All Saints Junior School Review 2026: High-expectation junior school with standout Key Stage 2 outcomes

A junior school that sets out to do two things at once, push pupils academically while keeping the culture warm, structured, and values-led. All Saints Junior School is a small, state-funded setting for Years 3 to 6, based at August House on Brownlow Road in Whitley, Reading. It opened in September 2011 as one of the early Free Schools, created to work alongside local demand for a junior route linked to All Saints Infant School.

The school’s most recent inspection (October 2024) graded every key judgement area as Outstanding, and the language in the report aligns with a familiar picture: high expectations, a carefully built curriculum, and a strong personal development offer. Parents weighing up junior options in Reading will notice the scale first, then the results. With a capacity of 100 and a published admission number of 25 into Year 3, this is a close-knit school by design, and competition for places can be the practical hurdle.

This is a school that runs on clarity: clear routines, clear expectations, and a consistent set of values. The values of love, respect and forgiveness are presented as more than a slogan, shaping how pupils speak to each other and how staff frame behaviour and responsibility. That matters in a junior school, where pupils arrive from a wide mix of infant settings and are expected to settle quickly into a more demanding rhythm of reading, writing, and independent work.

Leadership stability is part of the story. Mrs Susannah Daniel has been headteacher since 2015, giving the school a long runway of consistent direction. That shows up in the way the curriculum is described and in the way personal development is woven into daily life. Pupil leadership is taken seriously, and pupils are expected to contribute meaningfully to the running of the school through structured roles, discussion, and representation.

The school is also explicit about ambition. It describes itself as “Where those who inspire come to be inspired” and uses the phrase “Every child, every lesson, all the time” as a daily standard rather than a marketing line. For some pupils, that feels energising and motivating. For others, especially those who prefer a slower pace, families may want to probe how the school adapts challenge for different learning profiles.

Key Stage 2 outcomes are exceptionally strong in the most recent published data. In 2024, 94.67% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 37.33% achieved greater depth, compared with the England average of 8%. Reading and mathematics scaled scores are also high, at 110 for reading and 107 for maths, alongside a grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled score of 111.

Subject-level indicators reinforce the same picture. In 2024, 96% met the expected standard in reading and 96% in maths, with 100% reaching the expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling, and 100% reaching the expected standard in science. High-score measures are also strong, including 56% achieving a high score in reading, 32% in maths, and 60% in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Rankings add context for parents trying to compare across Reading. Ranked 698th in England and 7th in Reading for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results sit well above England average and place the school around the top 5% of primaries in England. Families comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these outcomes side-by-side using the Comparison Tool.

Teaching and curriculum design are described as carefully structured and knowledge-led, with an emphasis on precision and depth. Rather than treating English as a discrete block, reading and literature are positioned as threads across the curriculum. That approach matters in a junior school because it supports both comprehension and vocabulary growth, and it often produces stronger writing, particularly in history and humanities.

One distinctive academic feature is Latin, taught as the school’s chosen ancient language using Maximum Classics. The rationale is clear: language structures, reading comprehension, grammar awareness, and a bridge into modern language learning at Key Stage 3. Latin will not be every family’s priority, but for many pupils it can be a confidence-builder, especially when it is taught in a practical, story-driven way rather than as abstract translation.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is framed around early identification and targeted scaffolding. A specific example referenced in official material is the use of structured vocabulary “warm up” sessions to prepare pupils for discussion, which is a practical approach that can reduce participation barriers without lowering ambition.

As a junior school, the primary exit point is the transition from Year 6 into secondary education. The school’s own curriculum pledge includes explicit transition preparation, such as structured visits to secondary settings and Year 6 work on budgeting, personal responsibility, and using their voice in civic life.

For Reading families, secondary options include a mix of comprehensive and selective routes. The local authority’s published list of state-funded secondary schools in Reading includes Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School and Sixth Form Centre, Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre, Reading Girls’ School, Reading School, Kendrick School, and The Wren School, among others. In practice, the right next step depends on catchment priorities, admissions criteria, and whether families are considering selective entry. Parents planning ahead should review the relevant secondary admissions policies early, especially if they are weighing grammar-school testing or faith-based criteria.

Entry is primarily into Year 3, with applications coordinated through the local authority admissions process rather than directly through the school. A key practical point is that attendance at All Saints Infant School does not guarantee a place at All Saints Junior School. A separate application is required for Year 3 entry.

For September 2026 entry into Year 3, the Reading coordinated admissions timetable sets a clear window: applications open on 01 November 2025 and close on 15 January 2026, with National Offer Day on 16 April 2026. Families living outside Reading apply through their home local authority, even if the preferred school is in Reading.

