School Chooser

St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedRoman Catholic420 pupilsWokingham
School Chooser Score
100
Well above
similar schools
Likely range 99 to 100
Out of 100. Better than 98% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedOutstandingLast Ofsted inspection, February 2020
Reached the expected level at 1190%England 63%
Attendance96.6%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families5%Far fewer than most schools
PlacesFull420 pupils, 420 places
Pupils per teacher24.1School workforce census

St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School is a Roman Catholic school (voluntary aided) in Woodley for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 420 pupils and every place is taken. About 5 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 100 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 98% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was outstanding, back in 2020.

Western Avenue, Woodley, RG5 3BH0118 969 3893stdominicsavio.co.ukMrs Laura Hulland headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 11 February 2020, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Outstanding overall. A later, shorter visit on 30 April 2025 said: “Standards maintained”.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Outstanding
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Outstanding
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Outstanding
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Outstanding
Early years
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

This inspection is more than 6 years old. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of one grade.

Earlier inspections (1)
DateTypeOutcome
30 April 2025UngradedStandards maintained

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

59 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1190%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level24%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score111.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score111.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 94%94%20172018: 93%93%20182019: 88%88%20192023: 92%92%20232024: 98%98%20242025: 90%90%2025
Since 2017: -4%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017WokinghamEngland
Pupils tested595962605948
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths90%98%92%88%93%94%72%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths24%17%27%22%22%19%12%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score111.0111.0109.0109.0110.0110.0108.1105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score111.0113.0111.0110.0110.0109.0106.8104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score112.0114.0111.0113.0112.0113.0107.4105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard97%98%94%93%98%98%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard97%98%97%95%98%98%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)90%98%95%95%93%96%
Reading progressReading progress score+3.8+3.5+4.1+4.2
Maths progressMaths progress score+6.1+4.4+4.3+3.8
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged88%86%100%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged93%89%93%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. 1 of the 2 gaps is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
94%83%
Gap 11 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
94%90%
Gap 4 ptsEngland 4 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Nearly full419 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
100% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

The last child to get a place lived 2.5 miles away in 2026. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils, faith and other priority groups are placed first. After that, the closer you live, the better your chances. Type in your postcode to see how far away you are.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. More children applied than there were places. The last place went to a child living 2.5 miles from the school. Living closer than that didn't guarantee a place, but living much further away meant missing out that year.

EntryPlacesApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary60197602.5 milesLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll420Census January 2026
Places420100% full
Pupils from low-income families5%5% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English22%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support10%42 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan4%15 pupils with a plan
Average class size30.09 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils0%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)5%£29,450 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls235 / 185
White British pupils27%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 30.0 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.0 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (17), Other difficulty or disability (13), Autistic spectrum disorder (9), emotional and mental health (8), SEN support but no specialist assessment of type of need (3), Specific learning difficulty (3).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll420421419420421421
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals5%6%5%7%7%7%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language22%22%22%25%27%27%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support9%5%6%6%7%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans5%4%4%3%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.6% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.6%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school3.0%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils1.72024/25, 1 permanent exclusion
Missed without permission0.6%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.4%4.1%4.4%5.1%2.3%2.7%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence2.8%3.2%3.6%4.5%1.9%2.3%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.6%0.9%0.8%0.7%0.4%0.4%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence3.0%5.5%8.8%11.8%2.5%3.3%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate1.70.70.50.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions10000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers17.5full-time equivalent, 23 people
Pupils per teacher24.1Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers91%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants18.3full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£47,361
Teachers who left in the year4%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher4.72024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,013England £7,738. Total £2.5m
Income per pupil£5,969England £7,697. Total £2.5m
Spent on teachers per pupil£2,630England £3,480
Money in reserve10%A healthy amount put by: £238k, £566 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£19kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£6,013spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m10912 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate34 per 1,000 people63% lower than the England average
Typical house price£490,000Wokingham
Nearest bus stop160 mWarren Road, 14 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 primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Beechwood Primary SchoolAcademy680 m244Requires improvement 20235Compare
Willow Bank Infant SchoolAcademy880 m152Good 2022Compare
Willow Bank Junior SchoolAcademy880 m235Good 2023Compare
Highwood Primary SchoolAcademy990 m429Good 2021Compare
Sonning Church of England Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles210No overall grade 202599Compare
Rivermead Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles429Report card 202675Compare
South Lake Primary SchoolAcademy0.8 miles443No overall grade 202586Compare
Woodley CofE Primary SchoolChurch of England1.0 miles291Good 202458Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School with the 49 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats98%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
Near the very top of its group. Its score of 100 is 10 points above the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 14 · middle 90 · highest 100100

No school with a similar mix of pupils within 25 km scores clearly higher.

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 100 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 100% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 99 to 100. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%well above
+0.51
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 59 pupils
Ofsted inspection11% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)well above
+0.27
Ofsted grade, 6.6 years old
Progress pupils make20%well above
+0.40
DfE progress measure; 59 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
-0.01
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well above
+0.15
2024/25; 363 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%well above
+0.23
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 59 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School scores 100 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 98% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 99 to 100, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School outstanding at its last full inspection on 11 February 2020. That was more than four years ago. When Ofsted next visits, the school will get a report card instead of a single grade.

How good are St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 90% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 24% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School have?

420 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 420 places, so it is 100% full.

Is St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School oversubscribed, and how far away can you live?

Yes. For September 2026 the last place went to a child living 2.5 miles away. Children in care, brothers and sisters of current pupils and other priority groups come before distance, so the cut-off moves every year.

What is attendance like at St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School?

Pupils were in school 96.6% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 3% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School?

The average class had 30.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. No class had more than 30 pupils.

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

Contact and details

Address
Western Avenue, Woodley, RG5 3BH
Telephone
0118 969 3893
Website
www.stdominicsavio.co.uk
Headteacher
Mrs Laura Hulland
Type of school
Roman Catholic school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Diocese of Portsmouth (rc)
Local authority
Wokingham
Ward
Bulmershe & Coronation
Constituency
Earley and Woodley
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
110041 · LAESTAB 8723368 · UKPRN 10070227

Where these figures come from