Kendrick and Reading School 11 Plus Exams

Introduction to the Kendrick and Reading School Entrance Tests

In order to be eligible to apply for a place at either Kendrick School or Reading School (otherwise known as 'Reading Boys'), your child will need to take the relevant School Entrance Test (11 Plus exam). Children born between 1st September 2015 and 31st August 2016 will take their test in September 2026 to be eligible to apply for a place for September 2027.

The 2026 Reading School exam (for 2027 entry) is scheduled for 15th/16th July 2026 (21st September for Out of Catchment day applicants). The 2026 Kendrick School exam (for 2027 entry) will be held in September 2026. The exact date has not yet been confirmed; the most recent exam took place on Friday 19th September 2025.

Kendrick School

Kendrick School announced on 7th November 2022 that its 11+ exam provider was changing from CEM to GL Assessment from the September 2023 exam (up until 2022, the exam was provided by Cambridge CEM). There is no longer a score sharing agreement in place with Slough and therefore, if your child is applying for both Kendrick and Slough, they will need to sit both the Kendrick and Slough Consortium exams.

Reading School

Reading School, under the exceptional leadership of Revd Dr Chris Evans, widely admired for his emphasis on character, integrity, and service, is at the forefront of innovation in the 11+ entrance exam space, continually reshaping its approach to admissions. We recognise that this landscape is constantly evolving, and we remain committed to adapting our teaching so that our students are fully prepared for every change.

Reading School (known informally as 'Reading Boys') switched from CEM to its own admissions test in 2021, which consisted of three elements: English, Maths and Creative Writing. In February 2025, Reading School announced changes to its admissions test, effective from the September 2025 exam. The new FSCE Entrance Test now covers subjects within the KS2 National Curriculum alongside a section on ‘creativity’. The school maintains that by focusing only on areas taught up to the end of Year 5, the revised test should remove the need for tutoring. However, our experience since the exam’s scope expanded shows that demand for tuition remains strong.

While Reading School states that the test may draw on a wide range of KS2 subjects, including art & design, computing, design & technology, English, geography, history, languages, mathematics, music, physical education, and science, confidential feedback from students who sat the exam in September 2025 confirms our earlier view: the test continues to place heavy emphasis on the core KS2 subjects.

Given that English and Mathematics receive more instructional time than other subjects across Key Stages 2, 3 and 4, it is reasonable to expect them to feature more prominently in the exam. These subjects also carry greater weight in Attainment 8, the annual measure of secondary school academic performance. As a highly academic institution (ranking 10th place nationally based on calculations of top grades at GCSE and A‑level as a percentage of total entries), Reading School is unlikely to admit students with weak skills in these areas.

Finally, creativity is defined as “the ability to think of new and imaginative ideas, or to solve problems in original and unique ways.” As with the former Creative Writing element, the new creativity paper is only assessed if performance in all other parts of the test meets the required standard.

We now run a dedicated Reading‑only term-time course in Winnersh to prepare students for the Reading School entrance exam. In these sessions, students study English and Mathematics, and they also cover a range of other KS2 curriculum topics taught interactively on the classroom whiteboard. This approach ensures students engage with the material in a dynamic way, building confidence across the subjects most relevant to the exam.

Alongside this, we offer a separate, optional Creative Thinking course held every Tuesday on Zoom. This course is designed to develop imaginative problem‑solving and original thinking skills, supporting the creativity element of the exam and giving students the confidence to approach challenges in new ways.

From 2026 onwards, Reading School has brought forward its entrance exam to July, allowing children to enjoy their summer holidays without the pressure of late‑summer testing. While this change is positive for family time, it also means students no longer have the opportunity to work intensively over the summer break. To ensure they remain fully prepared, we have introduced February and May half‑term courses, giving students structured opportunities to consolidate their learning well ahead of the exam.

