Welcome

Ofsted report November 2022 "The Kendrick Pledge emphasises friendship, kindness, respect, equality, tolerance and justice, and these values underpin all that the school achieves. Pupils flourish in this exceptionally caring and inclusive learning environment. Secure, trusting relationships between staff and pupils ensure pupils feel very well supported and safe here. In turn, pupils’ excellent behaviour and impeccable manners make Kendrick a very special place to be".

To listen to an audio with staff and students talking about Kendrick's history, life at school and what the school means to us all, please click on the link below.

Kendrick Voices

Kendrick School is an 11-18 selective girls’ school with academy status. It has a local and national reputation as an outstanding school and has an impressive record of achievement as a centre of excellence for girls’ education.

In its last five OFSTED inspections, Kendrick was judged an “outstanding” school. In our most recent inspection in November 2022, OFSTED stated "Pupils and sixth-formers are justly proud of their school community. They delight in their learning and truly excel here. One parent spoke for many when reflecting, ‘The school does a great job of creating well-rounded, kind, human beings who will hopefully go on to make the world a better place. The academic results are important, of course, but far from the only focus.’ Inspectors totally agree.

Kendrick is a forward-looking school that grasps the opportunities that present themselves. A love of learning is at the heart of Kendrick with a strong emphasis on high-quality teaching. The curriculum is organised to meet the needs of all students and is engaging, rich and ambitious. All staff are hardworking and dedicated; students are bright, enthusiastic and curious; they love being at their school.

At Kendrick, students enjoy a rich and varied extracurricular education. The House System provides opportunities for healthy competition with numerous annual house events, which are key activities in the school year. Kendrick Student Leaders work energetically and collaboratively with staff to support this vital community element of the school. In addition, we have a School Council, which discusses and drives change for students.

Safeguarding and students’ mental health and wellbeing are prioritised above all else. As stated by Ofsted in November 2022, ‘The arrangements for Safeguarding are effective at Kendrick’ and ‘there is a culture of vigilance’ where ‘staff care deeply about pupils’ wellbeing’.

As part of Kendrick’s Widening Horizons strategic initiative, we actively pursue partnerships with schools and businesses in our local area and beyond. These associations benefit the students of Kendrick, as well as those in neighbouring schools. We share our good practice and offer opportunities to work with primary and secondary schools in the Reading area.

Kendrick has expanded in recent years, a process that started in September 2020 and finished in September 2024 when an additional 32 students joined Kendrick in all year groups making Kendrick a four-form entry school for Years 7-11. This year the majority of the 128 students from Year 11 have moved into our sixth form, and we have welcomed an additional 40 students from other schools, making the whole school roll, 940 students, the largest the school has ever been. In our admission arrangements and policies, priority is given to pupil premium students and students living in the Reading area, which is called Priority Area 1. Our Widening Horizons initiative commits us to achieving greater participation and access for students from local primary schools and the local area. In July 2024 and again in July 2025, we were awarded the Sutton Trust Fair School Admissions Award at Gold level. This demonstrates our commitment to fair admissions and is a great accolade for the school to receive which we are immensely proud of.

As the Headteacher of Kendrick, it is my vision to lead, inspire and make a difference to the lives of girls and young women. I believe passionately in girls’ education and know that Kendrick School affords its students the very best education there is.

Ms Christine Kattirtzi
Headteacher

September 2025

Weekly UPDATE - FRIDAY 23rd January 2026

Please click here for previous weekly updates.

WEEKLY UPDATE – FRIDAY 23^rd JANUARY 2026

Letter from Ms Kattirtzi, Headteacher

It was a pleasure to meet the Year 7 parents yesterday evening at the KPS hosted Drop-in session between 5.30-6.30pm. Accompanied by Miss Hyde, Head of Key Stage 3, we spoke with parents about life in Year 7 and some of the new processes and procedures our Year 7 students are encountering and getting used. As we all know the transition from primary to secondary school is huge and the organisation and structure of the school day and the children’s learning are very different. We are always so impressed by how quickly our Year 7 students adapt to life at Kendrick, however there were a few issues raised by parents that we will follow up with so that all children feel comfortable and know how things work in school. Thank you to KPS and the parents that joined the meeting. The next drop in is with Year 8 and 9 parents in two weeks’ time on 5/2/25 at 5.30-6.30pm.

