Grammar schools in West Berkshire
There are no grammar schools in West Berkshire.
Grammar schools are state secondaries that select by ability, usually through an 11+ test. Only 46 of the 226 local authorities in the UK still have any — West Berkshire is one of the majority that does not, so local state secondaries admit without a selective test.
The nearest is Kendrick School, about 11.6 miles away in Reading.
Could a child from West Berkshire get a place?
Passing the test is not enough. These schools give places first to children in their priority groups, such as looked-after children, siblings and children in the school's own catchment area. Any places left go to other children who passed, nearest home first. A child from West Berkshire without one of those priorities competes for those last places, so what matters is how far they reached.
| School | Intake | Last place by distance, 2026 | Earlier years | West Berkshire postcodes within that distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe | Boys | 13.5 miles | 2025: 3.8 mi | none |
The furthest straight-line distance from home at which each school offered a place by distance on National Offer Day, from the council's allocation figures. The distance changes every year, and later rounds can stretch it slightly. The postcode share uses ONS postcode centres, so it counts postcodes, not households.
Key dates
- 31 October 2026: deadline to apply for a secondary place, through West Berkshire Council even for schools in another council
Each council's test has its own registration window, months before the test itself. Children who don't attend a school in that council usually have to be registered by their parents.
Nearest grammar schools to West Berkshire
Straight-line distance from the centre of West Berkshire — not a travel time.
| School | Area | Distance | Intake | Ofsted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kendrick School | Reading | 11.6 miles | Girls | Outstanding |
| Reading School | Reading | 12.0 miles | Boys | Outstanding |
| Sir William Borlase's Grammar School | Marlow | 21.6 miles | Mixed | Outstanding |
| John Hampden Grammar School | High Wycombe | 23.9 miles | Boys | Outstanding |
| Wycombe High School | High Wycombe | 24.0 miles | Girls | Outstanding |
| The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe | High Wycombe | 25.7 miles | Boys | Good |
Published admissions priorities
These are extracts from school-specific arrangements for the entry years shown, in priority order. They are not the full policy or a prediction of an offer. Check the linked arrangement for test eligibility, deadlines and all remaining priorities.
Kendrick School — 2026 entry
- Looked after child or previously looked after child (lower qualifying score, 5 marks below standard threshold) (published source)
- In receipt of Pupil/Service Premium on 31 Aug, permanent home address within Priority Area 1 or 2 (lower qualifying score) (published source)
- Up to 75% of places (96 of 128): permanent home address within Priority Area 1 or 2, by rank order of score (published source)
Reading School — 2026 entry
- Category 1: (Previously) Looked After Children, with a score up to 5 marks below the eligible score (published source)
- Category 2: Pupil or Service Premium children living within the catchment area, score up to 5 marks below eligible score (published source)
- Category 3: Children within the catchment area with a demonstrated significant social or welfare need (written professional evidence required) (published source)
Sir William Borlase's Grammar School — 2026 entry
- Looked after and previously looked after children scoring at least 110 (published source)
- Up to 20 places for Pupil Premium children in the catchment area scoring 110–120 — nearest first (published source)
- Pupil Premium children in the catchment area scoring 121+ (published source)
John Hampden Grammar School — 2026 entry
- Looked after and previously looked after boys (published source)
- 12 places for looked-after, Pupil Premium or Service Premium boys in the catchment area scoring 113–120 (published source)
- Other Pupil or Service Premium boys in the catchment area scoring 121+ (published source)
Wycombe High School — 2026 entry
- Looked after, previously looked after and internationally adopted girls (published source)
- Qualified girls on the Pupil Premium living in the catchment area (published source)
- Up to 12 places for disadvantaged girls in the catchment area scoring 113–120 (published source)
The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe — 2026 entry
- Looked after and previously looked after children (published source)
- Up to 6 places for Pupil Premium or looked-after boys in the catchment (both priority areas) scoring 115–120 (published source)
- Qualified Pupil Premium boys living in the catchment area (published source)
Schools in West Berkshire
West Berkshire has 90 open schools. Browse all West Berkshire schools with Ofsted ratings, catchment areas and admission criteria, or see them on the map.
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