Skip to FAQs about the Kendrick and Reading School entrance exams >

Our courses are led by qualified primary teachers and prepare pupils for all aspects of the Kendrick and Reading School 11+ exams

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  • Amira did really well obtained 119.57 Kendrick exam and obtained 128 for the Slough grammar exam, for the Buckinghamshire exam obtained 128 too. So proud of her. Thank you your contribution towards Amira helped her a lot. Amira will hopefully be attending Kendrick school 2018.

    Year 5 parent, Reading (2017)

The Sir John Madejski Scholarship

FAQs About the Kendrick School Entrance Test

What does the Kendrick School 11 Plus exam include?
  • The Kendrick (GL Assessment) exam consists of two papers, taken on the same day, each approximately 45 minutes in duration and testing three areas – verbal, mathematical and non-verbal reasoning skills.
  • The first paper tests verbal skills, including comprehension, English technical language and verbal reasoning.
  • The second paper tests non-verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning and maths.
  • All questions on both papers are multiple choice and pupils indicate their answers on a separate answer sheet.
What does the Kendrick School 11 Plus exam look like?

The provider for the Kendrick School 11+ exam changed in September 2023 from CEM to GL Assessment. Familiarisation materials can be found here.

How do I register my daughter for the Kendrick School Entrance Test?
  • You need to register your child for the Kendrick School Admission Test by completing the online registration form on the school website.
  • The purpose of registration is for your child to take the entrance test, not apply for a place at Kendrick School. Based on the results, you will still need to provide your child’s school preferences to your local authority on the Common Application Form (CAF).
  • Online registration for the 2026 exam (for 2027 entry) is expected to open on Friday 1st May 2026 on the website of Kendrick School and close at midight on Wednesday 1st July 2026. Applicants will be sent the test day arrangements and session time by email later in July 2026. The exact date has not yet been confirmed.
  • On Tuesday 7th February 2023, the Slough Consortium of Grammar Schools announced that from the 2023 exam, there would be no sharing of 11+ scores with other schools. Therefore, if your child is applying for both Kendrick and Slough, they child will need to sit both the Kendrick and Slough Consortium exams.
  • Kendrick School strongly advises parents who live outside of their designated area NOT to register their child to sit their test – no candidate, whatever the score they attain, who lives outside of their designated area has been offered a place at Kendrick School since the introduction of the designated area in 2013.

FAQs About the Reading School Entrance Test

What does the Reading School 11 Plus exam include?

Between 2021 and 2024, the Reading School (FSCE) 11 Plus entrance exam comprised three elements: English, Mathematics, and Creative Writing.

In February 2025, Reading School announced changes to its admissions test, effective from the September 2025 exam. The new FSCE Entrance Test now covers subjects within the KS2 National Curriculum alongside a section on ‘creativity’. The school maintains that by focusing only on areas taught up to the end of Year 5, the revised test should remove the need for tutoring. However, our experience since the exam’s scope expanded shows that demand for tuition remains strong.

While Reading School states that the test may draw on a wide range of KS2 subjects, including art & design, computing, design & technology, English, geography, history, languages, mathematics, music, physical education, and science, confidential feedback from students who sat the exam in September 2025 confirms our earlier view: the test continues to place heavy emphasis on the core KS2 subjects.

In our dedicated Reading-only courses, students study English and Mathematics, as well as a range of other KS2 curriculum topics taught interactively on the classroom whiteboard. This approach ensures students engage with the material in a dynamic way, building confidence across the subjects most relevant to the exam.

Alongside this, we offer a separate Creative Thinking course held every Tuesday on Zoom. This course is designed to develop imaginative problem‑solving and original thinking skills, supporting the creativity element of the exam and giving students the confidence to approach challenges in new ways.

What does the Reading School 11 Plus exam look like?

Separate familiarisation guides for children and parents can be found on the Reading School website.

How do I register my son for the Reading School Entrance Test?
  • You need to register your child for the Reading School Admission Test by completing the online registration form on the school admissions website.
  • The purpose of registration is for your child to take the entrance test, not apply for a place at Reading School. Based on the results, you will still need to provide your child’s school preferences to your local authority on the Common Application Form (CAF).
  • Online registration for the 2026 exam (for 2027 entry) will open on Sunday 1st February 2026 and close on Sunday 17th May 2026.

