Reading School

Reading School
Name	Reading School
Motto	Floreat Redingensis
Established	1125 (refounded 1486)
Type	Academy
Head label	Headmaster
Head	Ashley Robson
Address	Erleigh Road, Reading
County	Berkshire
Country	England
Postcode	RG1 5LW
Local authority	Reading Borough Council
Urn	136818
Gender	Boys
Lower age	11
Upper age	18
Enrolment	1,100
Houses	Harrow, Eton, Rugby, Winchester
Colours	Black and red
Publication	The Readingian
Free label 1	Former pupils
Free 1	Old Redingensians

Reading School is a state-funded academy and grammar school for boys in Reading, Berkshire. With a history tracing its origins to a school founded in 1125, it is one of the oldest schools in England and was notably refounded in 1486 by King Henry VII. The school operates a selective admissions process and is consistently ranked among the top performing state schools in the United Kingdom, with a strong emphasis on academic achievement, leadership, and a broad extracurricular programme.

History

The school's early foundation is linked to the establishment of a school for the Abbey of Reading in 1125, placing it among venerable institutions like St Albans School and The King's School, Canterbury. Its modern charter was granted in 1486 by Henry VII, a contemporary of the founding of Magdalen College School, Oxford. It operated for centuries on the site of the former Reading Abbey guesthouse before relocating in 1870 to its current Erleigh Road location, a move championed by the then headmaster, Henry West. The school's governance was later influenced by the Endowed Schools Act 1869 and it became a direct grant grammar school before transitioning to a voluntary aided status and, in 2010, to its current academy status.

Campus and facilities

The main school buildings, constructed in the Victorian Gothic style, are centred on the original 1870 structure designed by Alfred Waterhouse, the architect of the Natural History Museum, London. The campus includes modern additions such as the Sir John Madejski Art Centre, a dedicated STEM building, and extensive playing fields used for sports like rugby and cricket. Facilities also include the Old Redingensians RBL Memorial Hall, a RSC Key Partner theatre, and specialist laboratories for the teaching of physics, chemistry, and biology.

Academic profile

As a selective grammar school, it maintains a rigorous academic curriculum leading to GCSE and A-Level examinations. The school consistently achieves results placing it highly in national league tables, with a significant proportion of pupils progressing to Russell Group universities, including Oxford and Cambridge. Specialist programmes are offered in mathematics, the sciences, and classics, with many pupils participating in national competitions such as the UK Mathematics Trust challenges and the British Biology Olympiad.

Extracurricular activities

A wide range of activities is offered, with a strong tradition in CCF, debating, and Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme. The school fields competitive teams in major sports like rugby, cricket, and rowing, the latter based at the Reading Rowing Club on the River Thames. Pupils participate in numerous clubs, from orchestral and choral music to chess and Model United Nations, with regular trips abroad and cultural exchanges.

Notable alumni

Old Redingensians have achieved prominence in diverse fields. In politics and law, they include Lord Chief Justice Sir John Holt, Speaker Sir William Cornwallis, and Governor Sir John Pope Hennessy. Literary figures include the poet Thomas Noon Talfourd and novelist Simon Brett. In science and engineering, alumni encompass Royal Society fellow Sir William Henry Perkin and computer pioneer Sir Maurice Wilkes. Others include BBC journalist John Simpson, actor Nicolas Hoult, and England rugby international Jamie Gasson.

Governance and admissions

The school is governed by an Academy Trust and operates under the School Admissions Code as a fully selective grammar school. Entry at age 11 is determined by performance in the Reading 11+ examination, which tests verbal, non-verbal, and mathematical reasoning. The school's admissions policy prioritizes looked-after children and those eligible for the Pupil premium, and its catchment area includes Reading and parts of the surrounding Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire counties.

Category:Grammar schools in Berkshire Category:Educational institutions established in the 12th century Category:Academies in Berkshire