WHAT? WHERE?

Set in 40 glorious acres on the outskirts of Reading, Crosfields School has been transformed in recent years from co-ed prep to a modern, diverse and exciting all-through school for ages 3-16.

The Grand Design new buildings are big, bold and pack an architectural punch. Behind the fancy new facade, you’ll find the Junior School (Nursery to Y6) and Senior School (Y7-9), with an abundance of green space and impressive facilities.

Founded in 1957 it was originally a boys’ Quaker school of just 100 pupils. It eventually went co-ed in 2007 and the Senior School opened in September 2021. Pupil numbers have risen to 636, but class sizes remain small (15/20).

FACILITIES

Lots of investment across the school and many big ticket projects completed. To name a few, the new Senior School, huge all weather pitches, refurbed theatre and music rooms, plus a state of the art swimming pool, brand new science labs and extensive Forest School facilities.

SPORT

The core sports are rugby, football, cricket, hockey, netball and swimming, but Crosfields has 15 on offer and a packed schedule of matches. Everyone gets the opportunity to play with multiple teams fielded from the super-competitive A team to those who play for fun. It’s fair to say Crosfields is a sporty school, so no surprise the facilities are very good. The jewel in the crown is the 25m indoor pool with variable depth floor – which means the bottom can be raised or lowered, allowing all ages and abilities to take part in weekly swimming lessons safely and build confidence.

The floor can be dropped for the older kids. Unsurprisingly, the competitive swim squads do very very well and children can join from Y2. They consistently win medals at IAPS Championships and have elite swimmers who go on to try out for the Olympic teams. On dry land, there’s all-weather pitches, playing fields, a huge sports hall for badminton, basketball, cricket, netball, hockey, fencing, tennis and volleyball, climbing wall, dance studio and Ergo rowers.

You might think your non-sporty child won’t fit in, but the ethos here is less about ability and a cabinet packed with silverware (although who doesn’t love a win), and more about joining in, creating healthy habits and finding something you enjoy. If that’s football, great, but if it happens to be Ultimate Frisbee, climbing or judo, they offer that too.

FOREST SCHOOL

It’s not all about sharpening your competitive edge and raising your heart rate, Forest School is huge here, with five dedicated sites that include a pond, woodland habitats and a purpose-built outdoor classroom. Forest School Leader Melanie Hills has worked with her team to offer outdoor education to all children from nursery up to Y6 and Y7. So waterproof suit up and have the wellies on standby, because the kids will be getting dirty.

While the early years children start their wild adventures learning about the outdoors, language and building confidence. As the kids get older, they will be den building, using tools – palm drills, saws – and lighting fires. Before you have a health and safety meltdown, the teaching staff make sure they are ready and fully briefed. Kids love it, they learn loads, take risks, it’s a great place to try things, fail and have another go without judgement and all that fresh air is good for their wellbeing and sleep. Happy happy days.

MUSIC, ART AND DRAMA

The arty aspects have been beefed up – and they’ve only just started. The theatre and music rooms have been enhanced to reflect the school’s strength in performing arts, if you have an enthusiastic jazz hander, opportunities to perform don’t just happen in the end of year shows but consistently throughout the year. There are also four choirs, an orchestra, several instrument ensembles and roughly 10 extra curricular creative and performing arts clubs, including LAMDA, per year group, per term Impressive. The pupils are not lacking in opportunities and it’s great to see that the clubs and most of the majority of the trips are covered in the fees. We’re loving that! The enrichment team has flagged up that they would like to offer more specialist trips for those who have a passion for the creative arts. Great to see they’re always looking for ways to improve, but the provision is excellent already.

It’s worth noting, the Junior School now has its own dedicated art and DT rooms. STEAM is such an important area for kids to develop, it’s good to see investment in the creative, tech and engineering subjects.

PASTORAL

It’s an incredibly nurturing school and I get the impression that wellbeing is a top priority. Talking is something we might take for granted, but if you need to get something off your chest, there’s always someone to listen here. They have appointed a top team of Pastoral Heads, a medical team, trained counsellors offer appointments and drop-in clinics. The kids are the best eyes and ears and the older children become peer mentors and wellbeing ambassadors. Prioritising wellbeing is not just a ‘nice to have’, it’s become a key part of school and an essential life skill.

EARLY YEARS

The scaffolding starts at in the Early Years where they have taken bits of the Montessori and Reggio Emilia approaches, and other education research to develop a programme that works for Crosfields children. The foundations are laid from Early Years where there’s a lot of focus on language development, imagination, visual representations of numbers and storytelling. The children build a Tales Toolkit and they also work on improving physical strength to help with stamina, handwriting and learning to sit for longer periods of time.

Crosfields School Reading prep school in the dining room getting lunch

In the Nursery, classrooms are pared back and very neutral to avoid overstimulation. This is becoming more common, and there’s a ton of evidence to prove that an explosion of colour, although pretty for parents stunts creativity, communication and imagination. It’s a buzzy part of the school with plenty of visitors and trips to enjoy – from a visiting theatre company to walking to writing a letter to Father Christmas and walking to the post office to pop it in the letterbox.

