UTC Reading is a mainstream secondary school in Reading for children and young people aged 14 to 19. In January 2026, 36 of its 299 pupils (12%) were getting SEN support and 5 (1.7%) had an EHC plan.
- Ages 14–19
- 299 pupils
Special educational needs here
From the school census, January 2026. Compared with state secondary schools across England and in Reading.
12% get SEN support
36 of 299 pupils. Help in school without an EHC plan.
About the same as the England average.
1.7% have an EHC plan
5 of 299 pupils. A legal plan from the council, for children who need more help.
Lower than the England average.
Most common needs
- Social, emotional and mental health18
- Autism14
- Specific learning difficulty, such as dyslexia5
Pupils by their main need, on SEN support or with an EHC plan. Needs with fewer than 5 pupils aren’t shown.
Figures show how many children the school supports, not how well. To see how it would support your child, talk to the SENCO and read its SEN information report on the school’s website.
School details
- Type
- Mainstream secondary school
- Run as
- University technical college
- Ages
- 14 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 299 (places for 600)
- Headteacher
- Ms Jennie Thomson (Principal)
- Part of
- Activate Learning Education Trust
- Free school meals
- 20.2% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Reading
- School reference (URN)
- 139268
How SEN support works
4 steps, from a first chat to an EHC plan
- Talk to the class teacher and the SENCO
If you’re worried about your child, ask for a meeting. Every school has a SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Your child doesn’t need a diagnosis to get help.
- SEN support
The school should work out what your child needs, agree a plan with you, put it in place and review it together, usually each term. This is called SEN support.
- An EHC needs assessment
If your child needs more help than the school can usually give, you or the school can ask Reading council for an EHC needs assessment. It can lead to an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, which the council must make sure is delivered.
- Free, independent advice
Your local SENDIASS can help at any stage, and can come to meetings with the school with you.
Questions to ask the SENCO
10 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them at the meeting.
Ofsted
Graded by area, February 2025
Inspected in February 2025. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- Sixth formGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Crescent Road, East Reading, Reading, RG1 5RQ
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, its SEN figures and the questions to ask the SENCO, in your inbox.
Nearby
Specialist schools and SEN units
- Hamilton School Special school · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Good 0.1 miles
- New Town Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 0.8 miles
- Groveside School Independent · Ages 7–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.9 miles
- Maiden Erlegh School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–18 · Ofsted: Outstanding 1.0 mile
Other mainstream schools
Questions about UTC Reading
How many pupils at UTC Reading have special educational needs?
In the January 2026 school census, 36 of the 299 pupils (12%) were getting SEN support and 5 (1.7%) had an EHC plan. Across England’s state secondary schools it is 14.1% and 3.5%.
What are the most common needs at UTC Reading?
Counting pupils on SEN support and with an EHC plan, the most common main needs are social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs (18 pupils), autism (14 pupils) and dyslexia and other specific learning difficulties (5 pupils).
Who do I talk to about my child’s needs at UTC Reading?
The SENCO (special educational needs co-ordinator). Every school has one, and every school must publish an SEN information report on its website explaining how it supports pupils with SEND.
How do I apply for a place at UTC Reading?
Through Reading council’s school admissions, in the normal application round or during the year. If your child has an EHC plan, you don’t apply this way: you ask for the school to be named in the plan instead.
Can my child with an EHC plan go to UTC Reading?
You can ask for UTC Reading to be named in your child’s EHC plan. The council must consult the school and name it, unless it would be unsuitable for your child’s age, ability or needs, or would affect other children’s education or the efficient use of resources.
Does UTC Reading have an SEN unit or resourced provision?
Not according to the Department for Education’s register of schools. The nearest mainstream school with one is New Town Primary School, about 0.8 miles away.
Where is UTC Reading?
Crescent Road, East Reading, Reading, RG1 5RQ, in Reading.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, SEN figures from DfE Special educational needs in England (the January school census), 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.