Reading School

{{short description|Grade II listed state grammar school in the United Kingdom}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} {{Use British English|date=February 2023}} {{Infobox school | name = Reading School | logo = Reading School logo Official-2021.svg | logo_size = 120 | logo_alt = This is a logo of Reading School. | image = Reading School Main Building Side View.jpg | image_size = 220 | caption = Reading School | motto = ''Floreat Redingensis'' ([[Latin]]: May Reading [School] flourish) | established = {{start date and age|1125}} 1486 (refounding) | type = {{plainlist | * [[Grammar school|Grammar]] [[Academy (England)|academy]] * Day and [[boarding school]] * [[List of state boarding schools in England|State boarding school]] }} | religious_affiliation = previously [[Church of England]] | head_label = Headmaster | head = Chris Evans | chair_label = | chair = | founder = [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]] | address = Erleigh Road | city = [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]] | county = [[Berkshire]] | country = United Kingdom | postal_code = RG1 5LW | coordinates = {{coord|51|26|54|N|0|57|18|W|type:edu_region:GB|display=title,inline}} | urn = 136449 | ofsted = yes | staff = | enrolment = 1,104 | gender = Boys | lower_age = 11 | upper_age = 18 | houses = {{plainlist | * {{colour box|#800000}} County (maroon) * {{colour box|#EE00EE}} East (pink/cerise) * {{colour box|#87CEEB}} Laud (sky/blue) * {{colour box|#00AA00}} School (green) * {{colour box|#FFFF00}} West (yellow) }} | colours = Navy Blue, Silver {{colour box|#0B2161}}{{colour box|#D8D8D8}} | publication = ''Floreat Redingensis'' | free_label1 = Boarding houses | free_text1 = {{plainlist | * East Wing * South House }} | alumni = [[#Notable alumni|Old Redingensians]] | website = {{URL|http://www.reading-school.co.uk}} }}

'''Reading School''' is a [[State-funded schools (England)|state]] [[grammar school]] for boys with [[Academy (English school)|academy status]] in the [[England|English]] town of [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]], the county of [[Berkshire]]. It traces its history back to the school of [[Reading Abbey]] and is, thus, one of the oldest schools in England, although it closed for a few years in the 1860s. It is a [[List of state boarding schools in England|state boarding school]]. There are no tuition fees for day pupils, and boarders only pay for food and lodging. Reading is one of the best state schools in the UK according to the GCSE and A-level tables and has consistently ranked in the top ten.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education-and-careers/0/secondary-school-league-table-search-top-schools-gcse-results1/ | title=The best secondary schools in the UK, according to GCSE results league table | newspaper=The Telegraph | date=13 August 2021 | last1=Clark | first1=Alex | last2=Gilbert | first2=Dominic }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thetimes.com/best-schools-league-table | title=Parent Power 2022: Best UK schools guide and league table }}</ref>

==History==

Reading School was founded as part of [[Reading Abbey]]. The date of the Abbey's charter, 29 March 1125, is taken as the foundation date, despite the closure of the school in the 1860s.<ref name=dptsor138>{{cite book | first = Daphne | last = Phillips | title = The Story of Reading | year = 1980 | publisher = Countryside Books | isbn = 0-905392-07-8 | page = 138|quotation=Reading Grammar School, which had fallen on bad times and had been closed in the 1860s, was revived and reopened in 1871 in an impressive new building in Erleigh Road, of which Alfred Waterhouse was the architect. The Prince of Wales laid the foundation stone in 1870}}</ref> This date makes it the 10th oldest school in [[England]], although there are hints that there may have been a school running in Reading before this.<ref>{{cite book|author=Michael Naxton|title=The History of Reading School|publisher= Ringwood, Hampshire: Pardy Printers|date=1986}}</ref>

[[Image:Enrique VII de Inglaterra, por un artista anónimo.jpg|thumb|left|140px|King [[Henry VII of England]], who refounded the school in 1486]]

In 1486, the school was refounded as a "Free Grammar School" ("free" here meaning teaching the free, or liberal, arts, not that no fees were paid) by [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]] on the urging of the then [[Abbot]], John Thorne. From at least this time, the School was housed in the former [[Hospitium of St John]]. The main building of the hospitium still exists, but the refectory, which once housed the schoolroom, was demolished in 1785 and [[Reading Town Hall]] now stands on the site.<ref name=dptsor42>{{cite book | first = Daphne | last = Phillips | title = The Story of Reading | year = 1980 | publisher = Countryside Books | isbn = 0-905392-07-8 | pages = 42|quotation=the lofty refectory of the former abbey hospitium, the ground floor of which had been used since about 1486 as the schoolroom of Reading School}}</ref><ref name=dptsor88>{{cite book | first = Daphne | last = Phillips | title = The Story of Reading | year = 1980 | publisher = Countryside Books | isbn = 0-905392-07-8 | pages = 88|quotation=In 1785-6 the old hall was taken down}}</ref>

After the [[Dissolution of the Monasteries|dissolution]] of Reading Abbey in 1539, the school fell under the control of the [[corporation]] of Reading, its status being confirmed by [[Letters patent|Letters Patent]] issued by [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]] in 1541. This was reconfirmed in the [[royal charter]] granted to the Corporation of Reading by [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]] in 1560, which made the corporation liable for the salary of the headmaster and gave them the power of appointing him.

