Kendrick School
Selective State Grammar School for Girls · Est. 1877
Kendrick is one of the country's most academically successful state schools — a small, intensely selective girls' grammar in central Reading where excellence is simply the baseline. With around 128 places for over 1,000 applicants each year, the bar is genuinely brutal, but families pay nothing for an education that consistently sends double-digit cohorts to Oxbridge. The culture is intellectually serious without being unkind: girls here are self-motivated, articulate, and quietly competitive. The school is academy-converted, Ofsted-Outstanding, and rated by the Sutton Trust as one of the highest state-school feeders to Oxford and Cambridge in the country. If your daughter is genuinely top-tier academically and you live within Priority Area 1 or 2, Kendrick is one of the best deals in British education.
A free, Ofsted-Outstanding girls' grammar in Reading sending around 13 girls a year to Oxbridge and ranked top-5 nationally by the Sutton Trust for state-school Oxbridge entry — the sister grammar to Reading School in the same town.
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London Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 5BN
Year 7 Places
~128
96 in Priority Areas + 32 wider
Tuition Fee
£0
state-funded academy
Total Pupils
~904
girls only, ages 11–18
Sixth Form
~294
co-curricular & academic depth
GCSE 9–7 (2025)
~90%
school-published headline
A-Level A*–B (2025)
90%
32% A* (school-published)
Best For
Academically exceptional girls living in Priority Area 1 or 2 (most of Reading and surrounding RG postcodes) whose families want elite, free, intellectually serious education with a strong Oxbridge feeder pipeline.
Watch Out For
Competition is extreme — over 1,000 applications for around 128 places (roughly 8:1). The qualifying score for 2026 entry is 99.00 standardised, but a high score is necessary not sufficient: priority-area applicants are ranked by score within their tier. Out-of-area places (32 of the 128) are realistically reserved for very high-scorers. Note the exam now uses GL Assessment — the 2022 switch from CEM means older practice strategies are out of date.
Entry Points
- 11+ (main intake, ~128 places); 16+ Sixth Form
The Complete Admissions Timeline
Every key date, deadline and decision point — with insider intelligence you won't find on the school website. Click any item to reveal verified insider knowledge.
The critical window: Registration runs only from 1 May to 1 July of Year 5 — about 60 days. Miss this window and there is no fallback. The exam itself is in mid-September of Year 6, before most independent-school 11+ exams.
Critical Dates
- 1
Registration Opens
1 May (Year 5)
- 2
Registration Closes
1 July (Year 5)
- 3
Entrance Exam
Mid-September (Year 6)
- 4
Results Released
Mid-October (Year 6)
- 5
CAF Deadline
31 October (Year 6)
- 6
National Offer Day
1 March (Year 6)
Inside the Kendrick GL Assessment 11+
Kendrick School uses the GL Assessment 11+ since the September 2023 cycle (previously CEM). Candidates sit two multiple-choice papers on a single morning in mid-September of Year 6, each approximately 60 minutes long. Across the two papers, content covers English (reading comprehension, spelling, punctuation, grammar), Maths (KS2 number, measurement, geometry, statistics up to start of Year 6), Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal/Spatial Reasoning. There is no creative writing element. All marking and standardisation is centralised at GL Assessment, with results returned to parents as standardised age scores (qualifying score 99.00 for 2026 entry).
English
Combined within ~60 min papers (alongside other strands) · Multiple-choice (GL Assessment)
Girls who are strong fluent readers but light on technical SPaG often lose 10–15% on grammar items they could have gained with a few weeks' targeted practice. Treat SPaG as a separate revision strand from comprehension.
Maths
Combined within ~60 min papers · Multiple-choice (GL Assessment), KS2 to start of Year 6
Many candidates have done masses of timed paper-style practice but limited work on fractions/decimals/percentages mental fluency. The exam tests speed-of-recall as much as method.
Verbal Reasoning
Combined within ~60 min papers · Multiple-choice (GL Assessment), 21 standard question types
Walking into the exam without having seen all 21 GL question types is the single biggest preventable loss. Some types (e.g. 'related numbers' and 'letters for numbers') feel alien on first encounter and eat time disproportionately.
