Schools / Reading School
Reading School
- Grammar school
- Boys
- Day & boarding
- Ages 11–18
- 1,138 pupils
Reading School is a selective grammar school for boys in Reading, educating around 1,100 pupils aged 11 to 18. Entry is through an FSCE entrance test of mixed-subject papers covering the Key Stage 2 curriculum, taken in the summer of Year 5 or the autumn of Year 6 depending on the school. Boarding places are available alongside day places.
RegionSouth East
DfE URN136449
The exam
Athena holds admission-route records for Reading School. They are shown by entry cycle below; where the provider changes between cycles, each cycle keeps its own recorded exam.
2027 entry
Set by FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise)
Reading School entrance test set by FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise, Reading School's own not-for-profit test provider). Four papers sat in one session: Adventure (multiple choice), Compass (multiple choice), Beacon (short written answers) and Discovery (creative response), covering any Key Stage 2 subject up to the end of Year 5; no standalone verbal or non-verbal reasoning. In-catchment and boarding candidates sit in July of Year 5; out-of-catchment day candidates in September of Year 6.
3207 published practice questions tagged for this exam
Route record: verified · Athena schools expansion research 2026-10-27
2028 entry
Set by FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise)
Reading School entrance test set by FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise, Reading School's own not-for-profit test provider). Four papers sat in one session: Adventure (multiple choice), Compass (multiple choice), Beacon (short written answers) and Discovery (creative response), covering any Key Stage 2 subject up to the end of Year 5; no standalone verbal or non-verbal reasoning. In-catchment and boarding candidates sit in July of Year 5; out-of-catchment day candidates in September of Year 6.
3207 published practice questions tagged for this exam
Route record: verified · Athena schools expansion research 2026-10-27
Free lessons for this exam
Free Athena lessons that teach the skills covered by FSCE 11+ (generic pool) practice questions on Athena. Read them without an account, then create one to practise the questions themselves.
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Key dates & preparation
2028 entry
Test: July of Year 5 (July 2027) for in-catchment and boarding candidates; September of Year 6 (September 2027) for out-of-catchment day candidates
Results: Autumn term 2027 — the school publishes outcomes to registered parents
Offers: National Offer Day — Wednesday 1 March 2028
When to start preparing: Start preparing in the spring term of Year 4 (the standing rule: about 18 months before the test).
General guidance: this follows the rule of thumb of starting about 18 months before the test. It is not the school's own published advice.
Source: official admissions information · checked 2026-10-28
2027 entry
Test: July of Year 5 (July 2026) for in-catchment and boarding candidates; September of Year 6 (September 2026) for out-of-catchment day candidates
Results: Autumn term 2026 — the school publishes outcomes to registered parents
Offers: National Offer Day — Monday 1 March 2027
When to start preparing: Start preparing in the spring term of Year 4 (the standing rule: about 18 months before the test).
General guidance: this follows the rule of thumb of starting about 18 months before the test. It is not the school's own published advice.
Source: official admissions information · checked 2026-10-28
Admissions rules
Catchment applies
Reading School operates a designated catchment area: day places give priority to boys living within it who reach the required standard in the FSCE test; boarding places are allocated nationally. Statutory priorities apply first.
Read the school's admissions policy
Results & destinations
2025 results
GCSE: Attainment 8 score 83; 100% of pupils achieved grade 9-5 or above in English and maths GCSEs
DfE performance tables
A level: Average point score per A level entry 48.96 (average grade A); 62.9% of A level students achieved AAB or higher
DfE performance tables
University destinations:
- 25 offers — Oxford or Cambridge — School-published: 'This year, we've had 25 offers for places at Oxford and Cambridge' (offers). From the Headmaster's speech reported on the school's alumni site (January 2025 offers cycle).
Source: official source · checked 2026-10-28 · official source · checked 2026-10-28
2024 results
GCSE: Attainment 8 score 81.1; 100% of pupils achieved grade 9-5 or above in English and maths GCSEs
DfE performance tables
A level: Average point score per A level entry 49.14 (average grade A)
DfE performance tables
Source: official source · checked 2026-10-28
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