As you move into the older year groups of the Junior School the ethos is the same (good manners, tolerance) but the opportunities open up. More sport, more trips, more enrichment and more subject specialists. It jars a little that Nursery is so separate from Reception and beyond, but at the end of the day it’s just geography.

ACADEMICS

Very good. It’s not an academic hot house, but is producing superb all-rounder kids, with a rich global outlook. The organic growth of the Seniors means that pupils are yet to sit GCSE exams, but in the run up to that day, there’s a focus on metacognition – the ability of learning to learn – and growth mindset.

It’s a melting pot of ideas from the worlds of psychology, business and sport to generate marginal gains to reaching each individual’s full potential and helps with revision. I like it, and sounds pretty cool which always helps when trying to get kids to engage.

The academic innovation runs from nursery to Y11. Staff are encouraged to take an interest into educational research to ensure that the children are given not just the right tools but the best tools to learn. Specialist teachers for sport, music and languages are used throughout, and for most subjects from Year 5. Forest School boosts the soft skills needed in life and enrichment activities and trips are fun, informative and give the kids the opportunity to let loose outside of the classroom and get some ‘real world’ experience. Test results are important here, but not at the expense of each child’s wellbeing and life experiences. There’s a lot to be said for that.

THE HEAD

Caroline Townshend New Head Crosfield School Reading

Big news at Crosfields in Reading. Not only has this modern, diverse school launched its Senior School, it has a new head. Caroline Townshend made the move with her young family to Berkshire from London’s Eaton Square. She’s a cool, calm impressive woman – and is the first female head in the school’s history. Caroline has Senior School set-up experience, and wants to develop common strands across the Crosfields community, ensuring there are opportunities at every level throughout the school. The Junior School is in great shape, but Caroline is far from complacent and will review its strengths, challenges and the different stages of development. You can read my interview with Caroline here.

QUIRKS

Crosfields School Reading Berkshire pupils across all ages groups sat on a tree trunk

It’s global outlook for starters. There are roughly 40 languages spoken at Crosfields, with connections to almost every country in the world. Those cultural differences have become the school’s superpower – a true representation of diversity, tolerance, and a celebration of culture.

It’s fair to day, 90+ extra curricular activities is a lot. But it does give kids the opportunity to find their passions and try things out of their comfort zone.

Wellbeing dogs are enrolling in schools all over Berkshire. Crosfields is no different with their loving labrador, Nala. She is trained to serve and is much adored by the childre . Come on, who doesn’t love a furry cuddle when you’re having a bad day?

FEES

A little below average for this part of Berkshire. Average for this part of Berkshire I’d say. Junior School fees are: Nursery £3,992 per term, Reception £4,305, Y1 £4,599, Y2 £4,646, Y3 £5,350, Y4 £5,644, Y5-Y6 £5,998. Senior school fees are: Y7-Y8 £6,380 and Y9-Y11 £6,552.

ISI REPORT

View the latest inspection and compliance reports here .

TRANSPORT

Most the pupils live within a 15-mile radius. They can hop on the bus from as far afield as Maidenhead and Henley to Wokingham, Grazeley and Winnersh. Naturally, lots of parents prefer to drop off and pick up themselves (lots work locally), but the bus is an option when you’re happy for your kids to have a bit more independence.

Crosfields School Reading two girls playing a game with a teacher

WRAP AROUND CARE

School runs can see stress levels tip into the red, so parents will love the 7.30am breakfast club (available to all year groups), with normal drop off from 8am for an 8.30am start. At the other end of the day, you can extend to 4.15pm or 5.50pm for littlies, with 84% of kids signing up for some of the 90+ co-curricular activities. I’d say, the hours are pretty standard for a Day School, but breadth of activities on offer is outstanding.

CROSFIELDS SCHOOL READING TWO GIRLS SUMMER UNIFORM SAT ON A LOG ON FIELD

WORD ON THE GROUND

The view from parents is that it’s strong across the board, academically (as you’d expect if you’re paying good money) but also across the art, music, DT and drama are seen as just as ‘cool’ as sports. They all rave about the seemingly endless amount of opportunities.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Parents looking to turn out modern, independent, outward-looking ‘all rounder’ kids in a nurturing environment. It can cater to bigger personalities whilst still being small enough to nurture the less extrovert.

Not for: If you like your schools to look like stately homes on endless rolling hills, start squinting now.

Dare to disagree?! Be my guest! The are a number of events coming soon: Junior Open Morning, 7 Mar. Reception Taster Session, 19 Jan and Nursery, Stay & Play sessions on 17 Jan, 7 Feb, 13 Mar, 15 May, and 12 Jun.

Crosfields School, Shinfield Road, Reading, Berkshire RG2 9BL. Tel 0118 987 1810

Crosfields Junior School, Reading

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