Non-Verbal & Spatial Reasoning
Combined within ~60 min papers · Multiple-choice (GL Assessment) — includes spatial reasoning
Under-practice on 3D rotation and net-folding is the most common preventable loss. Most state primary curriculums do not cover this.
Topic Difficulty & Weight
Difficulty (%) and exam weight by topic area
Key takeaway: Reading comprehension dominates — extracts span fiction and non-fiction. Spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPaG) appear as discrete multiple-choice items. There is no creative writing. Vocabulary breadth is the biggest single discriminator: GL English assumes a reading age well above chronological age.
Topic Breakdown
Known Exam Traps — English
SPaG is a distinct revision strand worth ~25%. Drill spelling rules and punctuation conventions explicitly.
Comprehension extracts include classic and modern fiction plus non-fiction. Read across genres — biography, science writing, persuasive articles.
GL vocabulary items often turn on context — re-read the surrounding sentence before committing.
False economy. A 90-second skim of the whole extract first reduces re-reading on later questions.
The pattern: Girls who are strong fluent readers but light on technical SPaG often lose 10–15% on grammar items they could have gained with a few weeks' targeted practice. Treat SPaG as a separate revision strand from comprehension.
If you can only improve in one area, make it
Vocabulary breadth & SPaG accuracy
What this means in practice:
Dedicate 60%+ of prep time to this area
Practice under timed conditions regularly
Review mistakes immediately after each session
Track progress weekly to spot patterns
All focus areas ranked by impact:
#1
Vocabulary breadth & SPaG accuracy
English
#2
Mental arithmetic & multi-step word problems
Maths
#3
Question-type familiarity across all 21 GL VR formats
Verbal Reasoning
#4
Spatial / 3D rotation practice (highest improvement headroom)
Non-Verbal & Spatial Reasoning
Format
Two multiple-choice papers, ~60 minutes each, on a single morning
Duration
~120 minutes total (plus breaks/instructions)
Answer Method
Pencil-and-paper multiple choice; computer-marked by GL Assessment
Curriculum baseline: KS2 national curriculum up to start of Year 6 (English & Maths); GL Assessment standard reasoning bank (VR & NVR/Spatial)
Results & League Table Position
Kendrick consistently ranks among the top co-educational schools in England. These figures are benchmarked against national averages so you can see the full picture.
A-Level A* Rate
32%
Public A-Level breakdown not published.
A-Level A*/A Rate
Not published
Use the narrative summary below.
GCSE Grade 9-7
90%
Public GCSE breakdown not published.
A-Level A*-B Rate
90%
Kendrick consistently sits inside the top 30 state schools by GCSE Attainment 8 and inside the top 50 nationally for A-Level outcomes. Its sister-school Reading School (boys) occupies the equivalent slot for boys in Berkshire — between them they dominate the county's grammar-school landscape.
A-Level Results vs National Average
Kendrick vs England average (%)
What this means: Kendrick's published 2025 A-Level headline of 32% A* and 90% A*–B is exceptional for a state school. Combined with 153 leavers in 2024 of whom 135 secured firm/insurance university offers and 13 took up Oxbridge places, Kendrick functions in practice as a low-volume, high-yield Oxbridge feeder.
GCSE Grade Distribution
Kendrick vs National distribution (%)
What this means: GCSE 2024: 85% of all grades at 8–9, 54% at grade 9, with a Progress 8 score of +1.07 — among the very highest in England. The 2025 cycle returned around 90% of grades at 9–7. These outcomes are produced from an already pre-selected cohort, so the headline shows ceiling performance rather than value-add, but the sustained level of grade 9 saturation is genuinely rare.
University Destinations
Where Kendrick leavers go — % of cohort
Notable Academic Achievements
Sutton Trust Top-5 State Oxbridge Feeder
Sutton Trust analysis ranked Kendrick among the top state schools nationally for proportion of leavers admitted to Oxbridge over a 3-year window.
13 Oxbridge offers (2024)
School-reported Oxbridge admissions for the 2024 leaving cohort — exceptional for a state school of ~150 sixth-formers per year.
