Schools by area › Reading › Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre
Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–18 · Academy
Surley Row, Emmer Green, Reading RG4 8LR · highdown.reading.sch.uk · 0118 901 5800
Overview
- Ofsted
- Remains Good
- Ungraded inspection · Mar 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 50.4
- average Attainment 8 score. Reading 50.2, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 1,537
- 97 over 1,440 places · 107%
- Local authority
- Reading
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 10.5%
- First language not English
- 14.4%
- School census 2025/26
- Trust
- Glf Schools
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 191 families put the school first and 243 places were offered; 96% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 243 | 191 | 0.8 | 96% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 245 | 182 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 243 | 211 | 0.9 | 86% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 250 | 227 | 0.9 | 89% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 246 | 271 | 1.1▲ | 75% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 50.4, and 57.3% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Reading it was 50.2, and across England 46.
In 2024/25 the average A level result was grade C+ (34.4 points per entry).
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▲50.4 | 46.0 | ||
| ▲57.3% | 45.4% | ||
| ▲74.6% | 64.8% | ||
| ●38.7% | 40.5% | ||
| ▲4.61 | 4.09 |
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 62.1 | +10.4 |
| Sixth form college | 13.4 | −2.4 |
| Further education | 16.6 | −3 |
| Apprenticeship | 1.1 | +0.3 |
| Employment | 1.8 | −2.4 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 3.2 | −0.1 |
| Activity not captured | 1.8 | −0.7 |
A levels and other 16 to 18 results
A level average grade
| 2024/25 | Trend | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 141 students | C+ (34.4) | Above average +0.16 | |
| 141 students | C+ (34.6) | Above average +0.16 | |
| 25 students | Dist- (32.1) | Average +0.33 |
| Earlier years: A level | Students | Average grade | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023/24 | 144 | C+ (32.3) | -0.03 |
| 2022/23 | 138 | C (28.9) | — |
| 2021/22 | 147 | B- (37.8) | — |
| 2018/19 | 98 | B- (36.3) | +0.28 |
| 2017/18 | 103 | B- (35.5) | +0.21 |
| 2016/17 | 127 | C (30.9) | +0.23 |
| 2015/16 | 96 | C- (28) | +0.08 |
Where sixth-form leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| University | 63.6 | −0.5 |
| Further education | 1.3 | −1.9 |
| Apprenticeship | 1.3 | −1.9 |
| Employment | 20.5 | +0.6 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 9.3 | +2.2 |
| Activity not captured | 4 | +1.4 |
Ofsted
At an ungraded inspection on 27 March 2024, Ofsted’s outcome for Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre was: School remains Good.
- Outcome
- Remains Good
- Inspected
- 26 Mar 2024
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Remains Good, ungraded inspection, Oct 2018
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Oct 2018Ungraded inspectionRemains Good
Safeguarding Effective May 2015Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good 16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement May 2013Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement
What parents said
76% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (224 replies, to 6 January 2025).
- Recommend
- 76%
- Replies
- 224
- 14% · 6 Jan 2025
based on the 81% who raised concerns
based on the 37% who had a child bullied
based on 54 parents (24%) with SEND