Reading / Reading 11+
London Road, Reading, RG1 5BN
Kendrick School
1
A selective girls grammar school in Reading, Berkshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 934 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective girls grammar school in Reading, Berkshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 934 pupils on roll. Families looking at Reading, Berkshire will usually see Kendrick School as a selective option for girls aged 11-18, with sixth form continuing the academic journey on the same site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 934 pupils on roll and 128 Year 7 places.
For parents thinking about the 11+, the admissions picture is one of the clearest differentiators here. The current route includes Individual, with 128 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks very high by grammar-school standards. Catchment or distance rules still matter at allocation stage, so this is the kind of school where families need to read the admissions policy carefully rather than rely on headline scores alone.
On current official measures, the school offers a clear academic profile for parents to weigh up. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 1.07 and Attainment 8 at 84.4. 100% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 51.4% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 85% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Library. The wider offer currently includes Debate club, Orchestra, Drama. For many parents, the presence of a sixth form is part of the attraction, because it gives able pupils the option to stay in a familiar academic setting through to A level. Kendrick School is likely to appeal most to families who want strong academic expectations but also need the practical details, culture, and selective route to line up sensibly.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Reading and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Reading and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Reading and England.
No candidate living outside the designated area has been offered a place since the designated area was introduced in 2013.
The designated area is split into Priority Area 1 and Priority Area 2. Most places go to designated-area applicants first, with outside-area applicants considered only if places remain.
Looked-after and previously looked-after children
Looked-after and previously looked-after girls are first if they meet the Kendrick selection requirements.
Pupil premium or service premium in the designated area
Girls eligible for pupil premium or service premium on 31 August 2026 who live in Priority Area 1 or 2 are next, using the lower qualifying-score route described in the policy.
Up to 75% of places for Priority Area 1 or 2
Up to 96 places are then allocated to girls whose permanent home address is in Priority Area 1 or 2.
Remaining designated-area places in Priority Area 1
Any remaining places are next offered to girls in Priority Area 1.
Then Priority Area 2
Girls in Priority Area 2 follow after Priority Area 1 for the remaining places.
Outside the designated area
Only if places remain after the designated-area categories does the school consider applicants outside the designated area.
The admission test has two GL Assessment papers covering verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, English and mathematics. There is no creative-writing element.
Paper 1
English, Maths, VR, NVR
Kendrick admission tests
Applicants sit two papers in autumn 2026. Together they cover English, mathematics, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning.
English, Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
Science and Creative writing are not listed in the current published format.
English
Maths
Verbal reasoning
Applicants sit two papers in autumn 2026. Together they cover English, mathematics, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning.
Non-verbal reasoning
Applicants sit two papers in autumn 2026. Together they cover English, mathematics, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning.
Science
Creative writing
Online registration opens
1 May 2026
Registration deadline
1 July 2026
Admission tests
Autumn 2026
Results issued
Before 31 October 2026
CAF deadline
31 October 2026
Read the 2027 admission policy and test guidance
Check the designated-area categories, qualifying-score rules, and registration guidance before starting the process.
Open admission policyRegister online for the Kendrick admission test
For 2027 entry, online registration opens on 1 May 2026 and closes at midnight on Wednesday 1 July 2026.
Open test informationSit the two admission-test papers
Kendrick says applicants sit two autumn papers covering English, mathematics, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning.
Review the test formatSubmit your home local authority application
Families must still name Kendrick on the Common Application Form by 31 October 2026.
Check the deadlineLatest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 86.6 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 84.3 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 84.4 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 84 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | A average (49.6 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | A- average (46.8 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B+ average (44.7 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B+ average (44.5 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 100% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 98% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 100% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 92% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 91% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 9 November 2022
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Nearby option within a reasonable travel distance
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Best Grammar Schools in Reading
Compare the best grammar schools in Reading for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. In Reading, catchment, competition for places, and each school's own admissions rules matter more than a single shared test route.
Best Girls' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best girls grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools in Reading
Compare the best grammar schools in Reading for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. In Reading, catchment, competition for places, and each school's own admissions rules matter more than a single shared test route.
Best Girls' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best girls grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Kendrick School currently uses Individual.
1. Read the 2027 admission policy and test guidance: Check the designated-area categories, qualifying-score rules, and registration guidance before starting the process. 2. Register online for the Kendrick admission test: For 2027 entry, online registration opens on 1 May 2026 and closes at midnight on Wednesday 1 July 2026. 3. Sit the two admission-test papers: Kendrick says applicants sit two autumn papers covering English, mathematics, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning. 4. Submit your home local authority application: Families must still name Kendrick on the Common Application Form by 31 October 2026.
Online registration opens: 1 May 2026. Registration deadline: 1 July 2026. Admission tests: Autumn 2026. Results issued: Before 31 October 2026. CAF deadline: 31 October 2026
Kendrick School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 9 November 2022.