Oversubscription criteria are also specific. After pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan naming the school, priority is given in order to looked-after and previously looked-after children, children of staff (under defined conditions), children attending All Saints Infant School as a named feeder at the time of application, then children with a sibling at All Saints Infant or All Saints Junior School at the time of application, and finally other pupils by straight-line distance from home to the school using local authority mapping.

In-year admissions are possible at any time outside the normal admissions round, and are handled through the local authority process. Families moving into the area mid-year should expect availability to vary by cohort size.

Pastoral strength here is closely linked to routines and relationships. Pupils are expected to meet high standards for conduct and learning habits, and they are also given language and tools to understand their own emotions and behaviour. A notable feature referenced in official material is explicit teaching around mental health concepts, including the anatomy and function of the brain, used to help pupils manage challenge and reflect on behaviour. In junior years, that kind of structured self-regulation teaching can be more practical than generic “be kind” messaging.

Safeguarding is described as effective, and the overall tone of external evaluation is that pupils feel safe, supported, and known by staff. The result is a school culture that combines warmth with academic seriousness, which can suit pupils who respond well to structure and clear expectations.

The school’s distinctive enrichment offer is framed through the All Saints Pledge, a year-by-year programme of experiences that extends well beyond standard classroom coverage. This is not just “trips and clubs” in the abstract, it is a defined promise with tangible milestones.

In Year 3, the pledge includes an outdoor adventure, lighting a campfire, learning an ancient foreign language, self-publishing a book, and learning to play a keyboard. The implication is straightforward: pupils are expected to build confidence through doing, speaking, performing, and creating, not only through written work.

Year 4 includes a performance at The Hexagon, a sleepover in the woods, writing to a pen pal, sewing on a button, and preparing a Roman feast for guests. That combination of practical life skills, performance, and curriculum-linked enrichment supports independence and confidence, particularly for pupils who learn best through activity.

Year 5 pushes the scale further, with experiences including building a medieval castle, making a shelter to sleep under, cooking supper on a campfire, spending time in a planetarium, visiting Reading Abbey and Reading Museum, and performing at the O2. The implication is that cultural capital, local history, and ambitious performance opportunities are treated as part of what junior school should be, not optional extras.

Year 6 focuses on readiness for the next stage, including a residential, a leavers’ show, writing to a politician, using a compass to navigate around woodland, learning about budgeting, and attending a West End show. That is a coherent preparation package for secondary transition, blending independence, citizenship, and cultural confidence.

After-school clubs are offered and rotate each half-term, although the published information emphasises that the menu changes regularly. The school is also connected to outdoor learning and Bushcraft activities through its wider community governance network, and chess is referenced as part of that wider participation culture. For families who care about a specific club, the right question is not “Do they have clubs?”, it is “Which clubs are running this half-term, and how are places allocated?”

The published school week is 32.5 hours. The school day runs from 8.40am to 3.10pm, with a morning session, mid-morning break, lunch, and an afternoon session. Term dates are published for both 2025-26 and 2026-27.

Wraparound care is not presented as a standard offer in the published local admissions guide for 2026-27, which indicates no breakfast or after-school club. Families who need wraparound provision should confirm current arrangements directly before assuming it is unavailable, especially as clubs and childcare models can change year to year.

For travel, the school is close to Reading West station and has nearby bus stops serving the Brownlow Road and Tilehurst Road area. For families planning a commute, the practical test is the school-run pattern and parking reality on local residential roads. If proximity may affect admissions decisions in future years, parents should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their exact distance from the school compared with local allocation patterns.

• Small intake, limited margin for availability. With a Year 3 published admission number of 25 and a total capacity of 100, cohorts are intentionally small. That can feel personal and focused, but it also means places can be scarce in popular years.

• Infant-to-junior progression is not automatic. Even for families already at All Saints Infant School, a separate Year 3 application is required. This is a critical planning detail for families who assume a seamless transfer.

• High expectations can feel intense for some pupils. The culture is built around ambition and challenge. Many pupils thrive on that; families with children who need a gentler pace should ask how challenge is adjusted while keeping confidence intact.

• Wraparound care may not meet every family’s needs. Published local information suggests breakfast and after-school childcare are not part of the standard offer. Families who rely on wraparound should confirm options early and plan contingencies.

All Saints Junior School combines a small-school feel with unusually strong Key Stage 2 outcomes and a curriculum that leans into depth, literacy, and ambitious enrichment. The personal development programme is structured and purposeful, and the school’s pledge model gives families a clear sense of what pupils will do and become over four years.

Best suited to families who want a junior school with high academic expectations, clear routines, and a strong enrichment spine, and who are comfortable with a culture that encourages pupils to take responsibility early. The main challenge is securing a place in the right year, so admissions planning matters.