Senior School

Welcome to Senior School

At Read School, we believe that education should be an adventure- one that blends our rich independent heritage with a fresh, modern approach to learning.

At the heart of everything we do are four simple, guiding values: fair-mindedness, hard work, enjoyment, and kindness. We place high importance on good manners, respect, self-discipline, and taking pride in both our community and the environment around us. Whether it’s in the classroom, on the sports field, or on stage, every effort and positive contribution is recognised and celebrated.

We know that pupils thrive when they are seen and valued as individuals. When children feel supported and understand that we believe in their potential, amazing things happen. The result? Fantastic academic outcomes, but more importantly, a genuine, lifelong love of learning.

Supporting Your Child’s Journey

To ensure every pupil receives the care and guidance they need at every stage of their education, our dedicated academic leadership team works closely with pupils and families:

Luke Johnson – Head of Key Stage 3: Guiding our younger senior pupils through those critical transition years, building confidence, curiosity, and strong foundations as they discover their passions.

Sara Scholefield – Head of Key Stage 4: Supporting pupils through their GCSE years with tailored guidance, academic focus, and the encouragement needed to reach their very best potential.

We’re proud to offer an all-round education where every child is known, supported, and inspired to succeed.

Learning Built Around Your Child

At Read School, we believe every pupil deserves a curriculum that inspires, challenges, and builds confidence. Our balanced and wide-ranging academic program is designed to spark curiosity, encouraging pupils to take ownership of their learning journey while feeling fully supported every step of the way.

A Strong, Broad Foundation

During their first three years in Senior School (Years 7–9), pupils enjoy a broad and engaging timetable that explores a rich variety of subjects.

To keep learning personal and interactive:

Small Class Sizes: Pupils are taught in two small form groups per year, allowing teachers to truly know every child and tailor their teaching.
A Smooth Transition: Around half of our Year 7 pupils join us fresh from primary schools, while the other half move up from our own Prep School. We take great care to make sure everyone settles in quickly and feels right at home from day one.
Dedicated Pastoral Care: Each form group is guided by a Form Tutor, who serves as the primary, friendly point of contact between home and school.

Tailored to Individual Needs

We know that no two learners are the same. Whether a pupil is academically gifted, requires extra learning support, or speaks English as an additional language, we adapt and adjust timetables to ensure every child has the exact tools, space, and encouragement they need to flourish.

‘ The quality of the pupils’ personal development is excellent...pupils display high levels of self-confidence, self-understanding and maturity for their age’

ISI inspection

A True School Family

At Read School, our supportive, family-feel atmosphere is at the very heart of daily life. We take pride in creating a warm, secure environment where every pupil is recognised and valued as an individual, builds self-confidence, and forms lasting friendships built on mutual respect and kindness.

We maintain high standards and expectations, which naturally creates a positive, relaxed, and purposeful atmosphere where children feel safe to be themselves and stretch their ambitions.

Outstanding Support & Well-Being

Your child’s happiness and welfare are supported at every step:

Whole-School Care: Pastoral care is overseen by our Deputy Head alongside our Director of Inclusive Learning, ensuring every pupil receives the exact care, encouragement, and guidance they need.
Dedicated Form Tutors: Every pupil belongs to a form group led by a Form Tutor who takes a personal interest in their progress, well-being, and day-to-day happiness.
Home Away from Home for Boarders: Our experienced house staff provide continuous personal and academic support for our boarding community, creating a safe, welcoming home environment.

We often say that a new pupil is never "new" for long at Read School- our welcoming community ensures children settle in quickly, feel right at home, and start thriving from their very first day.

Encouraging Positive Behaviour & Personal Growth

At Read School, we aim to build self-discipline, empathy, and self-awareness in all our pupils. We hold high standards for behaviour, but we also recognise that growing up means making mistakes- and that every mistake is a valuable opportunity to learn and grow.

A Restorative Approach

When things go off track, our focus is on understanding, learning, and resolution:

Understanding & Putting Things Right: Rather than simply issuing penalties, we take the time to help pupils understand the impact of their actions. We place strong emphasis on restorative conversations- helping pupils make amends and learn how to handle similar situations better in the future.
Constructive Problem-Solving: We actively teach cooperation and communication, helping young people resolve disagreements through constructive dialogue rather than conflict.