There were interruptions to schooling in 1665, when [[Parliament of England|Parliament]], forced out of [[London]] by the [[Great Plague of London|Great Plague]], took over the schoolhouse. The [[English Civil War]] also interrupted, with the school being used as a garrison by royalist forces. The school prospered at the start of the nineteenth century; in 1830, when [[Richard Valpy]] retired from the post of headmaster, there were 120 pupils.<ref name=dptsor91>{{cite book | first = Daphne | last = Phillips | title = The Story of Reading | year = 1980 | publisher = Countryside Books | isbn = 0-905392-07-8 | pages = 91|quotation=By the time he retired in 1830 he had increased the number of pupils at the school to 120}}</ref> By 1866 disagreements between the town and school and problems with the lease on the school buildings had led to falling numbers. The school closed in the 1860s.<ref name=dptsor138/>

[[Image:Prince of Wales Laying Reading Grammar School 1.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The [[Prince of Wales]] [[Edward VII]], as a freemason, setting the chief stone of the new grammar school at Reading]] {{Infobox UK legislation | short_title = Reading School Act 1867 | type = Act | parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom | long_title = An Act for the better Regulation of the Grammar School and John Kendricke's Loan Charity, Reading. | year = 1867 | citation = [[30 & 31 Vict.]] c. 5 | introduced_commons = | introduced_lords = | territorial_extent = | royal_assent = 12 August 1867 | commencement = | expiry_date = | repeal_date = | amends = | replaces = | amendments = | repealing_legislation = | related_legislation = | status = | legislation_history = | theyworkforyou = | millbankhansard = | original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukppa/Vict/30-31/5/pdfs/ukppa_18670005_en.pdf | revised_text = | use_new_UK-LEG = | UK-LEG_title = | collapsed = yes }}

The school re-opened, however, with the '''{{visible anchor|Reading School Act 1867}}''' ([[30 & 31 Vict.]] c. 5) setting out its administration and funding. The foundation stone for new buildings in Erleigh Road, designed by [[Alfred Waterhouse]] (who also designed the [[Natural History Museum, London]]), was laid by the [[Prince of Wales]] [[Edward VII]] in 1870, and in 1871 the school moved in.<ref name=dptsor138/> In 1915 Kendrick Boys' School (founded in 1875 from the legacy of [[John Kendrick (cloth merchant)|John Kendrick]]), which had a large endowment but poor facilities, was taken over by Reading, which was poorly funded but had excellent facilities – this caused considerable controversy at the time but was ultimately seen as successful.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}

The [[Education Act 1944]] saw the abolition of fees (apart from boarding charges), with the cost of education now being met by the local authority. The 1960s saw the rise of [[Comprehensive school (England and Wales)|comprehensive education in England and Wales]], but Reading was exempted in 1973 (along with the girls' grammar school in Reading, [[Kendrick School|Kendrick]]) after a petition of over 30,000 local people (a third of the voters of Reading) was handed to the government.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}

On 6 July 2007 Reading School was officially designated as the landing site for the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance when it needs to transport patients to the nearby Royal Berkshire Hospital. Previously, seriously injured or ill patients from the Reading area had to be flown either to Wexham Park Hospital near [[Slough]], or to the John Radcliffe Hospital in [[Oxford]] for treatment. The new arrangement means that the school field can now be used for emergency touchdowns. Patients are transported by land ambulance from the school to the hospital's accident and emergency department across the road.<ref>[http://www.southcentralambulance.nhs.uk/html/news/newsitem.php?county=Berkshire&it=83 Reading School – "New Landing Site for Air Ambulance". The South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927195225/http://www.southcentralambulance.nhs.uk/html/news/newsitem.php?county=Berkshire&it=83 |date=27 September 2007 }}</ref> While this arrangement was only made official in 2007, the school field had been unofficially used on several occasions by the [[Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance]] in previous years.

The school became an [[Academy (English school)|academy]] in 2012.<ref name="acad_2012">{{cite web |last1=Norris |first1=Frank |title=Academy conversion and predecessor schools |url=https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/1904445 |publisher=Ofsted |access-date=9 July 2023 |date=2012}}</ref>

In 2020, the school was found to have discriminated against a [[Visual impairment|visually-impaired]] child by not making adjustments to enable him to take the [[eleven-plus]] entrance examination.<ref name="Guardian_2020">{{cite news |last1=Adams |first1=Richard |title=Grammar school discriminated against visually impaired child, tribunal finds |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/09/grammar-school-discriminated-against-visually-impaired-child-tribunal-finds |access-date=9 July 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=9 September 2020}}</ref>

==School site==

{{multiple image | align = center | total_width = 1000

| image1 = Reading School Bird's Eye View 1.png | alt1 = Reading School site from above. | caption1 = Reading School site from above.

| image2 = Picture of Reading School.jpg | alt2 = Reading School main building. | caption2 = Reading School main building.

