Grazeley is a small rural community on the western edge of the parish. Its landscape is mostly open farmland and it has a small rural school, village hall and village green.
Ryeish Green is a rural hamlet located between the villages of Shinfield and Spencers Wood. Located within the settlement is the area's secondary school and the district's Leisure Centre.
Shinfield Rise is a community located north of the motorway, adjacent to the Reading boundary. It has good transport links with easy access to the University, the Royal Berkshire Hospital and Reading Town Centre. Due to its proximity to Reading, it is more densely populated than the other communities in the parish.
School Green is the heart of Shinfield village and comprises the village green, pubs, shops and schools and recreation grounds. The historic church of Shinfield St Mary's can be found in Church Lane on the north-west ridge of Shinfield Village.
New housing developments are currently being constructed on former farming research sites.
Spencers Wood is an expanding rural village with a library, Post Office and school amongst its diverse range of amenities.
Most of its amenities are located between the villages of Three Mile Cross and our neighbouring parish of Swallowfield.
Three Mile Cross is so named as it lies three miles south of Reading on the old Basingstoke Road. It is a small rural community and has recently attracted new housing developments. The community is divided by the busy A33 Basingstoke - Reading road.
It is designated an 'area of special character' and is located close to Junction 11 of the M4.