School Chooser

Groveside School

Special · ages 7-16MixedIndependent36 pupilsReading
School Chooser ScoreNot scoredWe don't score this type of school.
Parents would recommend100%11 Parent View responses
Places24 spare36 pupils, 60 places
Pupils on roll36Census January 2024

Groveside School is an independent special school in Reading for boys and girls aged 7 to 16. It has 36 pupils and room for 60.

40 Christchurch Road, Reading, RG2 7AY0118 374 4556grovesideschool.co.ukMrs Mary Rome headteacherAll details

Ofsted

Ofsted hasn't published an inspection for this school yet. That is normal for a school that opened in 2024: new schools usually get their first inspection within three years.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Reading council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

What parents say

Would recommend the school100%England 84%
My child is happy here91%agree or strongly agree
My child feels safe100%
Positive overall82%
My child is happy at this school
91%England 85%
My child feels safe at this school
100%England 86%
Pupils are well behavedThe school makes sure its pupils are well behaved
91%England 79%
Has your child been bullied here?Parents answering yes
9% yesEngland 20%
Bullying was dealt with quickly and effectivelyOnly parents whose child was bullied
100%England 49%
My child gets the right support to learn well
82%England 81%
Does your child have SEND?Parents answering yes
100% yesEngland 32%
The school gives them the support they needOnly parents of children with SEND
91%England 68%
The school communicates well with me
91%England 78%
My concerns have been dealt with properlyWhen I have raised concerns
82%England 66%
Decisions put the child's best interests first
91%England 78%
I would recommend this school
100%England 84%
Overall view of the school is positive
82%England 79%
Strongly agreeAgreeDon't knowDisagreeStrongly disagreeEngland, agree or yes

From Ofsted's Parent View survey: 11 parents answered in the year to 6 April 2026. Parents choose whether to fill it in, and many only do so when an inspection is coming, so don't read too much into small differences. The England figures are the average for all schools with enough answers to publish.

Who goes here

Who the school teaches, from the latest school census.

Pupils on roll36Census January 2024
Places6060% full
Pupils from low-income familiesGet free school meals
Pupils getting extra support0%0 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan100%36 pupils with a plan
Boys and girls20 / 16
How the mix of pupils has changed
Census20262025
Pupils on roll3620
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support0%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans100%

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m35212 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate83 per 1,000 people9% lower than the England average
Typical house price£350,000Reading
Nearest bus stop100 mVicarage Road, 19 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Hamilton SchoolAcademy50 m64Good 2024Compare
The Palmer Primary AcademyAcademy590 m436Good 202237Compare
The Abbey School ReadingIndependent (grammar)630 m807Not inspectedCompare
Reading SchoolAcademy (grammar)640 m1,138Outstanding 202399Compare
New Christ Church Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy680 m185Good 202260Compare
Reading Girls' SchoolAcademy830 m905Good 202160Compare
Redlands Primary SchoolCouncil840 m196No overall grade 202569Compare
University of ReadingHigher education institutions880 mNot inspectedCompare

Questions parents ask

Is Groveside School a good school?

We don't have enough published data to score Groveside School yet.

How many pupils does Groveside School have?

36 pupils aged 7 to 16 were on the roll in January 2024. It has 60 places, so it is 60% full.

What do parents say about Groveside School?

100% of the 11 parents who answered Ofsted's Parent View survey would recommend it to other parents, and 91% say their child is happy there. Across England, 84% of parents would recommend their child's school.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
40 Christchurch Road, Reading, RG2 7AY
Telephone
0118 374 4556
Website
www.grovesideschool.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Mary Rome
Type of school
Independent special school (Other independent special school, special schools)
Phase
Special school, ages 7-16
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
None
Local authority
Reading
Ward
Redlands
Constituency
Reading Central
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
11 September 2024 (new provision)
URN
150898 · LAESTAB 8706018 · UKPRN 10099557

Where these figures come from