GCSE 2024: Progress 8 +1.07
Top of national rankings; 85% of GCSE grades at 8 or 9, 54% of grades at 9.
Ofsted Outstanding (Jan 2023)
Most recent inspection rated the school Outstanding overall.
Free education
State-funded grammar with no tuition fees — academic outcomes that rival schools charging £25k–£30k per year.
League Table Position: Kendrick consistently sits inside the top 30 state schools by GCSE Attainment 8 and inside the top 50 nationally for A-Level outcomes. Its sister-school Reading School (boys) occupies the equivalent slot for boys in Berkshire — between them they dominate the county's grammar-school landscape.
No Interview — Pure Test-Score Allocation
Kendrick School does not conduct interviews for 11+ entry. Allocation is determined entirely by the GL Assessment standardised score plus the published oversubscription criteria (Pupil Premium status, Looked-After children, priority-area residence, sibling links). This is materially different from the assessment-day approach used by some sister grammar schools and almost all independent schools — there is no opportunity to demonstrate personality, curiosity, or fit.
Format
No interview — score-based allocation only
Duration
N/A
Role in Admissions
Part of a holistic assessment, not a pass/fail gate
Score Is Everything — There Is No Soft Element
Unlike Reading School (which runs an Assessment Day for shortlisted boys) and unlike independent grammars such as Habs or NLCS, Kendrick allocates places mechanically by standardised score within priority area. There is no interview, no personal statement, no reference. This means the test result is the entire admissions decision — there is no second chance to recover from an off day.
What Makes a Strong Impression
Because there is no interview, exam-day performance is everything. Schools and tutors should not waste preparation time on 'interview practice' — the time is better spent on additional GL practice papers and exam-condition mock testing.
What the Admissions Decision Actually Weighs
Compiled from parent reports (2023-2025)
- GL Assessment standardised age score (the only academic input)
- Looked-after / previously looked-after status (highest priority criterion)
- Pupil Premium / Service Premium / Children in Care eligibility (lowered qualifying score of 94.00)
- Residence in Priority Area 1 (top tier within open competition)
- Residence in Priority Area 2 (second tier)
- Sibling links (limited tie-breaker effect)
The pattern: Score and oversubscription criteria only
Never Asked — Don't Over-Prepare
- There is no interview at any stage of 11+ entry
- There is no personal statement or supporting essay
- Primary school references are not collected
- Extracurricular achievements do not factor into 11+ allocation
What Actually Wins Offers
- 1Reaching the qualifying standardised score (99.00 for 2026 open competition)
- 2Living within Priority Area 1 — by far the most decisive factor after score
- 3Strong arithmetic fluency and breadth of vocabulary (the two strongest predictors of GL success)
- 4Familiarity with all GL question-type formats well before exam day
- 5Calm, well-rested exam-day performance — there is no second chance
Contact Admissions
Kendrick School Admissions Team
Insider Intel: What Other Parents Don't Know
These are the verified insights you will not find on the school website, in Good Schools Guide, or from any single tutoring agency. Each insight is compiled and cross-referenced from 14+ sources including official documents, parent reports, and tutoring industry data.This is the intelligence that gives ClassAce families an edge.
Register on 1 May — not 30 June
Registration closes 1 July, but the system gets congested in late June and document upload errors are common. Submitting in the first week of May leaves time to fix any issues.
GL, not CEM — update your practice strategy
Kendrick switched from CEM to GL Assessment from September 2023. If your tutor or practice books were prepared before 2023, they may be teaching the wrong format. GL has 21 standard VR types and a different pacing profile to CEM.
Check your priority area before anything else
If you live outside Priority Area 1 or 2, only ~32 of the ~128 places are open to you — and the qualifying threshold in practice is far above 99.00. Priority Area 1 candidates with a 99.00 will typically beat a wider-area candidate scoring higher. Verify your postcode against the published list before investing in preparation.
Spatial reasoning has the highest improvement headroom
Most state primary schools do not teach 3D rotation or net-folding. Girls who do six months of dedicated spatial practice routinely improve their NVR section score by 10–15 percentile points — and NVR is part of the standardised score.