Earlier in the week we had a KPS committee meeting at which the committee outlined the many events and fund-raising activities they propose to do this year. Already they have had much success with the Christmas Wishlist and yesterday we had the Own Clothes Day which has raised almost £1k which is great! If every student in Years 7-11 wore their own clothes yesterday, then we should raise in the region of £1200 from the £2 donation. Thank you to everyone for your contributions. KPS will give more updates in their newsletter but the big event coming up next month is the raffle. Letters and communications are being sent out now and we hope to raise £8k from it. The funds from the raffle will be used to buy new interactive whiteboards for the classrooms. Please continue to support KPS.

It is the time of the year when Year 13 students showcase their work on their Extended Qualification Project (EPQ). At an exhibition on Tuesday this week and at a scheduled presentation, each student in Year 13 who has embarked on an EPQ has to present their work on a topic of their choice. The topic that a student may wish to study/research may be on anything that interests them, related or not, to their A Levels or future studies. It is a is an opportunity for students to take a topic about which they are curious and wish to research using under-graduate style research methods. They write a report and present this to their supervisor and fellow students. This year around 25 students will have presented their EPQ project to staff and students. For those who do not know about the EPQ, it is an additional qualification, half an A Level, that complements a 3 or 4 A Level study programme. The topics have ranged in nature from very specific scientific investigations to broader social and political issues, historical and philosophical ideas. Part of the EPQ study requires students to reflect on what they have learnt in the process of their research and presentation and the study techniques and skills they have learnt and practised in doing the work, including time management, organisation, writing and research. This year some of the topic headings have included: Feminist retellings of Greek mythology on evil women and their presentation. How the UK law has hindered the protection of privacy in a digital age. The Y chromosome: is it running out? Can nanotechnology revolutionise drug delivery in leukaemia? To what extent do cultural beliefs shape oral hygiene and dental treatment across the US and South Korea. Can xenotransplantation provide a sustainable solution to organ shortages. My thanks to Mrs Rock who leads this qualification and Mrs Hearn who are the supervisors that work with the students on this impressive work. For some students, this qualification will assist them in their university entrance and may be pivotal in securing their place at university.

On the website this week is a super article on some work that has been done in Year 10 English, leading to the Orators' Cup Final. As the article explains, students are required to prepare and deliver a speech to their English teacher and peers on a topic of their choice as part of their Language Spoken Language Assessment. A finalist was selected from each English group and the five finalists performed again this week to a former student who was invited in to judge the competition. Well done to all the students, the finalists and Aarika the winner of this year’s cup. Thank you to Mr Dilley and the teaching staff in English and Robyn who came in to judge the competition.

Finally next week we shall be commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day at a whole school assembly on Tuesday 27^th January. The theme this year is Bridging Generations and our current Holocaust Ambassadors and an invited speaker will speak to the students on this important occasion.

Wishing everyone a pleasant weekend.

Ms Christine Kattirtzi
Headteacher

School Notices

Uniform Supplier – School Jumper Colour

We would like to inform you of an issue with our uniform supplier, Stevenson, who we have been informed currently have stock of our school jumper in an incorrect colour. Please be assured that the school has not changed the uniform colour this is an error on the supplier’s behalf.

We have reported this issue to Stevenson and are awaiting confirmation regarding the delivery of the correct jumpers, as well as their proposals to rectify any orders that resulted in families receiving the wrong item. We will share further updates as soon as we have more information.

In the meantime, if your child does not have an alternative jumper, they may continue to wear the one they currently have.

Whitley Food Bank
Thank you for your ongoing support of the Whitley Food Cupboard. The donation of essential house and food items as well as donating through the link on Parent Pay make an incredible difference to many in the Whitley community that access support through the family workers and food cupboard at Whitley Park.

We have gathered a good-sized cheque ready to donate to the Whitley Food Cupboard following December’s fund raising and an accumulation of donations in Parent Pay– we will share the final total in due course.

We are collecting in school next week ready to have donation to go alongside the cheque and then we will aim for a bumper collection in time for the Easter holiday.

