Reading School
Admissions
2026 Entry FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions – Year 7 entry September 2026
Please use this guide to help answer the most common questions.
What is Pupil Premium?
There are three separate eligibility criteria for the Pupil Premium funding (payable to the school).
- Children who are eligible for free school meals, or have ever been eligible in the last 6 years.
- Children who are, or have ever been, looked after in local authority care.
- Children for whom one of their parents is in the armed forces, or has been, in the last 6 years.
How many places are available in Year 7?
The admission number for the school is 150 (138 day, 12 boarding).
How many applications does the school receive?
Typically, over 1100 pupils register for the entrance examination each year.
Does it matter where we live?
All day places are taken up by students who live within the catchment area; in a typical year, no day places are offered to those applicants living outside of the catchment area. Please see the admissions policy for a prioritised list of the oversubscription criteria. A map of the catchment area is available on the admissions policies page of our website.
What is a ‘looked-after child’?
A looked-after child is a child who is in public care or has previously been in public care. (Children previously in public care are children who were in public care and ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a residence order or special guardianship order). Looked-after children are dealt with under Category 1 of the oversubscription criteria.
Do I need to make the school first preference on the LA common application form?
If parents wish for their child to attend Reading School, they are strongly advised to make the school their first preference on the LA common application form. If your child meets the admission criteria for more than one of your chosen schools, the LA will allocate your child to the school of highest preference. If Reading School is not made first preference your child may not receive the offer of a place even if they meet the standard for entry in the entrance examination.
What if my child has special needs?
If your child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs and/or an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, or is receiving external agency support for any additional needs, please contact the school to discuss this. Special arrangements may be given by Reading School during the examination.
What if my child is ill on the day of the examination?
If you feel your child is so unwell they can’t take the examination you should inform the Admissions Officer at the school immediately. You should then take your child to your GP and provide a medical note to the school. If appropriate, it may be possible for your child to sit the examination on an alternative date.
Do you operate a waiting list?
If your child has met the standard for entry and is not offered a place, your child will automatically join the waiting list as long as he has not been offered a place at a higher preference school. Places will be offered by the local authority if one becomes available, provided that your child has met the standard for entry. Your child’s position on the waiting list depends on their rank order in the test according to the oversubscription criteria.
What if I apply late?
It is essential for applicants to sit the entrance test according to the admissions schedule so that the outcome can be communicated to parents in time to nominate the school on the CAF where appropriate. Applicants whose registration with the school is later than the test deadline, and those who do not nominate the school on the CAF by the local authority deadline, will be considered after the initial round of waiting list places on 31st March. It is highly unlikely that places will be available at this stage and parents who think they may wish to pursue a place at the school are strongly advised both to register on time for the test and to nominate Reading School on the CAF in the first instance.
Please find links to Frequently Asked Questions relating to admission to Reading School: