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 https://brighterfuturesforchildren.org/schools/admissions/primary/

COVID19 Related Update to admissions policy  We have requested an admissions amendment relating to our school policy in relation to the COVID 19 pandemic and our status as a church school.  Therefore, please find below, for your information, details of the admissions policy amendment for St John’s in relation to the current pandemic.

The amendment is being made to the current oversubscription criteria relating to church attendance which outlines,

‘…3. A child, one of whose parents/carers regularly worships at St John’s and St Stephen’s Church, Reading or Wycliffe Baptist Church, Kings Road, Reading. This will need to be supported by a pre-printed form stating church attendance,

obtainable from the school and which will need to be returned to the school, after signature by the Vicar or Pastor. Regular worship is defined as ‘on average attending St John’s Church or Wycliffe Baptist Church on at least one occasion in each of the calendar months in the previous year preceding the application date’.

4. A child, one of whose parents/carers, regularly worships at a Christian church other than St John’s & St Stephen’s or Wycliffe Baptist Church that is a member of ‘Churches Together in Britain and Ireland’. This will need to be supported by a pre-printed form, obtainable from the school, from the appropriate Minister of Religion. (This form must be returned to the school with an official letterhead from the church concerned, clarifying both the church and the clergy who has signed the form). Regular Worship is defined as ‘on average attending the named church on at least one occasion in each of the calendar months in the previous year preceding the application date’. Aggregate attendance from parents, for those families who have moved areas or churches, will be accepted, with dates clearly detailed from all churches that the applicant’s parents have attended. All churches attended must be members of ‘Churches Together in Britain and Ireland’.

Aggregate attendance at St John’s and St Stephen’s Church or Wycliffe Baptist Church (if attendance at these churches is less than 12 months) will also be considered under this criterion.’

The agreed, by our Governors and Trust Board,  variation for admissions in September 2021, to our Foundations Stage Two classes (Reception) at St John’s CE Primary School, is an addition of the following variation/wording: 

“ In the event that during the period specified for attendance at worship the church [or, in relation to those of other faiths, relevant place of worship] has been closed for public worship and has not provided alternative premises for that worship, the requirements of these [admissions] arrangements in relation to attendance will only apply to the period when the church [or in relation to those of other faiths, relevant place of worship] or alternative premises have been available for public worship”.

This is for your information, but should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the school office on the admin address. 

Appeals.  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:   http://www.reading.gov.uk/schoolappeals

2025-2026 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 2025

Main round of appeals for primary school entry into reception in September 2025

PLEASE SEE DOCUMENT REGARDING INFANT CLASS SIZE PREJUDICE

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 2025-26, as follows:

Timetable for applications

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 2025 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 2026 instead of September 2025 (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

Secondary School Application process: 

More about how to apply (before 31 October 2023)

You can apply online via the Reading Citizen Portal between 1st September 2023 until 11:59pm on  31 October 2023.