}}

[[Image:Philip Mitchell Science Centre.png|thumb|right|The Philip Mitchell Science Centre, Reading School]]

{{Nowrap|The current school site consists of a main block (with two wings), a Science block}}, the Page building, the John Kendrick building, South House, Music School (formerly known as Junior School) and a chapel. The main school building, the chapel, South House and the building to the east of South House have all been designated as Grade II listed buildings by English Heritage.<ref>[https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1155155 Main school building, Images of England reference no. 38922]</ref><ref>[https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1321946 Lecture Theatre at Reading School, Images of England reference no. 38923]</ref><ref>[https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1155171 South House, Images of England reference no. 38924]</ref><ref>[https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1113472 Building to the east of South House, Images of England reference no. 38925]</ref>

The chapel is where the school's [[Christmas]], [[Remembrance Day|Remembrance]] and [[Easter]] services take place, and every student attends once a week. The chapel has four groups of pews, facing towards the central aisle. Above the entrance is the [[pipe organ|organ]], and at the far end is the altar and vestry.

Plans have been developed for improved sports and science facilities as part of the "1125 campaign". Work on improving science facilities began in 2015 and was completed in Spring 2017 as stated above. Work on the new sports facilities has begun, with a new fitness suite made on the location of the old squash courts next to chapel, and refurbishments on the gym and changing rooms completed.<ref>Student</ref> Work to refurbish the Physics block began in 2022, finishing with an official reopening in early 2023.

{{multiple image | align = center | total_width = 750

| image1 = The Chapel, Reading School, c. 1873.jpg | alt1 = The Chapel, Reading School, c. 1873 | caption1 = The Chapel, Reading School, c. 1873

| image2 = Reading School Chapel Outside 1.png | alt2 = Outside The Chapel, Reading School | caption2 = Outside The Chapel, Reading School

| image3 = Reading School Chapel Sun 1.png | alt3 = The Chapel Interior, Reading School | caption3 = The Chapel Interior, Reading School

}}

=== International sites ===

The school established a subsidiary in 2018 to participate in its cooperation with Lunhua Education and [[:zh:陸家嘴集團|Lujiazui Corporation]] to establish [[international school]]s with "fusion" curricula called Suzhou Reading School in China.<ref>{{cite press release | url=http://www.szlunhua.com/show/1043 | title=Hello! Suzhou Reading School! |author= |publisher=Suzhou Lunhua Education Group | date=22 December 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.reading-school.co.uk/attachments/download.asp?file=3486&type=pdf | title = Governors Annual Report to Parents 2021/22 | last=Vale |first=Steve | date = October 2022 | website = Reading School}}</ref> The first school, located on plot 2 in the town of Xushuguan in [[Suzhou New District#Education|Suzhou New District]], was planned to have a site area of 35,100 and construction area of 50,772 m2.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://wtpartnership.asia/suzhou-reading-school/ | title=2018 Suzhou Reading School Startup | date=14 December 2018 | website = WT Partnership (Asia)}}</ref> However, according to a report from [[Phoenix New Media]], after completing construction in 2021, Reading School lost its license to operate there after failing its [[environmental assessment]] due to heavy [[soil pollution]]. The plot was reclassified as industrial land by the municipal Natural Resources and Planning Bureau in 2023.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://fengcx.com/news/detail/56533518.shtml | title=陆家嘴公司巨资购入"毒地" 实探：商住全面停工停售 | date=8 November 2023 | last1=Chen | first1=Wenli |editor1-last=Wang |editor1-first=Tingting }}</ref>

== Sports == Reading School hold the boys' KS4 National Badminton Championship for the 2023/24 season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=JennaS |title=National School Championships |url=https://www.badmintonengland.co.uk/on-court/junior-competition/junior-major-events/nsc/ |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=Badminton England |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=BEMedia |date=2024-04-21 |title=National Schools Championships: Day Two |url=https://www.badmintonengland.co.uk/national-schools-championships-day-two/ |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=Badminton England |language=en-GB}}</ref> They also hold the U16 Boys' VICTOR School Sport Magazine National Badminton Championship for the 2023/24 season.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Phil |date=2023-07-12 |title=VICTOR/School Sport Magazine National Schools Championships 2023/24 |url=https://schoolsportmag.co.uk/victor-school-sport-magazine-national-schools-championships-2023-24/ |access-date=2025-02-18 |website=School Sport Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Notable alumni== {{See also|Category:People educated at Reading School}}

