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Leighton Park SchoolShinfield Road, Reading, RG2 7ED, UK0118 987 9600 |
admissions@leightonpark.comwww.leightonpark.com |
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| School type |
Co-educational Day & Boarding Senior & Sixth Form |
| Status | Private |
| Head | Mr Matthew L S Judd |
| Date Appointed | September 2018 |
| Language of Instruction | English |
| Co-ed Age Range | 11-18 years |
| Number of pupils | 533 |
| Average Class Size | 16 |
| Teacher/Pupil ratio | 1:7 |
| Authorised IB Programmes | IBDP |
| Diploma Coordinator | Mrs Helen Taylor |
| Associations | BSA, HMC, IB, ISA, ISC |
Leighton Park is the winner of the Independent Schools Association (ISA)'s Senior School of the Year 2023 and a TES Awards Finalist in the same year. The School was founded in 1890 and is a day and boarding school for both girls and boys aged 11-18, with a 50:50 ratio of girls to boys at its Year 7 entry point. It is set in 65 acres of beautiful parkland in Reading.
The UK Government's latest Sixth Form league tables reveal Leighton Park to be the best performing school in Berkshire and only one of eight schools in England to have always appeared in the top 100 since the rankings began. A Level students achieved 57% A*/B last year. The Independent School Inspectorate (ISI) awarded Leighton Park a 'double excellent' standard in January 2022, the highest possible attainment for an independent school, in recognition of both the quality of pupils' personal development and the quality of their academic progress.
Leighton Park exists to form students of real character and confidence, with a determined desire to change the world. This focus doesn’t come at the expense of a strong, well-balanced education. Leighton Park combines the best academic progress in Berkshire, with award-winning personal development and sector-leading pastoral care. Head, Matthew LS Judd explains: "We don't try to be like other schools. Our starting point is to nurture each young person to really think about who they are and what they want to achieve. From there we do everything we can to support them to succeed as themselves - true to who they are and all the more remarkable for it."
While the School offers a holistic curriculum, it is particularly well-known for its STEAM academic approach, which combines the analytical skills from Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths with the creativity from the Arts. Last year, 62% of Sixth Form leavers went on to STEAM-related degrees including Engineering, Medicine, Architecture and Product Design.
Music is another strength of the School with a stunning Music and Media Centre providing students with exceptional facilities, including a Yamaha Live Lounge recording studio. The Music department is accredited as a Flagship Music Education Partner, the only school in Europe to hold this status, with 60% of students studying an instrument and 27 music teachers on staff.
With Quaker values given currency and purpose through partnership and changemaker programmes, the School develops young people who understand, cherish, and make a difference to the world. Climate change and sustainability are important themes in the School's cross-curricular projects and expansive co-curricular programme. Leighton Park achieved the coveted Green Flag Award, won the Green School Award 2023 and is a national finalist for both the Independent School of the Year for Environmental Achievement 2023 and the ISA's Award for Excellence in Sustainability.