About Reading School
Reading School uses its own entrance exam provided by FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise). Boys sit English and Mathematics papers. The 2026 exam is 16th July 2026 for in-catchment/boarding applicants, or 25th September 2026 for out-of-catchment applicants.
Reading School provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum. GCSE 9–7: 88.9%. A-Level A*–B: 88.8%.
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Reading School
Reading School Admissions Criteria
Reading School uses its own entrance exam provided by FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise). Boys sit English and Mathematics papers. The 2026 exam is 16th July 2026 for in-catchment/boarding applicants, or 25th September 2026 for out-of-catchment applicants.
- ✓Register directly with Reading School (registration opens March 2026).
- ✓Sit the Reading School entrance exam (FSCE format): English and Mathematics papers.
- ✓Achieve the eligible score (95 for Maths and 95 for English, age-standardised).
- ✓Priority 1: Boys from 75 named feeder primary schools.
- ✓Priority 2: Boys from 13 priority Reading postcodes.
- ✓Priority 3: All other eligible boys, ranked by score.
- ✓Sporting Aptitude places (10% of PAN): separate assessment required — Sunday 12th July 2026.
- ✓Looked-after and previously looked-after children given top priority.
Reading 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 FSCE 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 Reading 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 — Reading School 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2026 |
| 📌 Registration closes | late June 2026 |
| 📌 FSCE 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 Reading School via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Register your child for the FSCE Test
Register through your regional 11+ portal (e.g. Berkshire) when registration opens. Closes late June 2026. There is no fee to sit the FSCE test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Reading 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 FSCE Entrance Test
Your child sits the FSCE in Saturday 13 September 2026. The test typically covers English, Mathematics and Creative Writing, 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 Reading 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 Reading School's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
Subjects Tested at Reading School
Reading School selects through its own bespoke FSCE entrance test — four age-standardised papers based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum (no verbal or non-verbal reasoning), sat on one day in any order.
- Adventure Paper: Key Stage 2 curriculum subjects, multiple-choice.
- Beacon Paper: Key Stage 2 curriculum subjects, short written responses.
- Compass Paper: Key Stage 2 curriculum subjects, multiple-choice.
- Discovery Paper: a creative-response task.
Independent 11+ Practice Papers for Reading School
Reading School uses the FSCE 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 Reading 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 Reading School (GCSE & A-Level Results)
Reading School is a highly selective boys' grammar with a long record of academic excellence and strong progression to leading universities, supported by specialisms in humanities and science.
- GCSE & A-Level: consistently among the strongest results nationally.
- Sixth form: a sixth form with strong progression to top universities.
- Setting: a state grammar with optional weekday boarding and no day-school fees.
Exam results change annually, so always confirm the latest published figures on the school's website.
Catchment Area for Reading School
Admission to Year 7 is by the school's own bespoke entrance examination, set by Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE) — an assessment based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum up to Year 5, with no verbal or non-verbal reasoning. It consists of four papers sat on a single day in any order: an Adventure Paper (multiple-choice), a Beacon Paper (short written responses), a Compass Paper (multiple-choice) and a Discovery Paper (a creative task); papers are age-standardised, with no published pass mark. Reading School is its own admissions authority and not part of a consortium, so families register directly with the school.
The school offers around 150 Year 7 places (roughly 138 day and up to 12 boarding), plus up to 15 places on its Kenwrick Sports Pathway via a separate sporting-aptitude assessment for qualified candidates. There is no requirement to live locally to sit the test, but a defined catchment (covering Reading, Wokingham, Bracknell and a wide surrounding area) strongly affects priority for day places; boarding applicants instead demonstrate a boarding need. Always confirm the current arrangements in the school's admissions booklet.
Pastoral Care, Sport & Extracurricular Life
Reading School is a highly selective boys' grammar for ages 11–18 on Erleigh Road in Reading, Berkshire (RG1 5LW), with state boarding provision. Founded in 1125 as the school of Reading Abbey, it is one of the oldest schools in England; it became an academy in 2011 and specialises in humanities and science.
The school places equal importance on scholarship, leadership and character, and its weekly boarders (who board during the week and return home at weekends) add to a close-knit, traditional community. For the full list of activities and pastoral arrangements, see the school's own website.
Reading School — Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply to Reading School for Year 7?
Register with the school for its entrance test (sat in September) and name Reading School on your Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF) by 31 October 2026. Reading School runs its own admissions process, separate from the Berkshire/Slough consortium.
What entrance test does Reading School use?
Its own bespoke entrance examination, set by FSCE (Future Stories). It is four papers sat on a single day in any order — an Adventure Paper (multiple-choice), a Beacon Paper (short written responses), a Compass Paper (multiple-choice) and a Discovery Paper (a creative task) — based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum up to Year 5, with no verbal or non-verbal reasoning and no published pass mark.
Is Reading School selective, and is it free?
Yes. Reading School is a selective state grammar school for boys and, as a state-funded school, charges no fees.
When does the entrance test take place?
In September. For September 2027 entry it falls in the autumn of 2026. All papers are sat on a single day; confirm the exact date with the school.
When are the results released?
In October 2026, before the Local Authority application deadline, so you can list Reading School on your CAF in time.
When is National Offers Day in 2027?
National Offers Day is 1 March 2027, when Local Authorities tell families which secondary school place their child has been allocated.
Does Reading School have a catchment area?
Reading School offers places by rank of test score and has designated-area and other oversubscription criteria. Check the school's admissions policy for the current arrangements.
How many Year 7 places does Reading School offer?
About 128 places.
How can my child prepare for the Reading School entrance test?
Because the FSCE test is built on the Key Stage 2 curriculum (up to the end of Year 5) and avoids verbal and non-verbal reasoning, focus on applying English and maths skills and timed creative writing rather than drilling reasoning. No past papers are published and the format changes yearly, so practise broadly. ExamTutor offers practice papers with full video explanations.