About Kendrick Girls' Grammar School
Kendrick School uses the GL Assessment 11+ test — two one-hour multiple-choice papers covering English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Registration opens 1st May and closes 1st July (Year 5). The 2026 exam is Friday 18th September 2026.
Kendrick Girls' Grammar School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum. GCSE 9–7: 80%. A-Level A*–B: 70%.
About the GL Assessment 11+ Test for Kendrick Girls' Grammar School
Kendrick Girls' Grammar School is a co-educational state grammar school in England that uses the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test to select pupils for Year 7 admission. The school admits approximately 128 Year 7 pupils each September, and applications must be made through your home Local Authority via the Common Application Form (CAF) — never directly to the school.
The GL Assessment 11+ is one of two main 11+ test providers in England (the other being CEM, now retired in many regions). The Berkshire test typically consists of multiple papers covering English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Scores are standardised against the cohort age distribution, so younger pupils are not disadvantaged. Each school sets its own qualifying mark (pass mark).
For 2027 entry, the GL Assessment test is sat in Saturday 13 September 2026 and results are released to parents on Mid-October 2026 — crucially, before the Common Application Form deadline of Friday 31 October 2026, giving parents time to consider results before listing school preferences. National Offers Day is Monday 1 March 2027, when Local Authorities issue Year 7 secondary school offers.
Kendrick Girls' Grammar School is academically selective — pupils must achieve the qualifying mark in the 11+ test to be eligible for a place. If applications exceed the published admission number (128 places), the school applies its oversubscription criteria (looked-after children, FSME, siblings, distance) to allocate places. This page is updated each year with the latest verified admissions criteria, key dates and oversubscription rules.
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Kendrick Girls' Grammar School
Kendrick Girls' Grammar School Admissions Criteria
Kendrick School uses the GL Assessment 11+ test — two one-hour multiple-choice papers covering English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Registration opens 1st May and closes 1st July (Year 5). The 2026 exam is Friday 18th September 2026.
- ✓Register online via the Kendrick School website (1st May – 1st July, Year 5).
- ✓Sit two one-hour GL Assessment papers at Kendrick School on 18th September 2026.
- ✓Achieve a qualifying standardised aggregate score of 100.00 or above.
- ✓Girls outside the designated Priority Areas are strongly advised not to apply — no out-of-area candidate has been offered a place since 2013.
- ✓Priority Area 1 (up to 96 places): qualifying girls ranked by score.
- ✓Priority Area 2 (32 remaining places): qualifying girls ranked by score.
- ✓Pupil Premium girls in the designated area scoring ≥95.00 are prioritised.
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after children given top priority.
Kendrick Girls' Grammar School Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the 128 Year 7 admission number, the Board of Governors / Trust applies the following criteria in priority order. Final ranking uses the standardised score achieved in the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test.
- Looked-after / previously looked-after children (highest priority by law)
- Children who achieve the qualifying mark in the entrance test (above the qualifying standard set by Kendrick Girls' Grammar School)
- Children eligible for Pupil Premium / Free School Meals Entitlement (FSME)
- Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming the school
- Children with sibling(s) currently attending the school
- Children of staff (where staff member has worked at the school for 2+ years)
- Children ranked by total standardised score (highest first) up to the published admission number
- Tiebreak: distance from home to school (straight-line measurement) for children with equal scores
Key Dates & Deadlines — Kendrick Girls' Grammar School 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2026 |
| 📌 Registration closes | late June 2026 |
| 📌 GL Assessment 11+ Entrance Test | Saturday 13 September 2026 (Reading School + Kendrick joint test) |
| 📌 Test results released | Mid-October 2026 |
| 📌 CAF deadline (apply via Local Authority) | Friday 31 October 2026 |
| 📌 National Offers Day | Monday 1 March 2027 |
How to Apply to Kendrick Girls' Grammar School via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Register your child for the GL Assessment 11+ Test
Register through your regional 11+ portal (e.g. Berkshire) when registration opens. Closes late June 2026. There is no fee to sit the GL Assessment test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Kendrick Girls' Grammar School
Visit during Year 5 or early Year 6 to meet staff and pupils and decide whether to list this school on your CAF.
Step 3 — Sit the GL Assessment Entrance Test
Your child sits the GL Assessment in Saturday 13 September 2026. The test typically covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised scores age-adjusted.
Step 4 — Receive your standardised test results
Test results are released to parents on Mid-October 2026, BEFORE the Common Application Form deadline. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
Step 5 — Complete your Common Application Form (CAF)
List Kendrick Girls' Grammar School as one of your preferences on the CAF submitted via your home Local Authority (not the school's LA, unless they are the same). You can usually list 3-6 preferences depending on your LA.
Step 6 — Submit the CAF by the deadline
Submit your CAF by Friday 31 October 2026. Late applications are processed only after all on-time applications have been allocated, dramatically reducing your chance of a place.
Step 7 — Receive your school offer on National Offers Day
Offers are issued via your Local Authority on Monday 1 March 2027. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Kendrick Girls' Grammar School's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
GL Assessment Subjects Tested at Kendrick Girls' Grammar School
Kendrick selects through its own Kendrick Admission Test (GL Assessment since September 2023) — two same-day, multiple-choice papers, age-standardised, with a recent qualifying total of around a standardised score of 100.
- English: reading comprehension, spelling, punctuation and grammar.
- Mathematics: number, measurement, geometry and statistics (Key Stage 2).
- Reasoning: verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.
GL Assessment Practice Papers for Kendrick Girls' Grammar School
Kendrick Girls' Grammar School uses the GL Assessment 11+ format. Our practice papers closely mirror the actual test structure — with full video explanations for every question.
