Reading has a wide selection of schools available. For those focused on independent schools (private), there are some very famous schools in the area.
A list, together with contact details can be found at https://www.isc.co.uk/schools/england/berkshire/reading/
The way to choose schools, and what is important to any parent/child in a school, is very personal. Comparison tables accepted by some are widely derided by others.
What follows here are some examples as an illustration for those not familiar with Reading. However, it is up to each of us to do our own research using a variety of sources and using data that we believe matters to us. Ofsted is often used and the links are provided below. Other examples using Attainment 8 scores and the real schools guide are also given for information only. If you don’t accept the basis of the comparisons do not use the data.
This article at https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/readings-top-performing-secondary-schools-revealed/ shows Reading’s best performing secondary schools in 2018 based on Attainment 8 scores. Kendrick School was the best performing school in Reading in last year’s GCSEs. This selective girls’ grammar school in London Road, Reading, also topped the performance table for the whole of Berkshire.
The article at https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/the-top-10-primary-schools-in-reading/ shows the best performing primary schools in Reading in 2018. The ranking uses the Real Schools Guide 2019, compiled by Reach’s data unit, which aims to give a far more comprehensive picture than traditional league tables. It takes into account 44 different data points – including not just KS2 results but factors like progress, pupil-teacher ratios and absence rates.
The real schools guide can be found on the get reading site at https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/the-real-schools-guide-search-12273834
If the above links use data which is not appropriate for you then there are many other ways to explore the school choices in Reading. The Ofsted data, for example, can be found at https://www.gov.uk/school-performance-tables and at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/
Another site, featured on Mumsnet, the BBC and elsewhere is https://www.schoolguide.co.uk/
https://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/ is a site partnering with Microsoft, Netmums and others.
Use whatever data you believe in and which matters to you when making a choice. Hopefully, this gives you a starting point for at least identifying the wide range of schools available in the Reading area.
Photo Credit: www.reading-school-admissions.co.uk
