Blessed Hugh Faringdon Catholic School
Voluntary aided school · sixth form · 1,082 pupils
92% stayed in education · Attainment 8 46.0
Free schools
The WREN School
- Pupils on roll
- 931of 1,176 places
- Free school meals
- 31.8%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 156
- Ofsted
- Report card, 14 April 2026Read the Ofsted report
Curriculum and teaching Expected standardAchievement Expected standardAttendance and behaviour Expected standardPersonal development and wellbeing Expected standardInclusion Expected standardLeadership and governance Expected standardPost-16 provision Needs attentionSafeguarding Met
What the data says
Of the 156 pupils who finished Year 11 at The WREN School in 2023, 44% stayed on in The WREN School’s own sixth form (Reading average 51%), 37% went to a further education college and 2% started an apprenticeship.
Among the 62 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 37% went to university (Reading 56%, England 37%), and 0% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
Business Studies is unusually popular at GCSE: 54% of the year group took it, against 18% of pupils across England.
A level grades average D+, well below the England average of B-; 6% of students achieved AAB or better including two facilitating subjects (England 18%). The largest A level subjects are Sociology, Psychology and Mathematics.
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.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The WREN School | Reading | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 156 | 1,475 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 88% | 93% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 85% | 89% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 44% | 51% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | 4% | 9% | 13% |
| — further education college | 37% | 26% | 37% |
| — other education | 0% | 3% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 2% | 2% | 3% |
| Employment | 1% | 2% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 5% | 4% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 6% | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | The WREN School | Reading | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 62 | 831 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 79% | 86% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 37% | 56% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 0% | 40% | 19% |
| Further education | 10% | 4% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 4% | 7% |
| Employment | 27% | 22% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 11% | 8% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | The WREN School | Reading | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 44.8 | 50.2 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 41% | 51% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 60% | 66% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 14% | 53% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 3.89 | 4.64 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 31% | 23% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 32.5 | 32.5 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 50.5 | 55.5 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 48% | 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 | 153 | 98% | 89% | 20% | 20% | 64% |
| Mathematics | 153 | 98% | 88% | 26% | 22% | 67% |
| English Literature | 153 | 98% | 86% | 16% | 21% | 63% |
| Combined Science | 152 | 97% | 65% | 22% | 9% | 61% |
| History | 90 | 58% | 41% | 21% | 26% | 54% |
| Business Studies | 84 | 54% | 18% | 13% | 20% | 60% |
| Geography | 61 | 39% | 41% | 20% | 25% | 67% |
| Graphic Communication | 42 | 27% | 1% | 14% | 23% | 67% |
| Citizenship Studies | 40 | 26% | 3% | 25% | 19% | 85% |
| Physical Education | 32 | 21% | 11% | 9% | 24% | 34% |
| Design and Technology | 29 | 19% | 11% | 21% | 23% | 62% |
| Computer Science | 29 | 19% | 13% | 34% | 30% | 93% |
| Photography | 18 | 12% | 6% | 11% | 19% | 78% |
| Fine Art | 17 | 11% | 9% | 18% | 28% | 65% |
| Spanish | 13 | 8% | 19% | 54% | 27% | 92% |
| Religious Studies | 12 | 8% | 31% | 8% | 32% | 92% |
| Music | 10 | 6% | 5% | 20% | 33% | 40% |
| Drama | 8 | 5% | 7% | 0% | 27% | 63% |
| Polish | 6 | 4% | 1% | 83% | 84% | 83% |
| Portuguese | 3 | 2% | 0% | — | 50% | — |
| Chinese | 2 | 1% | 1% | — | 75% | — |
| French | 2 | 1% | 18% | — | 29% | — |
| Italian | 1 | 1% | 0% | — | 53% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Studies | 48 | 69% | — |
| Hospitality / Catering Studies | 22 | 31% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 21 | 30% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | The WREN School | Reading | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 154 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 70 | 754 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | D+ | B- | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 24.97 | 37.73 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | C | B | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | 6% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sociology | 18 | 26% | 13% |
| Psychology | 17 | 24% | 23% |
| Mathematics | 14 | 20% | 31% |
| Business Studies | 11 | 16% | 13% |
| Biology | 10 | 14% | 20% |
| Geography | 9 | 13% | 10% |
| Graphic Communication | 9 | 13% | 2% |
| History | 8 | 11% | 13% |
| Chemistry | 8 | 11% | 17% |
| Politics | 7 | 10% | 6% |
| Physics | 7 | 10% | 12% |
| Product Design | 6 | 9% | 2% |
| Photography | — | — | 3% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
| Arabic | — | — | 0% |
| Polish | — | — | 0% |
| Russian | — | — | 0% |
| Turkish | — | — | 0% |
| Chinese | — | — | 0% |
| English Literature | — | — | 11% |
| French | — | — | 1% |
| Textiles | — | — | 1% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study Skills | Extended Project (Diploma) | 20 | 29% | — |
| Tourism | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 14 | 20% | — |
| Health Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 12 | 17% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | Core Maths Qualifications at Level 3 | 11 | 16% | — |
| Nutrition / Diet | VRQ Level 3 | 7 | 10% | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
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.