Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School
Voluntary aided school · sixth form · 1,082 pupils
92% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.0
Other independent school · independent
The Abbey School Reading
- Pupils on roll
- 807of 1,134 places
- Free school meals
- —
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 118
- Ofsted
- Not covered by Ofsted school inspections
What the data says
The Department for Education has not published where The Abbey School Reading’s Year 11 leavers went next (destination measures are not published for independent schools), so this page relies on the school’s results and subjects.
Drama is unusually popular at GCSE: 23% of the year group took it, against 7% of pupils across England.
A level grades average B+, well above the England average of B-; 36% of students achieved AAB or better including two facilitating subjects (England 18%). The largest A level subjects are Psychology, Mathematics and Economics.
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Reading and England.
The Department for Education has not published destination figures for this school (new school, small cohort or not a state-funded school).
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
No published destinations for sixth-form leavers yet.
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The Abbey School Reading | Reading | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 27.6 | 50.2 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 0% | 51% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 0% | 66% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 0% | 53% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 1.19 | 4.64 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | — | 23% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | — | 32.5 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | — | 55.5 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | — | 34% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English Language | 115 | 97% | 89% | 59% | 20% | 100% |
| Geography | 54 | 46% | 41% | 81% | 25% | 100% |
| History | 50 | 42% | 41% | 78% | 26% | 100% |
| Religious Studies | 42 | 36% | 31% | 86% | 32% | 100% |
| Drama | 27 | 23% | 7% | 63% | 27% | 100% |
| Computer Science | 27 | 23% | 13% | 74% | 30% | 96% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 22 | 19% | 8% | 77% | 21% | 100% |
| Music | 22 | 19% | 5% | 86% | 33% | 100% |
| Fine Art | 19 | 16% | 9% | 100% | 28% | 100% |
| Physical Education | 13 | 11% | 11% | 77% | 24% | 100% |
| Latin | 10 | 8% | 1% | 70% | 74% | 100% |
| Textiles | 8 | 7% | 2% | 88% | 27% | 100% |
| 3D Design | 8 | 7% | 2% | 88% | 16% | 100% |
| Chinese | 4 | 3% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
| Russian | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 87% | — |
| Classical Greek | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 92% | — |
| Polish | 1 | 1% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
| Portuguese | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 50% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional Mathematics FSMQ | 22 | 28% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 2 | 3% | — |
| Music performance: Group | 1 | 1% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The Abbey School Reading | Reading | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 180 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 78 | 754 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | B+ | B- | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 44.06 | 37.73 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | B+ | B | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 36% | 36% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 35 | 45% | 23% |
| Mathematics | 32 | 41% | 31% |
| Economics | 26 | 33% | 13% |
| Biology | 24 | 31% | 20% |
| Chemistry | 15 | 19% | 17% |
| English Literature | 13 | 17% | 11% |
| History | 12 | 15% | 13% |
| Religious Studies | 11 | 14% | 4% |
| English Language | 8 | 10% | 4% |
| Physics | 8 | 10% | 12% |
| Business Studies | 7 | 9% | 13% |
| Spanish | 6 | 8% | 2% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| Geography | — | — | 10% |
| German | — | — | 0% |
| Classical Greek | — | — | 0% |
| Latin | — | — | 0% |
| 3D Design | — | — | 1% |
| Further Mathematics | — | — | 5% |
| Music | — | — | 0% |
| Physical Education | — | — | 3% |
| Classical Civilisation | — | — | 1% |
| Chinese | — | — | 0% |
| Textiles | — | — | 1% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Drama | — | — | 2% |
| Computer Science | — | — | 5% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 27 | 35% | — |
| Baccalaureate | International Baccalaureate | 19 | 24% | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Further Mathematics | GCE AS level (All) | — | — | — |
| Mathematics | GCE AS level (Not continued to A2) | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Reading
Hartland High School
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 589 pupils
60% stayed in education
Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,537 pupils
95% stayed in education · Attainment 8 50.4
Kendrick School
Academy converter · sixth form · 939 pupils
99% stayed in education · Attainment 8 84.0
King's Academy Prospect
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,157 pupils
82% stayed in education · Attainment 8 36.8
Maiden Erlegh School in Reading
Free schools · 889 pupils
89% stayed in education · Attainment 8 45.6
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.