Thank you all so much for your ongoing support of the Whitley Food Cupboard.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding at Kendrick School

Five things parents need to know about Snapchat (BBC Bitesize)

Ben Kinsella Trust FREE online Knife Crime session for Parents and Carers. Wednesday 4^th February 6-8pm.

This session is hosted by knife crime prevention charity, The Ben Kinsella Trust and covers the following topics:

Understanding knife crime from the perspective of young people
The signs and stages of child exploitation
Gangs and gang-life
Exploring the link between trauma and exploitation
Consider online harms, social media, slang and gang-related music
Understanding how ‘issues’ with peers can escalate and how young people can manage them
Having meaningful conversations about difficult topics
Helping our children stay safe; the SAFE ‘T’s approach
Further support and resources

You can book your space using the link here: https://benkinsellatrust.beaconforms.com/form/dcd0caf8

Wellbeing

Mental Health and Wellbeing at Kendrick School

Five ways to help teens snack better (BBC Bitesize)

SEND

You are not alone drop in for February. A free monthly online drop-in for parents and carers.

School Fund

Please donate to our School Fund here. You can make one-off payments through your ParentPay account or complete a standing order form for more regular payments. If you are a UK taxpayer, please ensure you also complete a Gift Aid Form.

A school fund is maintained by voluntary contributions from the parents/carers of students. Its purpose is to provide an additional source of funding for the provision of facilities and educational resources for the benefit of students. We use our School Fund to support so many activities in and out of school that have now become essential to school life.

Canteen

The menu for Autumn/Winter can be found here. The menu is subject to change dependent on food availability. Please ensure that you regularly check your child's canteen balance on their ParentPay account and settle any 'overdrafts' quickly. Overdrafts should only be issued on an exceptional basis and not as a regular occurrence.

Latest News on our Website

Orators' Cup Final

Sociology in Action

School Calendar

Week commencing 26^th January - Week A

Monday 26^th January – Year 11 Geography Trip
Tuesday 27^th January – Holocaust Memorial Day
Wednesday 28^th January – Intermediate Maths Challenge; Chemistry Olympiad – 6^th form
Thursday 29^th January – Year 10 Work Experience Visits
Friday 30^th January – U16 Victor Cup Regional Badminton Round; 6^th Form Classics trip to Warwick

Student Careers and Work Experience
Current Opportunities

Vacancies
Mathematics Teacher to cover a maternity leave for September 2026. Closing date for applications: 9am Thursday 29^th January 2026.

ParentPay and Evolve Reminders
Reminders on Friday 23^rd January 2026

Kendrick Parents' Society (KPS)
Weekly News – Friday 23^rd January 2026

Letter from Mr Charles Ramsden, Chair of the Board of Trustees

On behalf of the trustee body, I would like to welcome everyone to the 2025-2026 academic year. I particularly welcome students joining us for the first time who will get the support they need to settle in quickly and make a positive contribution to the school.

As trustees, we are responsible for working with Ms Kattirtzi, Headteacher and the Senior Leadership Team to agree on the strategic direction of Kendrick. We assist with setting the school's vision, aims and objectives. To do this, we are organised into three committees – Learning & Teaching, Performance and Review, and Resources. Each of these committees meets regularly, and we meet as a full board three times a year. All the trustees are committed to supporting the ethos of the school, and many have direct experience of the school – as a student, the parent of a student or as a staff member.

We want to ensure that every student at Kendrick has the opportunity to thrive – academically, as a member of the school community, and in their personal development. Kendrick has something for everyone: a huge range of extracurricular activities including music, sports, and drama; opportunities to show leadership, as part of the School Council or the Student Leadership Team; and, of course, the chance to help others.

I do hope that you will take advantage of the opportunities to engage with the school. We are always keen to get your feedback, and as Chair of the Board of Trustees, I am always happy to hear from any of you. Please feel free to contact Lisa Hillan, Governance Officer to the Trustee Board lhillan@kendrick.reading.sch.uk if you would like to get in touch.

On behalf of the trustees, I wish everyone a successful year ahead.

With best wishes

Charles Ramsden
Chairman of the Board of Trustees