Reading Girls School

I would probably take Bulmershe out of those 3. It has a good reputation and I know parents that are happy with it. It also has a sixth form so no need to move.

Look at Twyford, fast train service to London plus Piggott School.
Or Wokingham has a good train link to London and Holt Girls School.
Or look at private schools within Reading centre such as The Abbey or St Joseph's etc

Waingels & Bulmershe are barely over the border into Wokingham, so if you're living in RG1 not a problem distance at all. Both schools must have a fair proportion of Reading students.

Are you 100% about living in Reading? If school places are in Wokingham, why not live there. Has a reasonable train service into London - not as good as Reading admittedly, but there again, virtually nowhere has as good a service as Reading.

It must be very difficult trying to arrange some many things, from so far away.

I'd be tempted to take the place at Reading Girls and worry about sixth form once your here and have had a bit of time to familiarize yourself with the area

Reading is in Berkshire, but a separate local authority to West Berks. Contact Wokingham for their school places too.

I loved reading girls personally. But as I was there in the 90s it has prob changed a lot. There was a sixth form when I was there. Do they still study Latin? That was a bit selling point for me.

None of these schools are in Reading - Hungerford must be nearly 30 miles away - way to far. Newbury is 20 odd miles. There are trains but the cost will be expensive. There must be nearer schools with places nearer. Very few children would be travelling Reading to Hungerford or Newbury, or even Thatcham so would be difficult friendship-wise. Have you enquired about Wokingham schools ? These are more usual school places for Reading overspill.

Not sure what you mean by 'near' Reading Station - the station is pretty must slap-bang in the middle of town. Yes there are flats but really there are better parts of Reading to live with a family, than near the station. To give you a rough idea, from the Reading central station to Cemetery Junction which is as far east of RG1, about a miles can take 20-25 mins at rush hour.

A couple of questions for you -
have you been to Reading ? Doesn't sound like you have so appreciate it's difficult to get bearings

where will you be working? guessing from your comment about living near the station, that you might be working in London? In which case you really don't want the children going to school in Hungerford or Newbury - totally the opposite direction from London. Reading is about half way between London Paddington station and Hungerford.

There are companies that help families relocate between countries - might be worth engaging one of these to help you.

Sorry if I've waffled on a lot

I have DC at both The Wren and Maiden Erlegh Reading.
I can't recommend The Wren enough. It's fantastic.
I wouldn't recommend MER at all.

Others from your list -
Prospect has a bad rep and pretty much always has.
Reading Girls - also has a bad rep but is apparently on the up.
JMA - wouldn't touch it with a 10ft barge pole.

You can live in one council area and apply to schools in a neighbouring council.

Have you applied to Little Heath and Denefield? They are under West Berkshire Council but the are on the edge of Reading. Also Maiden Erleigh Silverdale is very good

Kendrick has its own admissions policy for year 12. They take extra girls, there’s no guaranteed entry from Reading Girls selective stream according to their policy. However it sounds like they’ve had girls successful in applying for sixth form places there.

If you are looking for somewhere with a sixth form, I would look at Wokingham admissions as well and consider Maiden Erelgh Silverdale as that is the same side of Reading as Whitley, it is well thought of and has a sixth form.

If the school is within 1 mile distance from my home, is it possible to go to school and return by bike regarding safety and weather for a girl aged 14?

should be fine - Reading has cycle lanes on a lot of roads, but as Ionacat says - most kids will walk - to be with friends

Within a mile most of them will walk. I see plenty walking if I have to drive through Reading at morning drop off time.

Traffic wise - too many vehicles so congestion, can take me 40 mins to get from just north of the river to the M4 in the east of the town.

Bus service OK for central Reading but not good for the periphery.

Yes there are school bus routes but if your child wants to do an after school activity, it can take 2-3 buses to do same route as the school bus, and there has been a lot of service reduction in the last 2 yrs or so.

I'm sorry I have no idea about places for overseas students at Kendrick - it's a numbers game for many schools in Reading as more kids than school places.

My kid is starting yr7 at Reading Girls School in Sept. Highdown is our local school but she didn't get in on the first round of applications.
We were initially a bit sceptical about RGS because it used to be a failing school and is 5 miles away from us. However, it seems that the school has made massive strides in the past 4/5 years and is now second only to Reading Boys (a grammar) in overall performance (according to Guardian Schools Guide). They also have school bus routes.
We were later offered a place at Highdown and turned it down because we were so impressed by RGS.
Kendrick is the local girls' grammar. Very high performing, but this is mostly down to the intake rather than the teaching, which can be rather pedestrian, or so I've heard on the teaching grapevine.
If your DD is going into yr 10, though, it is worth considering that RGS doesn't currently have a sixth form. It might be preferable to pick a school where she can settle for the next 4 years rather than having to move again after her GCSEs.

Reading Girls is on the up I believe after a rocky few years. The Wren is okay, I would avoid John Madeski Academy. Prospect is large and it’s reputation isn’t great.
Others to consider if they have spaces at Maiden Erlegh in Reading (or their Silverdale one which is Wokingham but in Earley.) Little Heath and Denefield who are Tilehurst which is West Reading but the schools technically come under West Berkshire.
However Reading traffic is awful and make sure you are close to the school. If you’re not tied to Reading - Newbury/Thatcham would be better as the schools are much better.