Private secondary in Reading or Wokingham area

[Chlorella]

It's looking like we may need to relocate for DH's job. Can anyone give any current info on private schools or grammar schools in the Reading or Wokingham area? For DD currently y5 so single sex or coed. Thanks

In East Reading there is the Abbey school and St Joseph's convent school. Both are primary and secondary. Fees are higher at the Abbey I believe and St Joe's went coed around 4 years ago.

We know parents at both schools and they're happy for their kids (although via the grapevine, I've heard of a girl leave St Joe's secondary recently, mid-year, as the school couldn't or wouldn't support her learning difficulties).

Leighton Park is often well regarded, coed senior school on the edge of the University campus.

Hemdean over in Caversham has a vibrant junior school but I understand the senior is closing at the end of this academic year.

St Anne's is also over in Caversham, but you may find it too far from Wokingham?

I don't know Wokingham schools I'm afraid.

I was going to say the same as SalmonMaki. I live in Wokingham and have a daughter in year 5 at the Abbey. Are you planning on moving this term or at the start of year 6? Would you prefer a school that will follow through to senior school?

Wokingham has Luckley House, Reddam, Holme Grange (though I think only to 16) Dolphin School goes up to 13.

If you are interested in the girls' state grammar school in Reading, Kendrick School (very tough to get in), the test is in September, but you have to register for it by noon on June 27th.

Thank you all so much - I will investigate. Not sure when exactly we are moving, but probably towards the end of y6 beginning of y7 (hence private as that will be a nightmare for state applications!)

Lots to investigate so thanks for all your help.

DB1 went to Leighton Park, I went to the Abbey, we both went to Dolphin and DM taught at Dolphin and Luckley. We lived on the Binfield side of Wokingham.

I am a happy Leighton Park parent. I can answer questions by PM if you have any

For y7 there is a wide choice of girls schools in Ascot. Heathfield would only be 7 miles from Wokingham.

Reddam House is worth considering.

Why in particular would you want to go to private secondary when there is Kendrick Girls (grammar school) which is state and performs very highly free of charge in Reading?

Having looked at Kendrick (which looks amazing) I am not sure DD would pass the entrance exam. She is I guess top 20% bright, not top 5%.
So many schools to investigate. Thanks all

Kendrick was scarily hard to get into and even more so if you lived anywhere other than in central Reading IIRC. Has that changed?

Stealth the catchment for Kendrick is about 12 miles, it's been in place for about 4 maybe 5 years I think. Plenty of girls travel in using either bus or train.

For kendrick, you're talking about top 1-2%, not top 5% of a class. It's ridiculously competitive and many parents pay for tutoring for years to get kids in so they can save on private fees

stealth my MIL taught at Lucker and I went there for school - I wonder if we would know of each other?

Luckley even - stupid autocorrect

Agree with Salmonmaki - We're very happy with the Abbey school.
Please do not underestimate the difficulty of in-year transfers, so get registering sooner rather than later.

Hi all - having looked we are thinking probably the Abbey. Are there any more views on the school? I will start a new thread with the name in the title