Pip· 11+ Practice Get Pip free
Home›Grammar schools›Slough & Berks›Reading School
Has a catchment areaBoysSlough & Berks

Reading School catchment area

Reading · boys grammar school · ages 11 to 18
Admissions
Catchment area
(distance priority)
Intake
Boys · ages 11 to 18
11+ test
Reading consortium 11+
Year 7 places
150
Location
Reading, Slough & Berks
Catchment, explained

How catchment works at Reading School

Reading School draws its intake using a designated catchment or distance priority around Reading. To be considered your child first needs to pass Reading consortium 11+, which makes them eligible but does not guarantee a place.

After passing the test, places go by looked-after/pupil-premium, sporting aptitude, feeder schools, then designated-area boys, then all other boys; distance breaks ties. The qualifying distance shifts every year with demand, so a postcode that was inside the catchment one year can fall outside it the next.

Bottom line: for Reading School, both things matter, your child must pass the 11+, and you generally need to live close enough to clear that year's distance cut-off.
Grammar schools near Reading
Slough & Berks
Nearby options

Other grammar schools near Reading

Kendrick School
Reading · Catchment area
0.5 miles away
Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
Marlow · Catchment area
11.4 miles away
Burnham Grammar School
Burnham · Catchment area
14.8 miles away
John Hampden Grammar School
High Wycombe · Catchment area
15.1 miles away
Wycombe High School
High Wycombe · Catchment area
15.4 miles away
Herschel Grammar School
Slough · Catchment area
15.7 miles away
Applying

Sitting the 11+ for Reading School

1

Register

Sign up for Reading consortium 11+ with the school or local authority, usually by early summer before Year 6 begins.

2

Sit the test

Your child takes the test in September of Year 6. Results follow in October, before the 31 October secondary application deadline.

3

Get your place

Pass, then your home distance decides. List Reading schools by preference on the application.

FAQs

Reading School catchment, your questions answered

Does Reading School have a catchment area?+
Yes. It has a designated area; in-area qualifiers are placed ahead of all out-of-area applicants regardless of test score.
Is Reading School super-selective?+
No. Reading School is a selective grammar with a catchment or distance priority, so both a qualifying mark and your home address affect whether you get a place.
How is the catchment for Reading School measured?+
After passing the test, places go by looked-after/pupil-premium, sporting aptitude, feeder schools, then designated-area boys, then all other boys; distance breaks ties. Distances are normally measured in a straight line from your home to the school, and the cut-off moves each year with demand.
What test does my child sit for Reading School?+
Children applying to Reading School sit Reading consortium 11+, usually at the start of Year 6. Register with the school or local authority before the summer deadline in Year 5.
How many places does Reading School offer?+
Reading School admits 150 pupils into Year 7 each year. With far more qualifiers than places, the score needed in practice is well above the basic pass mark.
Can we apply to Reading School from outside the area?+
Yes, you can always apply. In quieter years out-of-area children are offered places, but in-catchment families take priority, so it is less predictable.
Does passing the 11+ guarantee a place at Reading School?+
No. Passing qualifies your child, the place then depends on the admissions priorities, most often home-to-school distance.
When do we register for the Reading consortium 11+?+
Registration usually opens in the spring or early summer of Year 5 and closes before the test, which is sat in September of Year 6. Results come back in October, the secondary application deadline is 31 October, and offers are sent on national offer day, 1 March. Always confirm the exact dates with Reading School or your local authority.

Get Reading-ready for the 11+

Pip turns Reading consortium 11+ revision into a 10-minute daily habit kids actually enjoy: maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, with a friendly tutor.

Get Pip free →
Catchment and admissions details change every year. This page is an indicative guide for parents, always confirm the current catchment area, distances, places and test arrangements directly with Reading School and your local authority before applying.