There is no interview — don't waste preparation time on it
Some agencies bundle 'interview prep' into Kendrick packages. There is no interview at any stage. Time is better spent on extra GL mock papers under exam conditions.
Reaching the qualifying score is necessary but not sufficient
99.00 is the floor for eligibility. In oversubscribed priority areas the actual cut-off (the score of the last successful candidate) is materially higher — historically reported in tutor circles as 110+ in competitive years for wider-area applicants.
Common Mistakes Parents Make
The errors we see most often from families preparing for Kendrick School. Avoid these and you're already ahead of the majority of applicants.
Assuming the registration window is in autumn
Many families assume 11+ registration follows the independent-school pattern (autumn deadlines). Kendrick's window is 1 May – 1 July of Year 5 — a full 12+ months earlier than some independents. Missing it forfeits the year entirely.
Practising with CEM-format materials
The school switched provider to GL Assessment from 2023. CEM and GL have meaningfully different question types, pacing, and standardisation. CEM-only practice is now actively unhelpful.
Treating 99.00 as a target rather than a floor
The published 'qualifying score' is the eligibility threshold, not the offer threshold. Wider-area applicants and even some Priority Area 2 candidates need scores materially above 99.00 in oversubscribed years.
Preparing for an interview that does not exist
Kendrick allocates places by score plus oversubscription criteria. There is no interview, personal statement, reference or assessment day. Any 'interview coaching' for Kendrick is misallocated effort.
Treating Reading School's CEM exam as an analogue
Despite being sister grammars in the same town, Kendrick (GL Assessment, no interview) and Reading School (CEM-style adaptive testing plus Assessment Day) use completely different selection mechanics. Preparation does not transfer cleanly between the two.
Underweighting spatial / 3D reasoning
GL NVR includes 3D rotation and net-folding — content not routinely covered in primary schools. Girls who skip this strand typically lose 10–15 marks they could have gained.
Kendrick vs Competitor Schools
How does Kendrick School compare to the schools your child is most likely also applying to? This analysis covers the key factors that actually matter to families.
Important context: Kendrick is a near-perfect academic peer of Henrietta Barnett and Tiffin Girls' — all three are high-output state grammars with no fees, intense competition, and standardised-test admission. The choice between them is almost entirely geographic.
| Factor | FeaturedKendrick School | Reading School | The Tiffin Girls' School | Henrietta Barnett School | Queen Anne's, Caversham | St George's Ascot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Type | State grammar (girls, selective) | State grammar (boys, selective) — sister school | State grammar (girls, selective) | State grammar (girls, selective) | Independent girls' day/board | Independent girls' boarding |
| Co-educational | ||||||
| VR in Exam | ||||||
| Annual Fee | Free | Free (day) / boarding option | Free | Free | ~£28,000 day | ~£42,000 board |
| 11+ Difficulty | Very Hard (~8:1) | Very Hard | Very Hard | Extreme (~10:1) | Hard | Hard |
| Interview Style | None — score-only | Observational Assessment Day | None — score-only | None — score-only | Shortlist interview | Shortlist interview |
Why Parents Choose Kendrick
- Genuine top-tier academics for freeOutcomes that match £25k–£30k independent schools, at zero cost.
- Strong, distinct girls'-school cultureSelf-evident sibling relationship with Reading School (boys' grammar in same town) without sharing a campus or curriculum.
- Top-5 Sutton Trust state Oxbridge feederDocumented record of high-volume admission to Oxford and Cambridge for a state cohort of ~150 leavers per year.
- Ofsted Outstanding (January 2023)Most recent inspection rated all judgement areas Outstanding.
- Mechanical, transparent admissionsNo interview, no soft assessment — what you score is what you get.
Points to Consider
- Tight Priority Area boundariesLiving in Priority Area 1 vs 2 vs 'wider area' is the second most important factor after score. Wider-area applicants realistically need scores well above 99.00 to be competitive.
- Early registration window (1 May – 1 July)Earliest registration deadline of any major selective school in this dataset — many families miss it by waiting for September.
