Reading School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Entrance Exam Information 2024

Introduction

 

Reading School, situated in Berkshire, is a distinguished boys’ grammar school with academy status. Established as a part of Reading Abbey in 1125, it ranks among England’s oldest schools. Throughout its history, it has continued to uphold its dedication to educational excellence. Currently, Reading School occupies a scenic campus featuring cutting-edge facilities that inspire an atmosphere conducive to learning. 

 

The school delivers a wide-ranging and all-encompassing curriculum to address students’ intellectual, creative, and physical growth. It provides an array of subjects, such as English, mathematics, sciences (biology, chemistry, and physics), humanities (history, geography, and religious studies), modern foreign languages (French, German, and Spanish) and the arts (painting, music, and drama).

 

Apart from its robust academic offerings, Reading School emphasises the value of extracurricular pursuits to foster personal development and a well-balanced lifestyle. Students can choose from a wide selection of clubs, spanning interests like chess, robotics, debate, and photography. It also boasts a varied sports program offering participation in athletics, cricket, rugby, and football, among other activities. 

 

The central ethos of Reading School is its dedication to academic and individual growth and the development of a caring and supportive community. It nurtures intellectual curiosity, perseverance, and independent thinking, empowering students to reach their utmost potential.

 

Reading School has a long history of outstanding academic achievements, regularly ranking among the top schools in the United Kingdom. Students at Reading School score high in GCSEs and A-levels, achieving top marks. A substantial number of students from the school have secured admission to esteemed universities.

 

This short video showcases the range of activities and amenities available at Reading School.

 

 

Reading School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Exam Information 2024

 

Address: Erleigh Road, Reading RG1 5LW

County: Berkshire

Admissions info: Secretary@reading-school.co.uk, 0118 9015600

School type: Boys’ Grammar

Number of pupils: 890

Number of places in Year 7: 150: 12 boarders (maximum) and 138 day pupils (minimum)

Open Day date: April and May

Exam date: September

Pass mark: Aim for 85%+ in our practice tests. See below for more details.

Exam type / Board: FSCE (Future Stories Community Enterprise)

 

Reading School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Admissions

 

Year 7 admission to Reading School for Boys is determined by pupil performance in the 11 Plus exam. If you are considering Reading School as an option for your son, you are advised to attend one of the school’s open days. At the event, you will be able to take a tour of the school, talk to staff and get a better understanding of the overall admissions process.

 

Unfortunately, the school cannot guarantee a place for every pupil that meets the required standard. The school is heavily oversubscribed and uses the following criteria to determine place allocation, giving priority to:

 

1. Looked after children or previously looked after children
2. Students who live within the designated area of the school and is eligible for the pupil premium or service premium
3. Pupils whose home address is within the designated area of the school
4. Students whose home address is not within the designated area of the school

 

For more information about Reading School for Boys’ admission criteria, please visit the school’s website. You can view the school’s exact location on the map below:

 

 

How to Apply for 11 Plus (11+) Entry to Reading School for Boys

 

To register interest for a Year 7 place at Reading School for Boys, parents must complete their Local Authority’s (LA) Common Application Form (CAF). To register for the 11+ admissions test itself, parents need to complete a separate application directly with the school. This registration can be done online when the application window is open. Applications received after the school’s deadline will not be accepted.

 

Parents will receive the results of their child’s 11+ exam in October, before the deadline for the submission of the CAF.

 

Reading School for Boys Catchment Area

 

Does Reading School for Boys have a catchment area?

 

Yes, there is a catchment area with priority based on location and distance from the school.

 

Reading School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Exam Format

 

The 11 Plus test for Reading School for Boys comprises three sections:

 

• a Maths test
• an English test
• a Creative Writing paper.

 

The exam provider is Future Stories Community Enterprise Entrance (FSCE). Boys are expected to show competence in skills appropriate to Key Stage 2 English and Mathematics.

