Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre
Reading, RG4 8LR · Reading · secondary school
Check the area around this school
3rd of 10 secondary schools in Reading we can score, 11 in total — the rest without enough published data. Local and same-phase on purpose: a national table mostly measures who attends.
Narrow the comparison to the 495 schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 4.3/10 among them, against 7.9/10 nationally. Both figures are results only, without the inspection grade. A lower figure here means a stronger comparison group, not a weaker school.
How this is worked out
| Measure | Percentile | Weight | Adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted | 52 | 35% | 1.84 |
| Grade 5+ English & maths 2025/26 | 64.4 · 86 | 30% | 2.59 |
| Progress 8 2023/24 | 0.25 · 69 | 25% | 1.72 |
| Attainment 8 2025/26 | 54.9 · 85 | 10% | 0.85 |
Each measure is read as a position among comparable schools, so a school in the middle of the country scores 5. Full method.
Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre overview
How it's doing
In 2024/25, 57.3% of pupils achieved Grade 5 or above in English and maths. Attainment 8 was 50.4, compared to the national median of 44.6. Progress 8 was +0.25 in 2023/24, indicating better progress than pupils nationally who started from the same place. Ofsted rated the school Good in May 2024. Narrow the comparison to the schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds — a tougher field — and it places 3.2 out of 10 among them, against 7.4 out of 10 nationally.
Beyond the classroom
Pupils can join book, history, medical, quiz, reptile, and knit and natter clubs, or participate in Sparx and Excellence clubs. Sports include the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Arts and music offer art and photography clubs, productions, orchestras, bands, choir, dance company, and music recitals. Trips include theatre visits, Rhos y Gwaliau activity week, World Challenge, and residential visits.
Getting in
The published school roll is 1,537 pupils against a stated capacity of 1,440. These whole-school figures do not establish entry-year vacancies or the likelihood of an offer. Confirm entry-year availability and admissions criteria with the school or local authority.
Worth asking on a visit
What specific support is available for pupils aiming to
What Ofsted said about Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre
Overview
Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre continues to be a good school, characterised by high expectations for behaviour and academic achievement. Pupils are described as polite, respectful, and kind, contributing enthusiastically to each other’s well-being through meaningful leadership roles. The school fosters a strong ethos where discrimination is not tolerated, and pupils feel safe.
Strengths
- Pupils achieve very well across a broad range of subjects, with rising proportions studying the English Baccalaureate.
- Cultivating reading is a real strength, with weaker readers receiving effective support to become more fluent and confident.
- The school’s ‘inclusion charter’, created by pupils, makes a very positive impact on day-to-day life.
- Provision for pupils’ wider development is excellent, nurturing talents through a wide range of additional activities.
- Staff have high levels of expertise and benefit from an impressive programme of training and development.
Areas to improve
- Teachers do not adapt lessons consistently effectively to support disadvantaged pupils, who therefore do not achieve as well as others.
- Teachers’ pedagogical choices do not always deepen pupils’ learning fully, meaning pupils do not achieve as highly as they could.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Results over time
Attainment 8, the years we hold.
| Year | Attainment 8 |
|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 53.5 |
| 2024/25 | 50.4 |
| 2025/26 | 54.9 |
| England | 44.9 |
Source: DfE Explore Education Statistics. “England” is the median of the 3,682 state schools in England we hold a 2025/26 figure for — a school-level median, not the DfE's pupil-weighted national figure.
Your offer chance
—Based on official applications/offers, distance and catchment where we have it. Bands only — never a percentage.
Sibling, faith, looked-after and other criteria can override distance. Always confirm with the school or local authority.
Next dates
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2026
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2027
- Secondary application deadline31 Oct 2027
- Secondary National Offer Day1 Mar 2028
Saved schools live on this device only — no account, no tracking. Visit the school's website
Loading full school details…
Similar schools nearby
Same area, prioritising the same phase — useful for shortlisting alternatives.
Every school within 2.5 miles of RG4 8LR, with results, demand and deadlines — area report →
Have a specific question about admissions, scores or dates?
Ask SchoolsGPT