== Deceased Old Redingensians (chronological order) == {| class="wikitable" !Name !Year of birth !Year of death !Notable achievements |- |Sir [[Thomas White (merchant)|Thomas White]] |1492||1567 |Founder of [[St John's College, Oxford]] and [[Lord Mayor of London]] in 1553 |- |Sir [[Francis Moore (barrister)|Francis Moore]] |1559||1621 |[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for Reading |- |[[John Blagrave]] |c.1561 |1611 |Mathematician |- |[[William Laud]] |1573||1645 |Chancellor of the [[University of Oxford]] 1629–1645, [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], 1633–1645, beheaded in 1645 during the [[English Civil War|Civil War]] |- |[[John Kendrick (cloth merchant)|John Kendrick]] |1573 |1624 |Elizabethan/Jacobean merchant and philanthropist |- |[[Daniel Blagrave]] |1603 |1668 |[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for Reading, Regicide (signatory of the death warrant of [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] in 1649). Escaped to exile in [[Aachen]] at the [[English Restoration|Restoration]] in 1660 |- |Sir [[Constantine Phipps (Lord Chancellor of Ireland)|Constantine Phipps]] |1656 |1723 |[[Lord Chancellor of Ireland]] (1710–1714) |- |[[Henry Vansittart]] |1732 |1770 |[[Governor of Bengal]] (1759–1764) |- |[[Francis Annesley (1734–1812)|Francis Annesley]] |1734 |1812 |[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for Reading (1774–1806), First Master of [[Downing College, Cambridge]] |- |[[Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth|Henry Addington]], 1st Viscount Sidmouth<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.reading-school.co.uk/attachments/download.asp?file=73&type|title=200 invalid-request|website=www.reading-school.co.uk|access-date=2019-08-30}}</ref> |1757 |1844 |[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]], [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]] (1801–1804),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://history.blog.gov.uk/2015/10/01/henry-addington-1st-viscount-sidmouth/|title=Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth – History of government|website=history.blog.gov.uk|date=October 2015 |language=en|access-date=2019-08-30}}</ref> [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] (1801–1804), [[Lord President of the Council]] (1805, 1806–1807, 1812), [[Home Secretary]] (1812–1822) |- |[[Henry Bright (MP)|Henry Bright]] |1784 |1869 |[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for Bristol (1820–1830) |- |[[Thomas Noon Talfourd]] |1795 |1854 |[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for Reading (1835–1841, 1847–49), Judge and writer |- |Admiral [[Charles Elliot|Sir Charles Elliot]] KCB |1801 |1875 |British [[Royal Navy]] officer, diplomat and colonial administrator. Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China (1836–41), first [[Governor of Hong Kong|Administrator of Hong Kong]] (1841), [[Governor of Bermuda]] (1846–54), [[Governor of Trinidad]] (1854–56), and [[Governor of Saint Helena]] (1863–70). |- |[[Horace William Wheelwright]] |1815 |1865 |Lawyer, hunter, naturalist and writer |- |Sir [[Alexander Tilloch Galt]] |1817 |1893 |Politician and a father of the [[Canadian Confederation]], [[Parliament of Canada|Member of the Canadian Parliament]] (1867–72), [[Inspector general|Inspector General of Canada]], [[Minister of Finance (Canada)|Canadian Minister of Finance]] (1867), [[High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom|Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom]] (1880–83). Founder of the [[North Western Coal and Navigation Company|Alberta Railway and Coal Company]] and founding president of The Guarantee Company of North America. |- |Captain [[Hastings Edward Harington|Hastings Harington]]||1832||1861||Awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] as a lieutenant with the Bengal Artillery for conspicuous gallantry in the relief of [[Lucknow]], 1857; died at [[Agra]] having achieved the rank of [[Captain (armed forces)|captain]]. |- |[[Joseph Wells (academic)|Joseph Wells]] |1855 |1929 |Warden of [[Wadham College, Oxford]] 1913–1927, Vice-Chancellor of the [[University of Oxford]] 1923–1926 |- |[[Robert Hedley]] |1857 |1884 |English soldier and footballer, who captained the [[Royal Engineers A.F.C.