Parents particularly value the nurturing ethos at St John’s and are very complimentary about the transition arrangements for starting early years. They reported to inspectors that their children had settled in very quickly, making friends and quickly progressing with their reading and other skills. (Ofsted Dec 2018)

St John's CE Primary School is its own Admissions authority. However, we are part of the co-ordinated admissions scheme for routine entry into schools (children starting in FS2/Reception) through Reading Borough Council (Brighter Future for Children - BFfC) and applications for school must be made to Reading Borough Council on their application form, and also on a school application form to give supplementary or additional information. 

Applications for in-year places, also known as casual or non-routine, must be made direct to the school.

More information about the application process can be found on the Council's website: 

Reading Borough Council Admissions Page

If you are not offered a place at St John’s, you are entitled to appeal against this decision. We would request that you read the documentation on the following link prior to submitting an appeal:   

Reading School Appeals Page

2027-2028 timetable of admission appeals

The appeals timetable sets out key dates and timescales of the appeals process.

Main round of appeals for secondary school entry into Year 7 in September 2026

Main round of appeals for primary school entry into reception in September 2026

Appeal timescales

Please note that appeals are not held during school holidays.

If on reading this information you feel that you would wish to appeal, you should contact The Clerk to the Appeal Panel Members, Civic Centre, Reading RG1 7TD - telephone 0118 937 2532 or online at the above link.

St John’s Church of England Primary School will be following the Reading Borough Council’s timetable for Admissions for 2027-28, as follows:

Who should apply?  

Children can start full-time at school from the September following their fourth birthday.  However, they are not legally required to start full-time until the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday (i.e. statutory school age).

If you do not want your child to start school in September 2026 the following options are available:

• Defer their place up to (but not beyond) the point at which they reach compulsory school age.
• Offset your child to start in Reception in 2027 instead of September 2026 (i.e. outside the year group suggested by their date of birth).

Appeals submitted after the appropriate deadline will still be heard but may not be heard with the other appeals for the same school. 

There is no right to appeal for Nursery places, although you may write to the Chair of the Governors, c/o The Clerk, St John's Primary School, 121-147 Orts Road, Reading, Berks RG1 3JN

More about how to apply (before 31 October 2026)

You can apply online via the Reading Citizen Portal between 1st September 2026 until 11:59pm on  31 October 2026.