The Avenue Special School is a special academy in Reading for children and young people aged 2 to 19. It supports severe learning and PMLD.
- Ages 2–19
- 253 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 2 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 253 (places for 249)
- Headteacher
- Headteacher Symon Cooke (Headteacher)
- Part of
- The Avenue School Special Needs Academy Trust
- Opened
- 1 September 2011
- Free school meals
- 35.9% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Reading
- School reference (URN)
- 137435
Needs it supports
2 needs: severe learning, PMLD
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Cognition and learning
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Reading (3)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties
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 Reading council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
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 Good, May 2023; school remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next (September 2019)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in May 2023.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesOutstanding
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: School remains Outstanding (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, September 2019).
Contact and getting there
The Avenue Centre, Conwy Close, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 4BZ
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Thames Valley School Special school · Ages 4–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.0 miles
- King's Academy Prospect Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- The Holy Brook School Special school · Ages 5–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
By need in Reading: Autism (6) · Speech and language (5) · Moderate learning (4) · Severe learning (4) · SEMH (3) · Vision (2)
Questions about The Avenue Special School
How do I get a place at The Avenue Special 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 The Avenue Special School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does The Avenue Special School support?
Severe learning difficulty and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does The Avenue Special School take?
Aged 2 to 19, boys and girls.
What is The Avenue Special School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in May 2023 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is The Avenue Special School?
The Avenue Centre, Conwy Close, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 4BZ, in Reading.
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.