|Royal Engineers]] team in the [[1878 FA Cup Final]]. He was a centre-forward and was called up to the [[England national football team|England]] squad against Scotland in 1878 and 1879. |- |General [[Havelock Hudson|Sir Havelock Hudson]] GCB, KCIE |1862 |1944 |[[British Indian Army]] officer, commanded [[8th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|8th Infantry Division]] during World War I. Member of the [[Council of India]]. |- |[[Lionel Cripps]] CMG |1863 |1950 |First Speaker of the [[Legislative Assembly of Southern Rhodesia|Parliament of Southern Rhodesia]] |- |Sir [[Hugh Percy Allen]] |1869 |1946 |Director of the [[Royal College of Music]], Professor of Music in the [[University of Oxford]] |- |[[Herbert Leader Hawkins]] [[Royal Society|FRS]] (elected 1937) |1887 |1968 |President of the Palaeontological Society, professor of [[palaeontology]], [[University of Reading]], authority on [[sea urchins]] |- |Major-General [[Charles Fullbrook-Leggatt]] CBE, DSO, MC |1889 |1972 |British army officer who served in both World Wars. Commanded the [[61st Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|61st Infantry Division]] |- |[[William Costin (academic)|William Costin]] |1893 |1970 |President of [[St John's College, Oxford]], Proctor of [[University of Oxford|Oxford University]]. |- |Major General [[David Tennant Cowan]] CB, CBE, DSO & Bar, MC |1896 |1983 |British Army Officer in World War I and World War II. Led the [[17th Infantry Division (India)|17th Indian Infantry Division]] during the [[Burma campaign]]. |- |[[Christopher Butler (bishop)|Dom Christopher Butler]] [[Benedictines|O.S.B]] |1902 |1986 |A Benedictine Monk of [[Downside Abbey]], Languages Scholar, Historian, Scripture Scholar, Theologian, Catholic Priest, Abbot of Downside, Abbot Primate of the [[English Benedictine Congregation]], [[Auxiliary Bishop]] in the [[Archdiocese of Westminster]], and the most prominent English reformer at the [[Second Vatican Council]]. |- |[[Arthur Negus]] OBE |1903 |1985 |[[broadcasting|Broadcaster]] and [[antique]]s expert |- |[[Malcolm Fewtrell]] |1909 |2005 |Detective [[Chief superintendent|Chief Superintendent]] who led the initial investigation into the [[Great Train Robbery (1963)|Great Train Robbery]] in 1963. |- |[[Norman Gash]] CBE |1912 |2009 |Vice-Principal of the [[University of St Andrews]] (1967–1971). Historian, professor of modern history, who wrote a two-volume biography of [[Robert Peel|Sir Robert Peel]]. |- |[[John Boulting]] |1913 |1985 |Film director and producer known for a popular series of satirical comedies in the 1950s and 1960s along with his brother, [[Boulting brothers|Roy Boulting]]. |- |[[Boulting brothers|Roy Boulting]] |1913 |2001 |Film director and producer known for a popular series of satirical comedies in the 1950s and 1960s along with his brother, [[Boulting brothers|John Boulting]]. |- |[[Tom Dollery|Horace Edgar "Tom" Dollery]] |1914 |1987 |England national cricketer and [[Warwickshire County Cricket Club|Warwickshire]] county cricket captain. |- |[[Basil Lam]] |1914 |1984 |Early Music scholar, harpsichordist, Head of Classical Music for [[BBC]] |- |[[John Minton (artist)|John Minton]] |1917 |1957 |Artist, lecturer and teacher |- |[[George William Series]] FRS |1920 |1995 |Physicist, notable for his work on the optical spectroscopy of hydrogen atoms; Professor of Physics, Reading University (1968–1982) |- |Sir [[Clifford Charles Butler]] FRS |1922 |1999 |Physicist, best known as the co-discoverer of [[hyperon]]s and [[meson]]s, Vice-Chancellor of [[Loughborough University]] (1975–1985) |- |Sir [[Douglas Lowe (RAF officer)|Douglas Lowe]] GCB, DFC, AFC |1922 |2018 |Pilot, [[Air chief marshal|Air Chief Marshal]] in the [[Royal Air Force]] |- |[[J. L. Ackrill]] | 1921 | 2007 |Professor of Classics at the [[University of Oxford]]. Philosopher and classicist, specialising in [[Ancient Greek philosophy]]. |- |Sir [[Sir Richard Body|Richard Body]] |1927 |2018 |MP (1955–1959, 1966–2001), President of the [[Get Britain Out|Anti-Common Market League]] |- |[[John Roper, Baron Roper|Lord Roper of Thorney Island]] | 1935 | 2016 |[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for Farnworth (1970–1983), [[Chief Whip of the Liberal Democrats|House of Lords Chief Whip, Liberal Democrats]] (2001–2005). |- |Sir [[Sir Clive Sinclair|Clive Sinclair]] | 1940 | 2021 |Entrepreneur and inventor. |- |[[Sharkey Ward|Nigel David "Sharkey" Ward]] DSC, AFC |1943 |2024 |Former [[Royal Navy]] officer and [[fighter pilot]] who commanded [[801 Naval Air Squadron]] during the 1982 [[Falklands War]]. |- |[[Bill McKenzie, Baron McKenzie of Luton|Lord McKenzie of Luton]] | 1946 | 2021 |Member of the House of Lords (2004–2021). |- |}

