Reading grammar schools 11+ (11 plus) guide

Thinking about a grammar school in Reading for your child? This guide walks you through how the system works, key dates for entry, and how to support your child through the 11+.

In this guide, you'll find:

• How the Reading grammar school system works
• Key 11+ dates and deadlines for 2027 entry
• Which schools use selective entrance exams in Reading
• What your child will be tested on
• How the exam is scored and how places are allocated
• Practical ways to support your child's 11+ preparation

Reading grammar schools

There are two grammar schools in Reading, plus one partially selective school, that use entrance exams for 11+ entry:

• Reading School (boys)
• Kendrick School (girls)
• Reading Girls' School (partially selective — girls)

Reading School and Kendrick School are fully selective grammar schools. Reading Girls' School is a partially selective state school; most places are not academically selective, but children can take an entrance exam to apply for a place in the school's selective stream.

Each school runs its own separate entrance exam. If you are applying to more than one school, your child will need to register and sit each exam individually.

Key dates for 2027 entry

Reading School

• Wednesday 25th March 2026: Open Day (booking required — details available on the school website)
• Wednesday 25th March 2026: test registration opens
• Sunday 17th May 2026: test registration closes
• Sunday 12th July 2026: Sporting Aptitude Assessment
• Wednesday 15th July 2026: test date for SEN applicants
• Thursday 16th July 2026: test date for Day and Boarding applicants
• Friday 25th September 2026: test date for Day applicants living outside the catchment area
• Mid-October 2026: parents receive test results
• Saturday 31st October 2026: secondary school common application deadline
• Monday 1st March 2027: national school offers day

Dates may be subject to change. Always check with your target school for the latest information.

Kendrick School and Reading Girls' School

Please note: Details and dates for the September 2026 entrance exams at Kendrick School and Reading Girls' School have not been released. We will update this page when they become available.

What is the 11+ in Reading?

The 11+ is an academic entrance exam used by selective and partially selective schools to assess children for Year 7 entry. Each of the three schools in Reading runs its own separate exam with its own format, provider, and registration process.

Children sit their exams in Year 6. As each school has a different process, it's important to check the admissions information for each of your target schools carefully and register separately for each one.

What's on the 11+ in Reading?

Each school uses a different exam. Here is a breakdown of what your child will be tested on at each school.

Reading School

Boys applying to Reading School sit an entrance exam provided by Future Stories Community Enterprise (FSCE), an exam board that is a subsidiary of Reading School itself.

The exam tests the application of knowledge and skills from KS2 subjects taught up to and including the Year 5 programme of study. Subjects tested may include any of the following:

• Art & Design
• Computing
• Design & Technology
• English
• Geography
• History
• Languages
• Mathematics
• Music
• Physical Education
• Science

The test includes both multiple-choice and written-response questions. The type of questions, subjects, content, and format can change from year to year.

Sporting Aptitude Assessment

Reading School also offers up to 15 places on its Kenwrick Sports Pathway (KSP). Children applying for a sporting aptitude place must sit a separate Sporting Aptitude Assessment on Sunday 12th July 2026.

Children are only eligible for a sporting aptitude place if they have achieved eligible scores in the FSCE entrance tests, surpassed the threshold for the sporting aptitude assessment, and live within the catchment area (for day places).

Kendrick School

Details of the Kendrick School entrance exam for 2027 entry have not yet been released. We will update this section when they become available.

Girls applying to Kendrick School have historically sat 11+ tests provided by GL Assessment, covering English, maths, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning. Always check the school's admissions page for the most up-to-date information.

Reading Girls' School

Details of the Reading Girls' School selective stream entrance exam for 2027 entry have not yet been released. We will update this section when they become available.

Girls applying for a place on the selective stream at Reading Girls' School have historically sat an online entrance assessment known as Cambridge Select Insight, which tests verbal, non-verbal, and numerical ability. Always check the school's admissions page for the most up-to-date information.

How is the 11+ scored in Reading?

Each school handles marking and scoring differently.

Reading School uses a combination of marking methods depending on the paper. Multiple-choice papers are marked using Optical Mark Recognition (OMR). Written-response papers are marked by school staff. Results are shared in mid-October.

Kendrick School has historically used OMR marking for its GL Assessment papers, with scores then age-standardised to ensure younger children are not disadvantaged. Age standardisation means a child's raw score is adjusted based on their age in years and months at the time of the test.

Reading Girls' School has historically used an online assessment that is marked automatically, with scores then age-standardised.

What's the pass mark?

Each school sets its own eligibility score.

Reading School: Children must achieve an eligible score in the FSCE entrance tests to be considered for a place.

Kendrick School: Places are allocated based on total standardised score in ranked order. The school has a priority area, so children living within this area are prioritised.

Reading Girls' School: Girls are ranked according to their final standardised score to compete for 42 places on the selective stream.

Grammar schools are competitive, and passing the entrance exam does not guarantee a place. Schools in Reading are frequently oversubscribed with qualified candidates, so we always recommend reviewing each school's admissions policy carefully, paying close attention to oversubscription criteria and catchment area requirements.

How to apply for Reading grammar schools

1. Register for each school's entrance exam

Each school has its own registration process and deadline. Registration forms are available on each school's website.

For Reading School, registration for 2027 entry opens on Wednesday 25th March 2026 and closes on Sunday 17th May 2026.

2. Apply for school places

Test results are sent in mid-October 2026.

If your child meets the qualifying standard for a school, you can list it on your secondary school common application form (CAF), which must be submitted to your local authority by Saturday 31st October 2026.

Before listing a school, check the admissions policy to make sure your child meets all criteria.

3. National Offer Day

On Monday 1st March 2027, you'll be informed which secondary school your child has been allocated.

If your preferred school isn't offered, your child will receive another local school place, and you'll be given information about how to appeal.

How can I help my child prepare for the Reading 11+?

The Reading 11+ exams can feel like a big milestone, but preparation doesn't have to be stressful. Here are some practical ways to support your child in a calm, structured way.

Stay on track with a clear Reading 11+ revision plan

One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation isn't motivation – it's knowing what to work on, when, and how to stay consistent without it taking over family life.

A clear plan helps your child build skills in the right order and avoid last-minute cramming.

With Atom's Exam Plan, you enter your child's exam date and target schools, and Atom builds a personalised weekly plan based on the key skills they'll be tested on. It adapts as they improve and shows them exactly what to focus on each week.

That means less guesswork for you, less stress for them, and a clearer path to exam day.

Build 11+ exam technique with realistic practice papers

Once your child feels secure with the main topics, paper practice tests help them feel more confident with the exam format.

Atom's 11+ practice papers are designed to reflect real test conditions. Parents simply photograph their child's answer sheets and upload them to Atom for instant marking.

You'll get:

• a Standardised Age Score (SAS)
• clear insight into strengths and areas for improvement
• a comparison with other children applying to the same schools

The papers are unlimited, meaning your child can practise again and again with new questions each time.

Encourage regular reading for 11+ English success

Strong reading skills underpin almost every part of the 11+.

Encourage your child to read for 10–15 minutes a day, focusing on variety – fiction, non-fiction, different genres and authors.

This helps build:

• vocabulary
• comprehension and inference
• confidence with unfamiliar texts

If you're looking for ideas, Atom's recommended reading lists for Years 3–6 include a wide range of age-appropriate books.

Celebrate progress, not just 11+ scores

When you're supporting your child through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing they're moving in the right direction.

Atom's progress tracking gives you a clear, simple view of how your child is doing across topics and how their performance is developing over time.

That makes it easier to give meaningful encouragement, keep motivation steady and focus on consistent improvement – not just one-off test results.