 

The test elements are marked by a computer and are age-standardised to ensure fairness. All students with an eligible score from the English and Mathematics tests will have their creative writing element assessed, which will determine their ranking.

 

How to Prepare for the Reading School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Exam?

 

Reading School for Boys regularly appears towards the top of UK school league tables and receives an average of five applications for every Year 7 place. In short, your son will have to be thoroughly prepared ahead of the exam and have the confidence to believe that he can secure his place at the school.

 

Begin by setting your son a detailed study timetable, split into realistic revision sessions, each lasting 30 minutes. These manageable blocks of revision will go some way to ensuring that your son doesn’t become overworked or distracted.

 

Introducing our practice exam papers into your son’s routine can help give him a better idea of roughly how much time he has to answer each question. They can also help monitor his progress and identify weak spots.

 

Reading School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Exam Pass Marks and Target Scores

 

The recent standardised pass mark for entry into Reading School was 95 for Maths and 95 for English (without the creative writing paper). Pupils who are able to score 85%+ consistently in our 11+ practice tests for Reading School should be on track to pass the 11+ assessment.

 

Whilst there are no guarantees, this has historically been a fairly strong indicator that your child should do well in the Reading School for Boys 11+ exam. Please click here to learn more.

 

Reading School for Boys 11 Plus (11+) Practice Exam Papers

 

Full Practice Tests

The below resources will prove useful for children currently preparing for the Reading School entrance exams. These practice tests are specifically designed to replicate the new format of the actual exam. You can learn more about their key benefits here.

 

11+ Reading School Practice Test 1

11+ Reading School Practice Test 2

11+ Reading School Practice Test 3

11+ Reading School Practice Test 4

11+ Reading School Practice Test 5

11+ Reading School Practice Test 6

11+ Reading School Practice Test 7

11+ Reading School Practice Test 8

11+ Reading School Practice Test 9

11+ Reading School Practice Test 10

 

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Reading School 11+ Tests 1-10 Bundle - Save 20%

 

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Reading School 11+ Tests 1-5 Bundle - Save 15%

 

Reading School 11+ Tests 6-10 Bundle - Save 15%

 

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Subject-Based Practice

If you would like to target specific subjects in preparation for the Reading School 11+ Exam, we’ve highlighted our recommendations below. Whilst the Reading 11+ exam is not created by CEM, it still shares some similarities with the CEM style and format. The resources selected below will therefore provide relevant practice for each section of the new exam:

 

Paper 1

Mathematics

11+ CEM Long Numerical Reasoning

11+ CEM Short Numerical Reasoning

11+ CEM Multiple Choice Numerical Reasoning

11+ CEM Topic Tests

11+ CEM Mental Arithmetic

 

Paper 2 

English

11+ CEM Cloze Pack 1 – Words

11+ CEM Cloze Pack 2 – Sentences

11+ CEM Comprehension Pack 1 – Fiction

11+ CEM Comprehension Pack 2 – Non-Fiction

11+ CEM Comprehension Pack 3 – Poetry

11+ CEM Synonyms and Antonyms Pack 1

11+ CEM Synonyms and Antonyms Pack 2

11+ CEM Verbal Reasoning

 

Paper 3

Creative Writing

11+ Writing Guide

11+ Writing Prompts

11+ Rewrite & Improve

11+ Spelling Pack 1

11+ Spelling Pack 2

 

If you’d like to have your child’s writing assessed and marked, you may be interested in our Writing Marking Service. Please click here to learn more.

 

✅ You can now purchase a bundle of all of our recommended subject-based resources for the Reading School 11+ Exam at a large discount. Click the button below to learn more:

 

Reading School 11+ Subject Bundle

 

 

If you don’t buy a Bundle, don’t forget to use the code eppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £70 and 20% off orders over £250.

 

 

Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in Reading School for Boys 11+ past papers. The information provided about Reading School for Boys was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the post.