Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre
| Type | Secondary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 11-18 |
| Religion | Unknown |
| Address | Surley Row Emmer Green Reading Berkshire RG4 8LR |
| Phone | 01189015800 |
| Reference Number | 136307 |
Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre has maintained its status as a good school, emphasizing high expectations for both behavior and academic achievement. Pupils demonstrate politeness and respect, actively contributing to a positive school culture. The school excels in fostering pupils' character development and provides an impressive array of opportunities for broader learning experiences. The curriculum is ambitious and caters to diverse student needs, ensuring that even those with special educational needs and disabilities are adequately supported. However, the school's leadership acknowledges that there are areas, particularly the achievement of disadvantaged pupils, which require focused improvement.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1545 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 54.69%
Girls: 45.31% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 10.3% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 21% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 20.7 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 109 | 114 | 223 |
| 8 | 135 | 115 | 250 |
| 9 | 149 | 102 | 251 |
| 10 | 128 | 120 | 248 |
| 11 | 147 | 101 | 248 |
| 12 | 102 | 82 | 184 |
| 13 | 75 | 66 | 141 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 61.9% |
| White, Other | 7.8% |
| Indian | 3.9% |
| Unclassified | 3.6% |
| Chinese | 3.4% |
| Asian, Other | 3.4% |
| African | 3.3% |
| Mixed, Other | 2.9% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 2.4% |
| White & Asian | 2.1% |
| Pakistani | 1.2% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.6% |
| Irish | 0.5% |
| Caribbean | 0.4% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 26 Mar 2024 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 26 Mar 2024 | School inspection |
| 02 Oct 2018 | Short inspection |
| 30 Apr 2015 | Full inspection: |
| 30 Apr 2014 | Monitoring visit |
| 04 Jul 2013 | Monitoring visit |
| 01 May 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 14 Feb 2012 | Academy conversion letter |
| 20 Jun 2011 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 20 Jan 2010 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre | |
| 20 Jan 2010 | Full inspection: |
| 24 Jan 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 24 Jan 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 14 Oct 2002 | Full inspection |
| 14 Oct 2002 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- High expectations for pupil behaviour and academic achievement.
- Pupils contribute enthusiastically to each other's well-being.
- Strong support for weaker readers, enhancing their confidence.
- Effective character development through meaningful roles and activities.
- High levels of staff expertise and commitment are evident.
- School's work for pupils' wider development is highly effective.
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent support for disadvantaged pupils affects their overall achievement.
- Pedagogical choices do not always deepen pupils' learning sufficiently.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 50.4 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 57.3% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 69% |
Attainment 8 Score
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
Sample
UnlockGCSE Results
Note: Exam results were not published in 2021 and 2022 due to the pandemic.
Sample
UnlockPoints
| Points | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Points | 34.57 | ||
| Average Points (best 3) | 34.73 |
Grades
| School | Local | Nationwide | |
| Average Grade | C+ | B- | C+ |
| Average Grade (best 3) | C+ | B- | C+ |
| Percentage | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students getting AAB or better | 16.8% |
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 98 | 36 |
| Third Preference | 65 | 12 |
| From another Local Authority | 16 | 3 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
| Unknown |
| Name | Distance |
|
Emmer Green Primary School
Grove Road, Emmer Green, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 8LN |
0.3 miles |
|
The Hill Primary School
Peppard Road, Emmer Green, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 8TU |
0.57 miles |
|
Caversham Primary School
Hemdean Road, Caversham, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 7RA |
0.57 miles |
|
Caversham Preparatory School
16 Peppard Road, Caversham, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 8JZ |
0.69 miles |
|
Chiltern Nursery Nurse Training School
18 Peppard Road, Reading, RG4 8JZ |
0.69 miles |
|
The Heights Primary School
129 Upper Woodcote Road, Reading, RG4 7LB |
0.96 miles |
|
St Anne's Catholic Primary School
Washington Road, Caversham, St Anne's School, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 5AA |
1.04 miles |
|
Caversham Park Primary School
Queensway, Caversham Park Village, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 6RP |
1.11 miles |
|
Thameside Primary School
Harley Road, Caversham, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 8DB |
1.12 miles |
|
Micklands Primary School
Micklands Road, Caversham, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 6LU |
1.13 miles |
|
St Martin's Catholic Primary School
Pendennis Avenue, Caversham Park Village, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 6SS |
1.18 miles |
|
New Bridge Nursery School
Montague Street, Reading, RG4 5AU |
1.26 miles |
|
E P Collier Primary School
Ross Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 8DZ |
1.35 miles |
|
Caversham Nursery School
114 Amersham Road, Reading, RG4 5NA |
1.41 miles |
|
Civitas Academy
90a Great Knollys Street, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 7HL |
1.69 miles |
|
Oxford Road Community School
146 Oxford Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 7PJ |
1.86 miles |
|
Kidmore End Church of England Primary School
Chalkhouse Green Road, Kidmore End, Reading, Oxfordshire, RG4 9AU |
2.01 miles |
|
New Town Primary School
School Terrace, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 3LS |
2.02 miles |
|
St John's Church of England Primary School
121-147 Orts Road, Reading, 121-147 Orts Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 3JN |
2.11 miles |
|
Wilson Primary School
Wilson Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 2RW |
2.11 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Queen Anne's School
6 Henley Road, Reading, RG4 6DX |
0.83 miles |
|
Aurora Rowan School
Dysons Wood, Tokers Green, Reading, RG4 9EY |
1.04 miles |
|
River Academy
7 Richfield Avenue, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 8EQ |
1.28 miles |
|
The Deenway Montessori School
3-5 Sidmouth Street, Reading, RG1 4QZ |
2.08 miles |
|
Red Balloon Learner Centre Reading
220-222 Kings Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 4JJ |
2.09 miles |
|
Kendrick School
London Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5BN |
2.16 miles |
|
Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge
Reades Lane, Sonning Common, Reading, Berkshire, RG4 9LN |
2.29 miles |
|
Bishopswood School
Grove Road, Sonning Common, Reading, RG4 9RH |
2.33 miles |
|
The Abbey School Reading
17 Kendrick Road, Reading, RG1 5DZ |
2.36 miles |
|
Reading School
Erleigh Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5LW |
2.48 miles |
|
Reading Blue Coat School
Holme Park, Berkshire, RG4 6SU |
2.59 miles |
|
The WREN School
61-63 Bath Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 2BB |
2.62 miles |
|
St Joseph's College
|
2.72 miles |
|
Groveside School
40 Christchurch Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 7AY |
2.74 miles |
|
Hamilton School
135 Bulmershe Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5SG |
2.77 miles |
|
Maiden Erlegh School in Reading
81 Crescent Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5SL |
2.79 miles |
|
UTC Reading
Crescent Road, East Reading, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 5RQ |
2.8 miles |
|
Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School
Fawley Road, Southcote, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 3EP |
2.82 miles |
|
King's Academy Prospect
Cockney Hill, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 4EX |
2.97 miles |
|
Thames Valley School
2 Conwy Close, Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire, RG30 4BZ |
3.08 miles |