 March 2022) judged the school Good. The report content gives a helpful infant-specific picture: phonics starts as soon as children join Reception, and by Year 2 most pupils read with confidence and expression.

As with any good school judgement, it is also worth noticing the improvement focus. The same inspection highlighted that, in mathematics, some pupils struggled to recall and apply what they had learned, a very typical early-years issue that tends to be addressed through consistent practice, clear representations, and tight lesson routines.

Early reading is treated as a priority, with phonics beginning immediately in Reception and progressing into confident Year 2 reading. For parents, the practical implication is straightforward: if your child responds well to structured, daily practice and clear routines, the school’s approach should suit them, and it should also ease the transition into junior school literacy demands.

The curriculum is also deliberately shaped by the school’s faith context. The church-school inspection describes a “school pledge” as the cornerstone of the curriculum, and links curriculum choices to themes like community and global citizenship, aiming to create regular opportunities for awe and wonder (in infant terms, that usually means carefully chosen stories, thoughtful questions, and purposeful links across subjects rather than high-stakes outcomes).

Music is unusually well documented for a school of this size. The school’s music development plan for 2025 to 2026 sets out weekly music lessons in Key Stage 1, singing assemblies, and daily story-and-singing time at the end of each day. It also references the Berkshire Music Trust as the local music hub, plus occasional themed workshops such as African drumming when it fits the curriculum.

At seven, pupils transfer to junior provision, either to the linked junior school or another setting chosen by parents. The school states that children at the infant school have priority admission into the junior school, which reduces uncertainty for families who want a through-route from Reception to Year 6.

The practical implication is that parents can plan in two stages:

• First, secure Reception entry (the competitive step).

• Then, if you want the linked junior route, understand how priority works and what, if anything, you need to do at the Year 3 transition point.

If you are considering other junior schools instead, it is sensible to look early at transport, wraparound patterns, and whether the junior option feels like the right fit academically and pastorally, because the change comes sooner than in a 4 to 11 primary.

Admissions are managed through Reading Borough Council via Brighter Futures for Children, not directly by the school. For September 2026 entry, the local timetable sets out:

• Online admissions open on 01 November 2025

• National closing date 15 January 2026

• Deadline for late applications (with a good reason and evidence) 01 February 2026

• National Offer Day 16 April 2026

• Deadline to accept the place offered 30 April 2026

• Appeals deadline (for on-time hearing) 15 May 2026, noted as subject to change in the guide

Competition for places is a defining feature. The most recent available demand snapshot shows 92 applications for 20 offers, which equates to 4.6 applications per place, plus a first-preference pressure indicator of 1.63 first preferences per offer. For parents, this usually means two things: be realistic about chances, and list more than one preference if you want to avoid being allocated the closest school with spaces. (The local admissions guide explicitly warns that if only one preference is listed and it cannot be offered, the admissions team will allocate a place at the nearest school with vacancies.)

A practical tip: if you are weighing distance-sensitive options across Reading, FindMySchool’s Map Search is useful for sense-checking how different addresses may affect likely eligibility year to year, even though outcomes always depend on the applicant pool.

Pastoral support is described through a faith-informed lens, emphasising dignity, relationships, and a culture of kindness. The church-school inspection also references mental health and wellbeing as a priority, including a dedicated practitioner providing support to pupils and staff.

Safeguarding is referenced positively in both the Ofsted and church-school documentation. Pupils report feeling safe, and the inspection notes cover online safety and the basics of relationships and respect in age-appropriate ways.

For families, the key implication is that the school’s wellbeing culture appears to be designed for younger pupils who need high predictability and clear boundaries, alongside warmth and forgiveness when things go wrong.

Extracurricular in an infant school often looks different from larger primaries. Here, it is more about curated experiences, performances, and pupil voice than a long timetable of clubs.

A clear example is the after-school Multi-sports club, run on Mondays and booked directly with the organisers. That kind of offer suits families who want a simple, low-friction add-on, but it is not the same as a daily after-school programme.

Music is another standout pillar. Every child is expected to take part in the Nativity play performed in the local church each year, and pupils also lead Harvest and Easter services, creating repeated opportunities to perform, speak, and sing in public. The plan also describes weekly singing assemblies, daily story-and-singing time, and visits to a local care home to sing carols as part of the school pledge.

For community life, the PTA is unusually active across both the infant and junior schools, running discos, managing preloved uniform, and supporting events such as nativity refreshments, which tends to strengthen parent networks quickly in a small school.

Finally, pupil leadership is not left until Year 6. School Parliament gives infant-age pupils a structure for consultation and agenda-setting, and the church-school inspection gives concrete examples of pupil-led initiatives such as planning a vegetable patch and advocating for improved reflection areas.

The school day is listed locally as 8:40am to 3:10pm. The local admissions guide also indicates breakfast club availability, and does not list an after-school club for this school, so families needing daily wraparound should check current arrangements directly.

For open events, the school does not publish scheduled open day dates on its website, instead advising parents to contact the school for details.

On logistics, this is a Reading infant school serving local families, so walking and short car journeys are common patterns; the practical variable is less travel time and more the admissions criteria for a heavily oversubscribed intake.

• High competition for places. Recent demand data shows 92 applications for 20 offers, which is 4.6 applications per place. If you list only one preference and it cannot be offered, the local admissions process may allocate a different school with spaces available.

• Wraparound may be limited. Breakfast club is indicated locally, but an after-school club is not listed in the local guide. There is a Monday Multi-sports club, but that is not the same as daily childcare.

• Faith is integrated, not optional. The school is explicit about being a Church school, with worship described as a pillar of school life and Christian values shaping curriculum and relationships. Families wanting a fully secular experience may prefer a community primary.

• Ages 5 to 7 only. The Year 3 transfer happens early. That can be a benefit if you want a small infant start and then a larger junior setting, but it is a change point to plan for.

This is a small, popular infant school where the combination of scale and Church of England identity creates a distinctive feel: close relationships, clear values, and repeated opportunities for pupils to sing, perform, and contribute to school life. The main challenge is securing entry. It best suits families who want a faith-shaped community setting for the earliest school years, are comfortable planning for a Year 3 transition, and can engage early with the local authority admissions timetable.

Use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to weigh this option alongside nearby infant and primary alternatives, especially if you are trying to balance faith ethos, wraparound needs, and realistic admissions odds.