What is Required to Pass the Kendrick 11 Plus (GL Assessment exam)?

Verbal skills, i.e. English and Verbal Reasoning (approx. 50% of the mark)

  • Comprehension
  • Verbal reasoning (the production of words, relationships between words, letters and numbers)
  • Vocabulary
  • Spelling
  • Grammar
  • Punctuation

Mathematical skills (25% of the mark)

  • Basic skills (addition, multiplication, division and subtraction)
  • Mental maths development
  • Problem solving techniques
  • Extracting information from graphs and tables
  • Averages
  • Foundation algebra concepts
  • Fractions, decimals and percentages
  • Ratio and proportion
  • Area and volume
  • 2d and 3d shapes

Non-verbal skills (25% of the mark)

  • Spatial awareness
  • Logical deduction skills
  • Mathematical concepts such as symmetry, rotation and reflection
  • Identifying relationships, similarities and differences between figures
  • Identifying sequences between shapes

About Our Kendrick and Reading School 11+ Tuition Courses

Marie Redmond Tuition Rucksack

At Marie Redmond Tuition, we believe that every child deserves expert tuition—taught by fully qualified, highly experienced primary teachers who specialise in the 11+ curriculum. The foundation of success isn’t just about a well-designed space—it’s about the depth of knowledge, the expertise, and the commitment of the educators guiding each child.

Whilst some tuition providers focus on aesthetics, we focus on results, excellence, and real teaching expertise. We never compromise, because we know parents wouldn’t want their child’s future in the hands of an unqualified teacher—sometimes a teenager still in school, hired simply for having five GCSEs and working for low pay. The 11+ is a pivotal milestone—one that requires carefully planned teaching, exceptional resources, and guidance from professionals who truly understand primary education.

Marie Redmond Tuition has always been obsessive about delivering the highest standard of tuition. We have seen many tuition providers come and go, including those with well-presented high street or shopping centre locations. But our longevity and success come from our relentless focus on quality, our exclusive Superbrain® resources, and our personalised support that gives every child the best chance to excel.

Small Classes

Our Kendrick and Reading School 11+ tuition classes are deliberately kept small — less than half the size of most independent school lessons, with a maximum of 10 students. A group of 10 provides the ideal balance: small enough for close monitoring and individual attention, yet large enough for healthy discussion, collaboration and a positive group dynamic.

We avoid groups of 11 or more because, although larger numbers may boost capacity, they inevitably reduce a teacher’s ability to monitor each child closely and provide the individual support we consider essential. We won’t compromise on teaching quality just to fit more children into a room. Discover the proven benefits of small class sizes.

When your child enrols on our Kendrick or Reading School 11 Plus tuition course, we will:

  • Ask them to complete an assessment to understand their current level of ability
  • Recommend key areas for improvement based on the assessment results
  • Provide you with a personalised Tuition Plan – detailing your child’s specific targets

Course Structure

Our Kendrick and Reading School Term-time lessons in Winnersh last for 2 and a half hours and the course is divided into three terms, with around 11 lessons per term. If your child is unable to start at the beginning of a course, they are welcome to join later, subject to availability.

Teaching Methods

Marie Redmond, Director of EducationOur Kendrick and Reading School 11 Plus Tuition Courses in Winnersh are expertly designed by Marie Redmond MEd and delivered by an outstanding team of fully qualified local primary teachers. By combining proven strategies with engaging teaching methods tailored to meet the latest 11 Plus requirements, we ensure every child feels confident, prepared, and fully supported throughout their journey.

Unlike approaches that focus solely on teaching students how to answer questions, we ensure a balanced and comprehensive approach. Our courses not only cover the full syllabus, ensuring students fully understand all areas of the Kendrick and Reading School 11+ curriculums, but also thoroughly teach pupils the techniques required to tackle exam questions effectively. In addition, we go further-training them in essential exam techniques that empower them to excel under real exam conditions. By mastering both the content of the syllabus and the strategies for success, students build the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed not just to succeed in the exam but to manage the pressures and challenges it presents.