- GL Assessment, not CEMSwitched in 2023. Older practice books and tutors familiar with the previous CEM format are not aligned to the current exam.
- No second chanceThere is no interview. An off day on the test is the entire admissions decision.
Scholarships & Financial Support
As a state grammar, Kendrick School offers no fee-remission scholarships — entry is determined by GL Assessment score and oversubscription criteria. Pupil Premium, Service Premium and Looked-After children benefit from a lowered qualifying score (94.00 vs 99.00) and priority within the oversubscription criteria.
| Scholarship Type | Value | Available Places | Selection Method | Stackable? |
|---|
* Pupil Premium, Service Premium and Looked-After children qualify with a standardised score of 94.00 (vs the open-competition 99.00) and gain priority in oversubscription. Bursary support is not applicable as there are no fees.
The Preparation Roadmap
Everything here is built around Kendrick School's specific exam format, interview style, and selection criteria. This is not generic 11+ advice. Every recommendation is calibrated to this school.
18+ months out (Year 4 onwards)
- Build a daily independent reading habit across genres — fiction, biography, science writing
- Lock in times-tables to 12×12 with sub-3-second recall
- Begin gentle exposure to logic puzzles and spatial reasoning books (e.g. Bond Year 4)
- Confirm your postcode falls within Priority Area 1, 2, or wider — the school publishes the full list
12 months out (Year 5, Sept–Dec)
- Begin systematic GL Assessment-aligned practice (Bond, CGP, Atom Learning, GL Assessment Familiarisation papers)
- Cover all four strands: English (incl. SPaG), Maths, VR, NVR/Spatial
- Identify weakest strand from a baseline mock and weight practice accordingly
- Attend a Kendrick Open Morning if scheduled — confirms fit and motivates the candidate
8 months out (Year 5, Jan–April)
- Move to timed sectional practice — 15-minute blocks per question type
- Drill all 21 standard GL VR question types until each feels familiar
- Build dedicated spatial reasoning routine (3D rotation, net-folding, cube views)
- Read at least 3 substantial books across genres each month
1 May (Year 5)
- REGISTRATION OPENS — submit the Kendrick supplementary application form within the first 2 weeks of May
- Verify all uploaded documents (proof of address, birth certificate) are accepted
- Confirm your Priority Area assignment with the school if the postcode is borderline
3–4 months out (Year 5/6, May–Aug)
- Begin full-paper timed mocks every 2–3 weeks — score and review every paper
- Holiday consolidation: light daily practice (20–30 min) rather than long sessions
- Visit the school's Open Morning if not done already — useful for candidate motivation
- Plan exam-day logistics: parking is limited, allow extra travel time
Final month (early Sept Year 6)
- Taper practice volume but maintain daily 20-minute exposure to all four strands
- Two final full-paper mocks under realistic conditions in the week before the exam
- Sleep, exercise, hydration take priority in the final week
- Pre-walk the route to East Street Reception so exam morning is logistically familiar
Exam day (mid-September Year 6)
- Arrive early via East Street Reception
- Two ~60 min papers across the morning with a short break
- Standardised score result returned to parents in mid-October
- If under the qualifying score, the place is forfeited — there is no resit
31 October (Year 6)
- Submit the Local Authority Common Application Form listing Kendrick as a preference
- Even if scores are above qualifying threshold, the CAF is required for the offer to be made
1 March (Year 6)
- National Offer Day — local authority communicates the allocation
- If unsuccessful, request a place on the waiting list immediately
- Appeals can be lodged via Reading Borough Council — narrow grounds, but worth pursuing if the case is strong
You now know things about this school most applicant families never find out.
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Intelligence Score
Updated May 2026 · 14 sources
Coverage
Measures how much of the admissions picture is directly evidenced rather than inferred from comparable schools or legacy material.
Freshness
This edition was last checked May 2026. Recency scores fall when public evidence ages or current-cycle detail is sparse.
Use it well
Treat lower-scoring areas as prompts to verify with admissions, not as automatic red flags. The score is about evidence quality, not school quality.
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