===Living Old Redingensians (alphabetical order)===

{|class="wikitable" |- !Name !Year of birth !Notable achievements |- |[[Paul Badham]] | 1942 |Professor of Theology and Religious Studies, [[University of Lampeter]], Director of the Alister Hardy Religious Experience Research Centre |- |[[George W. Bernard]] | 1950 | Professor of Early Modern History at the [[University of Southampton]] |- |[[Roderick Campbell]] |1953 |Lawyer, Former [[Member of the Scottish Parliament|MSP]] (2011–2016) |- |[[Ross Brawn]] | 1954 | Former Technical Director of [[Benetton Formula|Benetton]] and [[Ferrari]] Formula 1 teams, former Team Principal of [[Honda]] F1, former owner of [[Brawn GP]], former Team Principal of [[Mercedes-Benz in Formula One|Mercedes Grand Prix]] and currently [[Formula One]] Managing Director of Motorsports. |- |[[Jonathan Davies (athlete)|Jonathan Davies]] |1994 |International middle and long distance runner. Double [[2017 Summer Universiade|2017 Universiade]] medalist (1500m and 5000m) and [[2019 European Cross Country Championships|2019 European Cross-Country]] champion (mixed relay). |- |[[Mark Field]] | 1964 |Former [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] (2001–2019) – [[Minister for London|Shadow Minister for London]] (2003–05), [[Financial Secretary to the Treasury|Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury]] (2005), [[Department for Culture, Media and Sport|Shadow Minister for Culture, Media and Sport]] (2005–06), Vice Chairman (International) of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] (2016–17), [[Foreign and Commonwealth Office|Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific]] (2017–19). |- |[[Damian Green]] | 1956 |[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] (1997–2024) – [[Shadow Secretary of State for Education|Shadow Secretary of State for Education and Skills]] (2001–03), [[Shadow Secretary of State for Transport]] (2003–04), [[Minister of State for Immigration|Shadow Minister of State for Immigration]] (2005–10), [[Minister of State for Immigration]] (2010–12), [[Minister for Policing|Minister of State for Policing and Criminal Justice]] (2012–2014), [[Secretary of State for Work and Pensions]] (2016–2017), [[First Secretary of State]] and [[Minister for the Cabinet Office]] (2017)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/11/damian-green-profile-mays-loyal-political-friend-and-pro-eu-advocate|title=Damian Green: May's loyal political friend and pro-EU advocate|date=11 June 2017|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> [[One Nation Conservatives (caucus)|Chairman of the One Nation Conservative Caucus]] (2019–) |- |Sir [[Oliver Heald]] | 1954 |[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] (1992–2024) – [[Shadow Leader of the House of Commons]] (2003–05), [[Shadow Secretary of State for Justice|Shadow Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs (Justice)]] (2004–07), [[Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster|Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster]] (2005–07) [[Solicitor General for England and Wales]] (2012–2014), [[Ministry of Justice|Minister of State for Courts and Justice]] (2016–17) |- |[[Ben Loader]] |1998 |[[London Irish]] Rugby player, [[England cricket team|England]] U20 International |- |[[Robert Ladislav Parker]] | 1942 | Geophysicist and mathematician, Professor Emeritus of Geophysics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California |- |[[Christopher Renshaw]] | 1951 |Theatre and Musical Director |- |[[Andrew Smith (British politician)|Andrew Smith]] | 1952 |Former [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] (1987–2017) – [[Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury]] (1994–96), [[Shadow Secretary of State for Transport]] (1996–97), [[Department for Education and Skills (United Kingdom)|Minister of State for Disability and Employment Rights]] (1997–99), [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]] (1999–2002), [[Secretary of State for Work and Pensions]] (2002–2004) |- |[[Peter Swallow]] | 1993 | Current Member of Parliament for [[Bracknell (UK Parliament constituency)|Bracknell]] (2024-). |- |[[David Warburton]] | 1965 |Former [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] (2015–2023<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/4383158 | title=Chancellor of the Exchequer | the Gazette }}</ref>), composer and businessman |- |[[Edward Young (courtier)|Edward Young]] |1966 |[[Private Secretary to the Sovereign]] (2017–2023), Deputy Private Secretary to the Sovereign (2007–17), Executive at Barclays Bank and Granada PLC. |}

==Notable headmasters== [[File:Dr. Richard Valpy by Samual Dixon, St. Lawrence Church, Reading, England.jpg|thumb|Dr. [[Richard Valpy]] by [[Samuel Nixon (sculptor)|Samuel Dixon]], [[St Laurence's Church, Reading]] ([[Roche Abbey]] stone)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3646805&partId=1&people=73284&peoA=73284-2-61&page=1|title = Print | British Museum}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PFhEAQAAMAAJ&q=%22samuel+nixon%22+stone+sculptor&pg=RA1-PA392 |title = The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction|year = 1838}}</ref>]]

