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 6TH NOMEMBER 2026
Please click here for previous weekly updates.
WEEKLY UPDATE – FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER 2026
I hope everyone has had a restful and enjoyable holiday. It certainly feels in school like everyone is back and ready for another term. There is so much to pack in as we look forward to the Evening of Dance; our Sixth Form Open evening; GCSE and A level certificate presentations; concerts; pantomimes; trips here and abroad and of course the school’s production of The Curse of Isla Tormentor for which rehearsals and set design are in full swing. On Sunday I will be representing the school at Reading School’s Remembrance Sunday Service and laying a wreath in their chapel at the Kendrick Boys School War Memorial; Kendrick Boys was absorbed by Reading School in 1916.
This week Year 11 spent a day thinking about the future at the Post-16 Conference. Visitors, school staff, Year 13 students, local business leaders, college leaders and a keynote speaker all contributed to a packed day helping our students to think widely about their next steps in education and the world of work beyond that.
As always please have good look through the whole weekly update and allow me to draw your attention to the safeguarding messages and links that we regularly update.
I am sure we will enjoy another busy and rewarding term.
Floreat Kendrika.
Mr Nick Simmonds
Headteacher
School Notices
Due to Kendrick School's proximity to the town centre, from time to time there are reports of individuals close to school who may be under the influence of drink or drugs or may say something unpleasant to a student/group of students walking to or from school.
While these incidents are not frequent, I would like to emphasise the importance of your child telling an adult about this as soon as possible. Our students generally deal with these situations very well. If your child feels unsafe at the time, they should call the police and then tell a member of staff when they get to school. If they do not feel the need to call the police, please encourage them to tell a member of staff when they arrive at school. We can then assess the situation and call the police if needed, alert neighbouring schools etc. If the incident happens after school and your child is close to school, they can return to school as a place of safety and tell Reception what has happened, and we can then assess the situation. We have frequent contact with our allocated Safer Schools Officers, PCs Dawn and Carly, who attend school every term during lunchtime, and are available to reassure any students who may have any concerns.
Another safeguarding message concerns students waiting around outside school in the mornings. Some students choose to do this and then enter through the school gates in time for Registration. Please talk to your child to make sure that they do not gather close to the road, as there is limited space outside. This is especially pertinent with the darker mornings over the winter months.
Thank you for your help in keeping all our students safe.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding at Kendrick School
Firework safety for children: Advice from the BBC on how to enjoy fireworks safely with your child at Bonfire Night events and Diwali.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mental Health and Wellbeing at Kendrick School
Looking after your mental health through the winter. The winter months can be difficult for many of us and our mental health. With dropping temperatures and shorter days, we might experience sleep problems, notice a change in our appetite, or find it difficult to do things we normally enjoy. As we continue through winter, we have some information from mental health charity, Mind on how to spot the signs that the winter might be impacting your mental health, as well as suggestions for support and self-help.
SEND
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).
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 Autumn/Winter menu can be found here. 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.
Year 12 Biology Syllabus Brought to Life at Longleat
Year 10-13 Trip to see As You Like It as Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre
Author Visit from Kendrick Alumna Zsofia Lazar
Week B
Tuesday 10th November – Evening of Dance
Wednesday 11th November – Remembrance Day; Sixth Form Open Evening, 4pm-5.30pm Kendrick students and parents; 5,00pm to 6.30pm External students and parents
Student Careers and Work Experience
CAREERS TALK - Meteorology: including Laura Tobin from Good Morning Britain – 11th November 2026 5pm to 6pm at The Abbey School in Reading
- Laura Tobin - Broadcast meteorologist and scientist, weather presenter on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and
- Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez OBE - Climate Scientist, Professor of Meteorology at the University of Reading.
This event is open to all students in the area. If you are interested in attending please complete this Eventbrite link. Please note this event is not affiliated with Kendrick School.
No vacancies at the present time.
ParentPay and Evolve Reminders
Latest Reminders for ParentPay and Evolve
KPS Updates
Please see the latest KPS newsletter here.
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