Priors Court School is an independent special school in Thatcham, West Berkshire, for children and young people aged 5 to 20.
- Ages 5–20
- 67 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Independent special school
- Ages
- 5 to 20
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 67 (places for 74)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Helen Franks (Head of School)
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Opened
- 18 November 1999
- Council
- West Berkshire
- School reference (URN)
- 132003
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often West Berkshire council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- An offer, and the council’s agreement
As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it doesn’t have to accept a place: the school has to offer one, and the council has to agree to name it in the plan.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Outstanding, February 2025
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in February 2025.
- Quality of educationOutstanding
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentOutstanding
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Sixth formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Independent school standards: all standards met.
Contact and getting there
Prior's Court Road, Hermitage, Thatcham, RG18 9NU
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Mary Hare School Special school · Ages 4–19 · Ofsted: Good 2.0 miles
- The Castle School Special school · Ages 3–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 3.3 miles
- Trinity School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 3.4 miles
All SEND schools in West Berkshire
By need in West Berkshire: Autism (6) · Hearing (4) · SEMH (2) · Moderate learning (2) · Severe learning (2) · PMLD (2) · Dyslexia and SpLD (2) · Physical (2)
Questions about Priors Court School
How do I get a place at Priors Court School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Priors Court School. As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it has to offer a place and the council has to agree to name it.
What ages does Priors Court School take?
Aged 5 to 20, boys and girls.
What is Priors Court School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Priors Court School?
Prior's Court Road, Hermitage, Thatcham, RG18 9NU, in West Berkshire.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.