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 31.5 hours of video content
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 28.5 hours of video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 11.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9 hrs video content
How to Prepare for the Kendrick Girls' Grammar School 11+ Exam
ExamTutor practice papers with tutor explanations for every question offers an affordable substitute for private tuition for a fraction of the cost.
📋 Take a Diagnostic Test
Start with a timed practice test to identify strengths and areas needing improvement.
📅 Build a Study Plan
Start at least 6–12 months before the exam. Focus extra time on weaker subjects.
🎥 Review with Video Explanations
Watch video solutions for incorrect answers. Rewatch difficult topics until confident.
⏱️ Develop Exam Technique
Practice under timed conditions to build stamina and learn to manage difficult questions.
📈 Track Progress
Monitor scores over time to see genuine improvement and identify remaining weak spots.
🚀 Build Confidence
Simulating real exam conditions means no surprises on the day — your child knows what to expect.
Academic Performance at Kendrick Girls' Grammar School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Kendrick (officially Kendrick School) is one of the highest-achieving state schools in the country and has been judged Outstanding by Ofsted at its last four inspections. In a recent year around 83% of GCSE grades were 8 or 9 and roughly 75% of A-Level grades were A*–A; in 2019 it ranked as the third-best state school for GCSE results (Attainment 8 of 84.5), with many students progressing to Oxford, Cambridge and other Russell Group universities.
- GCSE: around 83% of grades at 8–9 in a recent year.
- Sixth form: around 75% of A-Level grades at A*–A, with strong Oxbridge progression.
- Specialism: particular strengths in languages, mathematics and science.
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school's website.
Catchment Area for Kendrick Girls' Grammar School
Kendrick is its own admissions authority and is not part of a consortium — Reading's selective schools each run their own test, so a child applying to more than one must register and sit each separately. Kendrick moved from CEM to GL Assessment from September 2023. The Kendrick Admission Test is two papers taken on the same day, each roughly 45–60 minutes and multiple-choice, covering English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning; scores are age-standardised, and the recent qualifying total was a standardised score of around 100 (with a lower threshold of about 95 for Pupil Premium, Service and looked-after children), broadly the top 25%.
The school has a strict designated area (Priority Areas 1 and 2): the school advises families living outside it not to register, as no out-of-area candidate has been offered a place since the designated area was introduced in 2013, whatever their score. With around 128 places and 5 or more applicants per place, qualified girls within the area are ranked after the priority categories (looked-after children and so on) by test score and distance. Always confirm the current designated-area map and criteria in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Kendrick Girls' Grammar School (officially Kendrick School) is a selective girls' grammar for ages 11–18 on London Road in Reading, Berkshire (RG1 5BN). Established in 1877, it became an academy in 2011, specialises in languages, mathematics and science, and is recognised as one of the top state schools in England.
Alongside academic success, Kendrick focuses on developing confidence, leadership and personal growth through a wide range of enrichment opportunities. For the full list of activities and pastoral arrangements, see the school's own website.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kendrick Girls' Grammar School
How do I apply to Kendrick Girls' Grammar School for Year 7?
Applications to Kendrick Girls' Grammar School are made through your home Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF) — not directly to the school. Your child must sit the GL Assessment 11+ test (registration closes late June 2026), then list Kendrick Girls' Grammar School on the CAF. The CAF deadline is Friday 31 October 2026.
Does Kendrick Girls' Grammar School use the GL Assessment 11+ test?
Yes — Kendrick Girls' Grammar School uses the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test for Year 7 admission, taken in Saturday 13 September 2026 (Reading School + Kendrick joint test). The test covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised age-adjusted scores.
What is the pass mark / qualifying score for Kendrick Girls' Grammar School?
Kendrick Girls' Grammar School sets its own qualifying mark each year. Pupils must score at or above the qualifying mark to be eligible for a place. Final ranking is by total standardised score (highest first) up to the admission number of 128 places.
How many Year 7 places does Kendrick Girls' Grammar School have?
Kendrick Girls' Grammar School admits 128 Year 7 pupils each September. Demand for places typically exceeds supply, so the school applies its oversubscription criteria (looked-after children, FSME, siblings, distance) to allocate places fairly.
When are GL Assessment results released in 2026?
For 2027 Year 7 entry, GL Assessment test results are released on Mid-October 2026 — before the Common Application Form deadline of Friday 31 October 2026. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
When is National Offers Day for Kendrick Girls' Grammar School in 2027?
National Offers Day for Year 7 secondary school places in England is Monday 1 March 2027. Offers are issued by your home Local Authority — not directly by the school. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Kendrick Girls' Grammar School's waiting list.
Is Kendrick Girls' Grammar School a state school or fee-paying?
Kendrick Girls' Grammar School is a state-funded grammar school — there are no tuition fees. As a state grammar, it is academically selective via the GL Assessment 11+ test, but pupils who pass the test do not pay to attend.
How can my child prepare for the Kendrick Girls' Grammar School 11+ test?
ExamTutor offers a complete GL Assessment 11+ preparation programme including tutor-led practice papers, full video explanations for every question (covering all GL topic areas — English, Mathematics, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning), and downloadable resources. Most parents start preparation 12-18 months before the September 11+ test.
Where can I find Kendrick Girls' Grammar School's official admissions policy?
The full Admissions Policy for Kendrick Girls' Grammar School 2027 entry is published on the school's official website. Always check the school's website for the most up-to-date oversubscription criteria, qualifying mark, supplementary forms (if any), and any school-specific application requirements.