School profile

The Willink School

Secondary · Community school · Reading, RG7 3XJ

Good

Map showing The Willink School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#443 of 3,312

Better than 86% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,013 of 2,536

Better than 60% of schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

The Willink School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 6 May 2026

Area360 rating
Good
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Post-16 provision
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeCommunity school
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,205
GenderMixed
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMs N Browning
Local authorityWest Berkshire
Opened01 Jan 1900
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 110048.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolWest BerkshireEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.55.8, better than England, better than West Berkshire49.246.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.82.7%, better than England, better than West Berkshire71%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.64%, better than England, better than West Berkshire51.2%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.22.8%, better than England, better than West Berkshire15.4%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths77.7%, better than England, better than West Berkshire66.8%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4197--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolWest BerkshireEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.35.28, similar to England, similar to West Berkshire34.9635
Average A-level gradeB---
Average points, best three A-levels36.83, similar to England, similar to West Berkshire35.435.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsB---
AAB or better19.8%, similar to England, similar to West Berkshire17%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.0.15, better than England--
A-level progressAbove average, better than England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study112--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Merit--

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,205
Girls617
Boys588
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.11.3%
First language not English4.7%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,270
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.5.1%
Sixth form places2024/25230
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.197
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.56
Average class size20.7

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

White British
80.6%
Other White
5%
White and Asian
3.3%
Other mixed
2.4%
Indian
1.9%
White and Black Caribbean
1.2%
African
1.1%
White and Black African
0.7%
Chinese
0.7%
Gypsy/Roma
0.6%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.9
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.11
Teachers (FTE)75.89
Teaching assistants (FTE)19.68
Support staff (FTE)55.44
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2570.2
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2560.8
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/253.6
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/255.7

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.201
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.345
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.214
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.196
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)136

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolWest BerkshireEngland
Overall absence8.6%, worse than England, similar to West Berkshire8.2%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.21.6%, similar to England, similar to West Berkshire20.9%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.4.1%, worse than England, similar to West Berkshire4.1%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate14.4%
Pupils with one or more suspensions5.5%
Permanent exclusion rate0.2%
Permanent exclusions2

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.92.3%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.86.6%
School sixth form45.4%
Further education27.8%
Sixth form college13.4%
Apprenticeship5.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.4.6%
Employment0.5%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.89.6%
Higher education54.4%
Employment30.4%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.8%
Apprenticeship4.8%
Further education0%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near The Willink School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.1 miPrimaryMrs Bland's Infant SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.4 miPrimaryGarland Junior SchoolCommunity school
Good
1.0 miPrimarySulhamstead and Ufton Nervet SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good
1.5 miPrimaryMortimer St. John's C.E. Infant SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good
1.5 miPrimaryBurghfield St Mary's C.E. Primary SchoolVoluntary controlled school
Good

Frequently asked questions about The Willink School

What is The Willink School's Ofsted rating?

The Willink School is rated Good, last inspected on 6 May 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does The Willink School rank in England?

The Willink School ranks 443 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 86% of schools) and 1,013 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (better than 60% of schools).

What are The Willink School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 64% of pupils at The Willink School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 55.8 (England 46.2).

What are The Willink School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at The Willink School was B-, and 19.8% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into The Willink School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, The Willink School made 201 offers from 345 applications (1.7 per offer), and 196 of 214 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend The Willink School?

The Willink School has 1,205 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of The Willink School?

The Willink School had 1,270 school places in 2024/25.

Does The Willink School have a sixth form?

Yes, The Willink School has a sixth form with 230 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at The Willink School?

At The Willink School, the average class had 20.7 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.9 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at The Willink School?

In 2025/26, pupils at The Willink School missed 8.6% of sessions (England 8%), and 21.6% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.