If you are looking at Reading School 11 plus entry for September 2027, the tricky part is not just the entrance test. It is making sure the registration, the test day, and your local authority application all line up, without leaving anything to chance. This page keeps it practical and calm, so you can move step by step.
A good way to approach it is to split the journey into two tracks that run in parallel. Track one is the school’s selection process, starting with registering for the test and sitting the papers. Track two is the local authority secondary application, where you list the school on your Common Application Form and wait for National Offer Day.
To stay organised from day one, bookmark key dates and keep evidence, passwords, and copies of submissions in one folder. You can also manage your planning using your 11 plus admissions hub.
| School type | State funded selective boys school with day places and boarding places |
| Location | Erleigh Rd, Reading RG1 5LW, United Kingdom |
| Entry point covered | Year 7 entry, September 2027 |
| Who can apply | Applicants must be biologically male and in Year 5 for the 2027 entry process |
| Published Admission Number | 150 total places, including 12 boarding places |
| Day places | Day applicants must live in the catchment area to be considered |
| Out of catchment day applicants | Considered only if places remain unfilled after 1 March 2027, selection based on creativity element |
| Test provider | Future Stories Community Enterprise |
| Contact | +441189015600 |
| Location |
Registration follows the school’s published process and is time-limited. For September 2027 entry, the window is 25 March 2026 to 26 June 2026. Practical tip: register early to avoid last-minute stress.
The test date for 2027 entry is 16 July 2026. The test has four parts:
Content is based on Key Stage 2 knowledge by the end of Year 5, plus reasoning skills.
Scores are standardised. If two applicants tie at the cutoff, an electronic random allocation process breaks the tie.
Even if your child sits the test, Reading School must be listed on the secondary Common Application Form, submitted by your local authority deadline. Reading Borough Council coordinates offers, waiting lists, and late applications.
National Offer Day is 1 March 2027. Follow your local authority instructions to accept an offer, or go onto a waiting list or appeal if no place is offered.
| Event | Date |
| Registration opens | 25 March 2026 |
| Registration closes | 26 June 2026 |
| Entrance test | 16 July 2026 |
| Request for special arrangements deadline | 1 January 2027 |
| Evidence deadline for special arrangements | 5 January 2027 |
| Common Application Form deadline | Set by local authority (usually late October) |
| National Offer Day | 1 March 2027 |
Day applicants must live in the catchment area. Out-of-catchment applicants are only considered if places remain after 1 March 2027, based on the Discovery paper creativity element.
Reading School has 12 boarding places. Boarding applicants are assessed via the entrance test and a separate boarding suitability process.
Priority order includes looked after or previously looked after children, children eligible for pupil premium or service premium, applicants with boarding need, sporting aptitude, and then others ranked by standardised test score.
Offers are made through the coordinated scheme. Waiting lists and late allocations follow local authority rules.
Selection is based on the entrance test components and boarding suitability if relevant. A sporting aptitude route exists, but out-of-catchment day applicants cannot apply under it. Access arrangement requests require evidence and have deadlines.
As a starting point, you can book a free 11+ diagnostic session with Find Your Tutor. They benchmark your child’s current level and provide a personalised preparation roadmap for Reading School.
Join Hundreds of Families Who Secured Reading School Places with Find Your Tutor.
The published policy states day applicants must live in the catchment area for a day place to be considered.
You can still register for the process, but the published policy explains out of catchment day applicants are only considered if places remain unfilled after 1 March 2027, and selection then is based only on the creativity element.
Yes, boarding is part of the admissions process, with a published number of boarding places and a separate suitability assessment described in the policy.
The September 2027 entry process is for children in Year 5 at the time of registration and testing.
The policy describes multiple choice papers covering English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, Non Verbal Reasoning, and a creativity and problem solving element.
The policy states the test is designed around what children should know by the end of Year 5, plus reasoning skills.
The entrance test is delivered by Future Stories Community Enterprise.
For September 2027 entry, the published window is 25 March 2026 to 26 June 2026.
For September 2027 entry, the published test date is 16 July 2026.
Yes. Sitting the test is not enough. You must also apply through your local authority secondary application process.
Offers are made on 1 March 2027 through the coordinated admissions process.
The policy states ties at the cutoff are broken using an electronic random allocation process.
The policy explains reasonable adjustments, evidence requirements, and deadlines for requesting special arrangements.
The policy sets out what counts as acceptable evidence and the deadline for submitting medical documentation.
You can go onto the waiting list and you can also appeal through your local authority process, following the coordinated scheme.