Guided by evidence-based insights, we recognise that children learn best when actively engaged, intrinsically motivated, and supported by positive emotions and social interaction. This philosophy is shaped by Marie’s Masters Degree in Education, specialising in child psychology and literacy development, and it influences every aspect of our work.

By blending traditional teaching methods with premium resources and incorporating educational games and activities, we create lessons that are both effective and enjoyable. Mental preparation is a cornerstone of our philosophy, helping to build confidence and resilience, fostering academic success, and creating a deeply fulfilling learning experience.

Superbrain® Skills Videos – Reinforce Learning Anytime, Anywhere

Marie Redmond's Superbrain Skills VideosOur Kendrick and Reading School 11+ Term-time students have access to video explanations of the key techniques taught in each lesson. These videos are designed to:

 Reinforce learning – Helping students revisit essential concepts covered in class.

 Provide step-by-step guidance – Breaking down techniques in a clear, structured way.

 Support independent review – Allowing students to study at their own pace, whenever they need.

Whether your child wants to refresh their understanding, master tricky techniques, or solidify their knowledge, these videos offer an invaluable resource to build confidence and success in their Kendrick and Reading School 11+ preparation.

Assessments and Progress Reports

In addition to weekly spelling tests, our Kendrick and Reading School 11+ term-time students undergo formal assessments twice per term—at half-term and at the end of the term—covering all topic areas. These assessments provide a valuable measure of progress over time, ensuring that we can track genuine improvements in attainment without being overly influenced by short-term fluctuations. Testing more frequently risks skewing results due to the occasional ‘off week,’ whereas our structured approach strikes the perfect balance between regular monitoring and meaningful insight.

Based on the initial assessment and your child's specific answers, we create a personalised tuition plan that sets individual targets for each subject area that is relevant to the specific exam they sitting (for example, for the Kendrick School 11+, this includes English, maths, verbal and non-verbal reasoning). Every lesson is designed to develop these areas. We continuously monitor progress, allowing us to refine tuition plans to ensure they suit your child's needs and challenges.

Parents are always welcome to contact us at any stage during their child's Kendrick or Reading School 11+ tuition course for feedback on their development. They can speak with their child's teacher after lessons or contact Marie directly by phone or email for further insight. As a smaller, truly independent provider, parents don’t discuss their child’s progress with a franchisee or a non‑teacher — they receive guidance from qualified teachers who understand their child’s needs. Our size allows us to offer truly tailored support and maintain a close, supportive relationship with families.

Homework Designed for Mastery and Confidence

At Marie Redmond Tuition, we believe in providing homework that is both meaningful and manageable. Our thoughtfully designed tasks reinforce the skills taught during each 11 Plus tuition lesson, ensuring pupils are fully prepared for success. Homework is set to be completed for the next lesson, where it is reviewed, giving students the opportunity to deepen their understanding and address any challenges.

Aaryan, past student of Marie Redmond TuitionWith many years of experience and a history of successful outcomes, we’ve refined our approach to homework, striking a balance that encourages consistent progress without overwhelming students or families. Our longer lessons, compared to shorter ones offered by many other tutors, allow students to grasp key concepts in class-reducing reliance on excessive amounts of homework whilst ensuring it remains a valuable part of their learning.

Too little homework can leave students underprepared, whilst too much can lead to homework resistance, stress, and disengagement. The vast majority of parents say that we provide just the right amount of homework-carefully calibrated to meet students’ needs and prepare them thoroughly for the 11 Plus exams. Each task is purposeful, ensuring pupils work hard and make consistent progress whilst minimising unnecessary stress. Our balanced approach ensures that homework remains a valuable, manageable, and productive part of each pupil’s learning journey.

Additionally, we encourage parents to support their children by exploring a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books. This helps build the critical comprehension and vocabulary skills essential for 11 Plus success.

