Berkshire selective schools

Berkshire 11+ Guide: Slough, Reading and Kendrick Schools

There is no single Berkshire-wide 11+ process. Families may be considering the Slough Consortium, Reading School, Kendrick School or schools beyond the county, each with separate arrangements.

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How this admissions route works

This page replaces broad Berkshire, Slough and Reading-area overview posts while retaining detailed school pages where they provide genuinely distinct admissions value.

Important: test registration, school application, test eligibility and the allocation of a place are separate stages. Complete every required stage and read each target school’s current policy.

Admissions information changes between entry years. Use this page to understand the system and prepare questions, then verify dates, test content, residence requirements, supplementary forms and oversubscription criteria on official websites.

Four essentials to understand

Multiple systems

Slough Consortium arrangements are separate from Reading School and Kendrick School admissions.

Shared Slough route

The Slough grammar schools use a coordinated consortium examination process.

Reading schools publish separately

Reading School and Kendrick School issue their own admissions information and testing arrangements.

Geography matters

Designated areas, priority rules, distance and relocation evidence can affect allocation.

Step-by-step application process

Stage	What parents should do
Divide the school list by system	Create separate tracks for Slough, Reading School and Kendrick School.
Register for each required test	Do not assume one Berkshire test entry covers every school.
Read designated-area rules	Check residence dates, evidence, priority categories and how distance is measured.
Prepare from official information	Use the current familiarisation materials for the relevant route.
Submit local authority preferences	Complete the common application form through the home authority.

Do not delete old URLs without redirects. Merge any unique text into this page, publish it, then apply a permanent 301 redirect from each superseded post to this flagship URL. Removing content without redirection can discard links, rankings and user bookmarks.

Tests and assessment components

Slough consortium content

Check the consortium’s current examination and familiarisation guidance.

Reading and Kendrick tests

Use each school’s current Year 7 admissions documents.

English and mathematics

Strong curriculum knowledge and problem solving are central across many selective routes.

Reasoning or bespoke components

Never infer content from an older cycle; verify it for the entry year.

Use official familiarisation resources first. Third-party materials should match the current test’s subjects, timing, response method and difficulty. Scores from unrelated publishers are not interchangeable and should not be treated as reliable predictions of admission.

School and admissions routes covered

Herschel Grammar School
Langley Grammar School
St Bernard’s Catholic Grammar School
Upton Court Grammar School
Reading School
Kendrick School

Keep a separate school-specific SET page only when it provides substantial unique value: a detailed current admissions-policy explanation, travel and catchment analysis, distinctive test requirements, or an established ranking query. Thin school summaries should link into this flagship instead.

Preparation strategy

English

Develop fluent reading, vocabulary in context, inference, grammar and clear written expression. Ask children to justify answers using textual evidence.

Mathematics

Secure primary mathematics, mental fluency and multi-step problem solving before applying time pressure.

Reasoning

Where required, teach verbal and visual relationships systematically rather than relying on repeated exposure alone.

Test technique

Introduce timing after accuracy. Practise instructions, answer recording, skipping, returning and maintaining concentration.

Common application mistakes

Referring to a single Berkshire 11+ examination.
Assuming Slough registration covers Reading or Kendrick.
Ignoring designated-area and address-evidence rules.
Using an old school test format after arrangements change.
Confusing test eligibility with a guaranteed offer.

A historical lowest-offer score, allocation distance or pass threshold describes a past admissions round. It is useful context, not a promise about a future cohort.

Official information and further SET guidance

Official sources

Slough Consortium information via grammar schoolsKendrick School admissions Reading School admissions

School Entrance Tests guides

11+ practice tests 11+ exam timelines 11+ syllabus guide 11+ papers and school links All 11+ guidance

Frequently asked questions

Is there one Berkshire 11+ test?

No. The Slough Consortium and the Reading selective schools have distinct arrangements.

Which schools are in the Slough Consortium?

Families should verify the current consortium list; it has included Herschel, Langley, St Bernard’s and Upton Court grammar schools.

Do Reading School and Kendrick School share the Slough test?

Families should use each school’s current admissions documents rather than assume shared arrangements.

Do designated areas matter?

They can be important in oversubscription criteria, so check exact maps, dates and evidence requirements.

Can an out-of-area child sit the tests?

Testing and admission priority are different questions. Check both registration eligibility and allocation rules.

What should replace old Berkshire pass-mark posts?

Use a transparent explanation of qualification and historical allocation data, linked to the current official policies.

Plan from the admissions policy, not from assumptions

Confirm the current test and application rules, build the underlying skills, use practice diagnostically and keep school fit central to the decision.

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Contact Rob Williams

Last editorial framework update: August 2026. Always verify the admissions cycle directly with the relevant authority, consortium and school.