* 1588–1589: [[Thomas Braddock (Anglican priest)|Thomas Braddock]] * 1781–1830: [[Richard Valpy]] (1754–1836) * 1871–1877: [[Thomas Henry Stokoe]]

==Inspections and awards== An [[OFSTED]] report{{when|date=January 2010}} concluded that "examination results place the school in the top five per cent nationally", "Pupils' attitudes to learning are outstanding" and "The school goes to exceptional lengths to broaden and enrich the education of all pupils". The 2005 [[Key Stage 3]] results were both the best in the country for value-added and for the average points score of each student.<ref>{{cite news|title=Grammar boys are simply the best|date=2006-03-30|work=Reading Evening Post}}</ref>

In the 2004 school league tables for England (including fee-paying schools), it came eighth for GCSE-level results (average 602.5 points), 106th for A-level results (average 409.3 points) and 170th for value-added between ages 11 and 16 (score of 1037.7 compared with a baseline of 1000).{{Citation needed|reason=No evidence for these results.|date=June 2013}} It has recently{{when|date=November 2024}} become a [[DFES]] [[specialist school]] for the [[Humanities College|Humanities]], specialising in [[English studies|English]],{{citation needed|date=October 2008}} [[Geography]] and [[Classics]] – the first school to specialise in Classics – despite entry being selected by Mathematics and verbal and non-verbal logic ability.

In 2005 the school was awarded the [[Sportsmark]] gold award for a four-year period. In the same year Reading was one of just 35 schools nationally to be made a [[Microsoft]] Partner School.<ref>[http://www.oldredingensians.org.uk/journals/jmay2005.pdf Andrew Linnell. The Headmaster's Letter. ''The Old Redingensian'', May 2005, p2 (PDF).] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070221130614/http://www.oldredingensians.org.uk/journals/jmay2005.pdf |date=21 February 2007 }}</ref>

In 2007, the school was identified by the [[Sutton Trust]] as one of only 20 state schools among the 100 schools in the UK responsible for a third of admissions to [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] and [[Cambridge University|Cambridge]] Universities over the five preceding years. 16.0% of pupils went to Oxbridge and a 62.1% in total went to universities identified by the Sutton Trust as "top universities".<ref>{{Cite journal |title=University Admissions by Individual Schools |publisher=Sutton Trust |year=2007 |url=http://www.suttontrust.com/reports/UniversityAdmissionsbySchool.pdf |url-status = dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225223111/http://www.suttontrust.com/reports/UniversityAdmissionsbySchool.pdf |archive-date=25 February 2009 }}</ref> In July 2011, the school was further identified by the [[Sutton Trust]] as the third highest state school, and among the top 30 schools in the country, for proportion of higher education applicants accepted at [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] and [[Cambridge University|Cambridge]] Universities. The report found that 16.7% of pupils were accepted to [[Oxbridge]] and 81.5% were accepted to the highly selective [[Sutton Trust#The "Sutton 30"|Sutton Trust 30 universities]] over the previous three years.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Degrees of Success – University Chances by Individual School |publisher=Sutton Trust |year=2011 |url=http://www.suttontrust.com/public/documents/sutton-trust-he-destination-report-final.pdf |url-status = dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111217115615/http://www.suttontrust.com/public/documents/sutton-trust-he-destination-report-final.pdf |archive-date=17 December 2011 }}</ref>

Reading School was given the "State School of the Year" award by ''The Sunday Times'' newspaper in 2010 and 2019, in recognition of the school's academic achievements and community orientated ethos.<ref>{{cite news |title=Schools of the Year – State Secondary School of the Year 2010 |newspaper=The Sunday Times |year=2010 |url=http://pp.include-digital.com/schools-of-the-year/2010/state-secondary |url-status = dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307092416/http://pp.include-digital.com/schools-of-the-year/2010/state-secondary |archive-date=7 March 2013 }}</ref>

In 2025, a student from Reading School qualified for UK's National Mathematics Team after participating in the [https://www.ukmathematicschallenge.org.uk/ UKMC] ([https://www.ukmathematicschallenge.org.uk/ United Kingdom Mathematics Challenge]) and won honourable mention at the International Mathematical Modeling Challenge.<ref>{{Cite web |title=UKMC - United Kingdom Mathematics Challenge {{!}} Official IMMC Qualifier |url=https://www.ukmathematicschallenge.org.uk/ |access-date=2025-11-14 |website=www.ukmathematicschallenge.org.uk}}</ref>

