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 to 18 selective girls' school with academy status. With approximately 950 students on roll, it has a well-deserved local and national reputation for excellence.
Our vision at Kendrick is to be a centre of excellence where personal development is valued as highly as academic achievement. We are committed to providing a safe, exciting and inclusive environment where students can be themselves, develop self-confidence and discover their strengths. Kendrick is a place where every student feels a sense of belonging and can grow into a successful young adult while continuing to enjoy the opportunities and experiences of childhood.
We are proud to play an active role within the Reading community and beyond. Through initiatives such as the Widening Horizons Project, which engages students from local primary schools, we strive to make selective education more accessible to girls from all backgrounds.
At Kendrick, students and staff work together with confidence, curiosity and ambition. We challenge one another to think creatively, embrace innovation and pursue excellence in all that we do. We aim to be a school where everyone can lead, inspire and make a positive difference to the lives of girls and young women.
In its most recent Ofsted inspection, Kendrick School was judged to be Outstanding. Inspectors noted that: "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.”
School life at Kendrick is busy and purposeful. Students work hard in lessons and take maximum benefit from every hour that they are taught. Staff value the engagement and motivation of students, as well as unwavering support of parents and carers. As a result, Kendrick is a rewarding place both to learn and to work.
Outside of lessons there is a very full programme of extra and super curricular opportunities including many clubs and societies, trips, challenges and competitions. Music, art, drama and sports all thrive in lessons as well as clubs and the House System gives students the chance to participate in events and competitions with students from other forms and year groups. It is a source of great joy to me how much the older students interact with and encourage the younger students at Kendrick. Kendrick Student Leaders exemplify this spirit through the creative and inclusive initiatives they lead.
As part of Kendrick’s community work, I am particularly proud of the Widening Horizons project that engages students from primary schools and the local area. In July 2024 and again in July 2025, we were awarded the Sutton Trust Fair School Admissions Award (Gold). This recognition reflects our commitment to fair and accessible admissions, and we are immensely proud of this achievement.
Whatever your connection with Kendrick School, I hope your experience is a positive one and that you see the same joy of learning, sense of purpose and spirit of community that I experience every day. Kendrick is truly a very special place to learn, work and grow.
Mr Nicholas Simmonds
Headteacher
September 2026
Weekly UPDATE - FRIDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER 2026
Please click here for previous weekly updates.
WEEKLY UPDATE – FRIDAY 18th SEPTEMBER 2026
Letter from Mr Simmonds, Headteacher
On Tuesday it was the turn of Year 7 parents to come into school to meet their daughters’ tutors and then hear from the pastoral leadership team and myself. I was delighted with the number of parents who attended, and it was a pleasure to meet so many enthusiastic new parents.
Admissions test day is happening today, and we are doing all that we can to let the day run smoothly for all the young people seeking a place at Kendrick in 2027. The current Kendrick students are spending the day reading, working and catching up with work and maybe also having some time to socialise and pursue their own interests.
Next week the school will celebrate its 149th birthday with an own clothes day, a reflection assembly and free cupcakes with any purchase in the Canteen. This is quite an undertaking for our brilliant catering team. Students are also invited to picnic together on the front lawn. Next year, of course, we will be 150 years old and the planning has already begun. We will have a lot of fun and make it a most memorable occasion.
During my birthday assembly on Monday I will be exploring the different school mottos that have been used at various times in the school’s history as well as diving into the school magazine from 1909! More of this next week.
In the meantime. Floreat Kendricka, long may our Lion roar.
Mr Nicholas Simmonds
Headteacher
School Notices
School Fund
School Fund provides a way for parents and carers, should they wish, to make one-off or regular donations that directly support the school and enhance the educational experience of our students.
During the recent information evenings for Years 7, 10 and 12, I spoke about the importance of School Fund and the significant difference it makes.
Like many schools, we have faced increasing costs over the past two years and have been required to absorb a significant proportion of these within our existing budgets. While we continually seek efficiencies and ensure that every pound is spent wisely, there is always more that we would like to provide for our students. School Fund helps us to make these additional opportunities possible.
