Heckmondwike Grammar School

Heckmondwike Grammar School is a partially-selective state school for girls aged 11 to 18 in Reading, Berkshire. The school is focused on developing thoughtful and mindful citizens and celebrates its multicultural student body, consisting of 17 different ethnic groups and over 50 spoken languages.

Students at Heckmondwike Grammar School receive high-quality teaching that helps them transfer their academic knowledge and skills between different contexts. Once a fortnight, students in Years 7 and 8 have a day dedicated entirely to STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths), with past activities including visits to the University of Reading, a project management challenge with Fujitsu, and a workshop with the InterClimate Network.

Ofsted has rated Heckmondwike Grammar School as 'good', with 'outstanding' behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management. Ofsted reported that "pupils treat each other with kindness and care" and that they are "keen to raise awareness of different issues that affect their friends as well as making a difference in their local community".

Heckmondwike Grammar School is a partially-selective school. This means a small proportion of the year group will be allocated places based on academic criteria and will go on to study the selective stream at the school. This provides a more intensive academic education designed to enable intelligent and adaptable girls to progress through the national curriculum and achieve the highest exam grades possible.

Girls applying for a place on the selective stream will take the 11 plus exam, known at Heckmondwike Grammar School as the selective stream test, in Year 6.

1. Register for the test

If you would like your daughter to be considered for a place on the selective stream, you will need to register for the exam via the school website. Registration opens in April 2023 and you will be sent an invitation letter to the exam after 12th September.

2. Apply for school places

You will receive your child's results in mid-October 2023, indicating whether your daughter is eligible for a place on the selective stream. You can use these results to decide whether to name Heckmondwike Grammar School as one of your preferred schools on your common application form.

Before listing the school as a preference on your form, check its admissions policy and make sure your child is eligible. Passing the exam will not be a guarantee of a place as more children reach the qualifying standard each year than there are places available.

The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2023. The form must be completed for your home local authority – i.e. if Reading Borough Council is your local authority, you will need to complete the common application form on the Reading Council website. If you live in a different local authority, make sure to apply through the relevant website for that council.

Your daughter's scores in the CEM Select test will be age-standardised, resulting in a score which takes into account how well she has performed on the test and her date of birth at the time of the exam.

All candidates' standardised scores will then be put in rank order. There is no specific pass mark for the selective stream at Heckmondwike Grammar School; the girls with the highest ranked scores will be most eligible for a place.

There are 180 places available in Year 7 at Heckmondwike Grammar School, of which up to 42 places can be allocated based on academic ability. All children who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which names the school will automatically be allocated a place. If the number of children who have applied for the school exceeds the number of places available, the school will apply oversubscription criteria:

1. Looked after and previously looked after children

2. Up to 42 places are available for girls who have performed well in the selective stream test

3. Children who have a specific social or medical need for attending Heckmondwike Grammar School

4. Girls who have siblings at the school

5. Girls who live nearest the school, measured in a straight line distance between their home and the school address

6. Daughters of staff at Heckmondwike Grammar School

7. Girls who attend the feeder primary school, Battle Primary Academy
There is no designated catchment area for Heckmondwike Grammar School.