==Subjects taught==  {| class="wikitable" |- ! Subject ! Taught at [[Key Stage 3|KS3]] ! Taught at [[Key Stage 4|KS4]] ! Taught at [[Sixth Form]] |- | [[Ancient History]] [[Classical Civilisation]] | No | Yes | Yes |- | [[Art]] | Compulsory | Yes | Yes |- | [[Biology]] | Compulsory | Compulsory | Yes |- | [[Chemistry]] | Compulsory | Compulsory | Yes |- | [[Computer Science]] | Compulsory | Yes | Yes |- | [[Drama]] [[Theatre Studies]] | Compulsory | Yes |Yes |- | [[Economics]] | No | Yes | Yes |- |[[Electronics]] |No |Yes |No |- | [[English studies|English]] | Compulsory | Compulsory (GCSE English Language and GCSE English Literature) | [[English Literature|Literature]] only |- | [[French language|French]] | Compulsory in Year 7{{ref label|2a|1}} | Yes{{ref label|3a|2}} | Yes |- | [[Geography]] | Compulsory | Yes | Yes |- | [[German language|German]] | Compulsory in Year 7{{ref label|2b|1}} | Yes{{ref label|3b|2}} | Yes |- | [[History]] | Compulsory | Yes | Yes |- | [[Latin]] | Compulsory{{ref label|2d|2}} | Yes{{ref label|3c|2}} | Yes |- | [[Mandarin Chinese]] | Yes {{ref label|2a|1}} | Yes | No |- | [[Mathematics]]{{ref label|4|3}} | Compulsory | Compulsory | Yes (A-Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics offered) |- | [[Music]] | Compulsory | Yes | Yes |- | [[Philosophy]] [[Religious Education|Religious Studies]] | Compulsory (as Religious Studies) | Compulsory{{ref label|5|4}} | No |- | [[Physical Education]] | Compulsory | Yes{{ref label|6a|5}} | Yes{{ref label|6b|5}} |- | [[Physics]] | Compulsory | Compulsory | Yes |- | [[PSHE]]{{ref label|7a|6}} | Compulsory | Compulsory | Compulsory |- | [[Spanish language|Spanish]] | Compulsory in Year 7{{ref label|2c|1}} | Yes{{ref label|3d|2}} | Yes |- | [[Leadership studies|Floreat (Student Leadership)]]{{ref label|7b|6}} | Compulsory | Compulsory | No |- |}1.{{Note|2a}}{{Note|2b}}{{Note|2c}}{{Note|2d}} French, German, Spanish and Latin are compulsory in Year 7, while Mandarin can be chosen to replace a language except Latin. In Year 8 students must take 2 modern languages and Latin.

2.{{Note|3a}}{{Note|3b}}{{Note|3c}}{{Note|3d}} At least one ancient or modern language must be taken for the [[GCSEs]].

3.{{Note|4}} Additional Maths is taken by the top four sets at the same time as their GCSEs. Further Maths is optional at A Level, with some students being able to take it in one block with Maths.

4.{{Note|5}} The top half of the year take an externally-assessed [[Advanced Subsidiary level|AS-level]] Philosophy exam at the end of Year 11. Those who score a B or higher can either opt-out of the subject, continue onto the A2 or redo the exam the following year. Those who didn't score a B or higher can redo the exam the following year.

5.{{Note|6a}}{{Note|6b}} In the [[sixth form]], P.E. can optionally be taken as an examined [[A-Level]]. Those that do not do this must still take part in games weekly, though this is not examined or graded in any way, or must take part in Community Service during Games lessons. In Years 10 and 11, certain students are given the option of taking the GCSE as an additional subject. All students must complete Games lessons.

6.{{Note|7a}}{{Note|7b}} Not examined.

==See also== * [[List of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom]] * [[List of the oldest schools in the world]] * [[Reading Abbey Girls' School]] * [[List of English and Welsh endowed schools (19th century)]] * [[List of international schools in China#Suzhou|List of international schools in China]]

==References== {{reflist}}

== Further reading == * Michael Naxton. ''The History of Reading School''. Ringwood, Hampshire: Pardy Printers, 1986. * John Oakes and Martin Parsons. ''Reading School: The First 800 Years''. Peterborough: DSM, 2005. {{ISBN|0-9547229-2-2}}. * John Oakes and Martin Parsons. ''Old School Ties: Educating for Empire and War''. Peterborough: DSM, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9536516-6-5}}. (The stories of Old Redingsians in World War I.) * ''A History of Cricket at Reading School'', 1987.

==External links== {{commons category}} * [http://www.reading-school.co.uk/ Reading School] * [http://www.readingschoolpa.org.uk/ Reading School Parents' Association] * [http://www.oldredingensians.org.uk/ Old Redingensians] * [http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/8705401/overview/ School overview and profile from Schoolsfinder] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206002432/http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/8705401/overview/ |date=6 February 2012 }}

[[Category:Grade II listed buildings in Reading]] [[Category:Grammar schools in Reading, Berkshire]] [[Category:Academies in Reading, Berkshire]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in the 12th century]] [[Category:1125 establishments in England]] [[Category:Boys' schools in Berkshire]] [[Category:Boarding schools in Berkshire]] [[Category:Alfred Waterhouse buildings]] [[Category:Grade II listed educational buildings]] [[Category:Schools with a royal charter]]