School Fund is organised into four areas:
General School Fund
Supports a wide range of initiatives and priorities across the school.
Digital Fund
Supports the ongoing development of our IT infrastructure and devices, ensuring students have access to increasingly fast, reliable and effective digital resources.
Super-Curricular Fund
Enables participation in competitions and challenges, supports educational visits and travel, funds specialist resources and helps us provide a wide range of enriching experiences beyond the classroom.
Work and Well-Being Fund
Contributes to maintaining a high-quality learning environment and school facilities. It also supports counselling provision for students and staff, alongside the activities of our various well-being groups and initiatives.
If you are in a position to support the school through School Fund, we suggest a contribution of £250 per year, or regular monthly donations of £10 or £20. However, every donation, regardless of size, makes a meaningful difference and is greatly appreciated.
Donations can be made through ParentPay, where you will find the School Fund payment options.
Reading Borough Council – Post-16 Transport Policy Consultation
Reading Borough Council has launched a consultation on its Post-16 Transport Policy and would welcome feedback from schools, colleges, parents, students and other interested stakeholders.
The consultation can be accessed via the following link: https://reading.govocal.com/en-GB/projects/reading-s-post-16-transport-policy-consultation
Safeguarding
Safeguarding at Kendrick School
Parent Guide to Snapchat. Learn how Snapchat works, key protections offered to teens, and how to use the Snapchat safety tools. Remember, Snapchat is a 13+ platform.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mental Health and Wellbeing at Kendrick School
Social Media and Mental Health. Social media can have a positive impact on your mental health. But it can also make you feel anxious and overwhelmed. Young Minds advice can help you stay in control of your feed and look after your mental health online.
Reading’s SEND Local Offer. The SEND Local Offer is here to help you find information about local services, support, activities and events for children and young people aged 0 - 25 years who have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
Canteen
The Autumn/Winter menu will be shared in due course. 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.
Week B
Monday 21st September – School Birthday
Tuesday 22nd September – KPS online meeting, 6pm to 7.15pm
Thursday 24th September – Year 10 Welcome Meeting, 5pm to 6.15pm
Student Careers and Work Experience
Attendance Officer and Administration Coordinator – Monday to Friday, 8am to 3.30pm, term time only.
Art and Technology Technician – 30 hours a week, term time only
ParentPay and Evolve Reminders
Latest Reminders for ParentPay and Evolve
KPS Updates
KPS has created WhatsApp groups to link parents across each year group. From this group you can also link into the individual classes’ groups and class representatives. If you would like to join the group, please use the link below for your child’s year group (for September 2026). KPS will manage the group on behalf of the parents as we all transition through our child’s time at Kendrick. The WhatsApp group is open to all parents and carers, however, please do not share the link outside the school community or on any other groups. Existing groups are unchanged (no need to rejoin).
Year 7 (2026-27). This group will be open to join until the end of the month, after this time permission will have to be requested to join. This is for security reasons.
Year 8 (2026-27). This is the same as last year's group for Year 7 (2025). No need to rejoin, but permission will need to be sought to join.
Year 9 (2026-27). This is the same as last year’s for Year 8 (2025). No need to rejoin, but permission will need to be sought to join.
Year 10 (2026-27). This is the same as last year’s group for Year 9 (2025). No need to rejoin, but permission will need to be sought to join.
Year 11 (2026-27). This is the same as last years’ group for Year 10 (2025). No need to rejoin, but permission will need to be sought to join.
The 6th form (2026-27). This merges Year 11 (2025/6) and Year 12 (2025/6. This is the same WhatsApp group for Year 11 (2025/6), no need to rejoin.
Year 13 (2026) parents will need to join. The existing 6th form group (2025/6) will be archived soon.
This new group will be open to join until the end of the month, after this date permission will have to be requested to join. This is for security reasons.
If you are not a KPS member and would like to join KPS, please reply to this e-mail. You can also donate to the KPS charity. All funds go to support our girls, the school and facilitate events. We cannot support the school without your help.
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 2026-2027 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 Mr Nicholas Simmonds, 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 – either as a student or the parent of a student.
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
September 2026