 

Marie Redmond Tuition 'Bag of Knowledge®'

Resource Pack for Marie Redmond Tuition 11 Plus Courses in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and London

During your child's first term-time course lesson, they will receive a Bag of Knowledge®, carefully curated to support their learning journey. This exclusive collection includes Marie Redmond's Superbrain® resources and a selection of books from leading publishers, ensuring they have everything they need to excel. As the course progresses, students are given additional books at the appropriate stages to support their learning throughout the year.

Each student receives their materials in a premium Marie Redmond Tuition® rucksack, designed to reflect the exceptional quality of our tuition and resources. Inside, they'll find an electronic thesaurus, a tin of Marie Redmond's Superbrain® vocabulary flashcards and a dry erase whiteboard.

Students also receive notebooks dedicated to spellings, vocabulary and maths, as well as a plain notebook for additional notes. Completing the set is a pencil case stocked with essential stationery including HB pencils, an eraser, sharpener and a dry erase pen.

Included in the Bag of Knowledge® is a high‑quality plastic‑free insulated water bottle, complete with a fun vocabulary feature on the back, because we believe learning should be both effective and enjoyable. Research on UK primary school pupils shows that even mild dehydration can affect concentration and cognitive performance, so we always encourage them to attend with a full water bottle.

Best of all, the cost of the Bag of Knowledge® and all resources for the course is fully covered within the Buckinghamshire monthly course fees.

 

Marie Redmond's Superbrain®

Marie Redmond's Superbrain® 11+ Flashcards packagingStudents attending our Year 5 11+ Easter and 11+ summer holiday courses receive a Superbrain® English and verbal reasoning holiday course book for each week they attend, further reinforcing their skills. Plus, all term-time students receive Marie Redmond's Superbrain® 11 Plus Flash Cards upon joining—an interactive resource designed to supercharge their vocabulary and accelerate exam preparation.

Explore our full Superbrain® collection and discover how these exclusive resources support students on their journey to 11+ success.

Marie Redmond's Superbrain® Year 5 Verbal Reasoning and Maths Books

The Marie Redmond Tuition® Book Club

Marie Redmond Tuition Book ClubSharing our enjoyment of books is a fantastic way to encourage reading and therefore develop vocabulary and comprehension at home. The Marie Redmond Tuition® Book Club is an excellent platform for discussions about books, opportunities for creativity and promoting reading for pleasure. Discover our book of the month.

Creative Thinking Course

11+ Creative Thinking Course logo for Reading School

The virtual Creative Thinking Course is particularly useful for boys preparing for the latest format of the Reading School 11+ exam but is open to all our term-time students.

Students attend one creative thinking lesson per week on Zoom, which lasts for 45 minutes. Students are taught to use innovation and problem solving. They will become adept at approaching situations in different ways, using diverse strategies.

Every lesson includes a fun thinking skills warm-up activity followed by the main focus of the lesson. Strategies like group discussions, questioning, mind mapping, and thinking 'outside the box' are employed to encourage creative learning approaches. Students learn various writing techniques and how to draft, review, and edit their work.

Homework is assigned weekly to consolidate the skills taught during the lesson. Homework is submitted via email, and the creative thinking teacher annotates the text and writes a short report. General points about the texts are reviewed at the start of the next lesson.

Course Details:

  • One lesson per week on Zoom, lasting 45 minutes
  • Fee, including books: £25 per lesson

For further information, including fees, term dates and FAQ's, please visit our Creative Thinking Course page.

11+ Mock Exams With Marie Redmond 11+ Intelligent Video Learning®

11 Plus Mock ExamsGet exam ready with Marie Redmond Tuition® 11 Plus Mock Exams.

Students who sat our 11 Plus mock exams in 2025 said they were very similar to the actual test, which made them feel prepared and confident when sitting the exam.

 

Kendrick and Reading School 11 Plus Tuition Fees

We offer a straightforward monthly payment plan for our Kendrick and Reading School 11+ tuition courses, which you can see on our Berkshire 11+ course fees page. Many parents take advantage of the government's Tax-Free Childcare scheme to save 20% on their fees.

Our Kendrick and Reading School 11 Plus Tuition Courses prepare pupils for all aspects of the exams

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