Proactive Pastoral Support

We continuously monitor the well-being and progress of every pupil so no one slips through the net:

Tailored Action Plans: Regular pastoral team meetings allow us to share insights and create personalised support plans whenever a pupil needs a extra boost—whether academically or personally.
Dedicated Professional Guidance: For pupils navigating personal challenges, we offer access to a qualified, confidential School Counsellor available to both day pupils and boarders, alongside strong connections to trusted local youth support services.

Through this balanced blend of clear boundaries and compassionate support, we empower our pupils to become thoughtful, resilient, and considerate individuals.

Health & Medical Care

Your child’s health and well-being are always our top priority. We provide professional, attentive medical care for both our day and boarding pupils in our fully equipped First Aid Centre, staffed by appropriately qualified first aid personnel.

Care for Boarders: Our boarding pupils are registered with a local medical practice in Selby, ensuring they have full access to professional healthcare, medical advice, and routine oversight whenever needed.
Open, Two-Way Communication: We believe in complete transparency when it comes to your child’s health. We will always reach out to parents and guardians if any health concerns arise, and we actively welcome families to contact us with any updates, questions, or medical needs.

By working closely with parents, we ensure every child receives the right care, support, and attention to feel safe, comfortable, and well looked after every day.

Inclusive Learning & Individual Growth

At Read School, we believe that every child has unique talents, perspectives, and potential. Many families choose our school because of our dedicated commitment to helping every pupil flourish- academically, socially, and personally.

Every child is respected, valued, and encouraged to contribute to our school community and the wider world. We provide a broad, balanced, and engaging curriculum designed to nurture individual strengths while preparing pupils for successful futures.

The Inclusive Learning Department (ILD)

Our Inclusive Learning Department exists to ensure every pupil has the tailored support they need to succeed. We recognise that many young people require a little extra input at different stages—whether that is short-term booster support for a specific challenge or ongoing guidance throughout their school journey.

We welcome and support a diverse range of learning profiles and needs, including:

Neurodivergent learners & specific learning differences (such as Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dyscalculia, ADHD, and Autism)
Speech, language, and communication needs
Sensory, physical, or medical conditions
Social, emotional, and mental health needs
Gifted and Talented learners seeking advanced challenge and stretch
Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plans or targeted learning plans
Gaps in knowledge resulting from moves or changes in schooling

Our commitment to quality was highlighted in our Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) report, which noted that "pupils, including those with SEND or EAL, achieve well and make good progress relative to their starting points."

Flexible, Targeted Support

As an inclusive school, our pupils learn alongside their peers in the classroom wherever possible. However, when specialised, individual focus helps boost confidence and attainment, we provide tailored provision based on individual needs:

In-Classroom Support: High-quality teaching adaptations and dedicated support to keep learning accessible and engaging.
Targeted Intervention: Small group workshops and one-to-one tuition to raise confidence and attainment in key areas.
Individual Action & Provision Mapping: Clear, personalised learning plans tailored specifically to your child’s goals.
Pastoral & Emotional Guidance: Access to continuous pastoral care and counselling to nurture self-esteem.

Partnering with Families

We know that the best outcomes happen when parents, pupils, and teachers work together as a team. We maintain open, transparent communication and welcome early conversations with both current and prospective families to explore how Read School can best support your child.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Read School is proud to be a vibrant, globally minded community. Every international pupil who joins us brings a rich cultural perspective that deeply enhances daily life for our entire school family.

Whether children join us in the Prep School, step into Senior School, or enter directly into our Sixth Form, we provide a welcoming environment where they settle quickly, build lasting friendships, and thrive academically. In recent years, we have had the privilege of welcoming families from across the globe, including Hong Kong, mainland China, Vietnam, Germany, Thailand, Japan, UAE, Malaysia, Ukraine, Spain, and beyond.

Tailored English Pathways & Recognised Qualifications

Our dedicated EAL specialists provide direct English language tuition alongside subject-specific classroom support, ensuring pupils build fluency for daily school life while earning internationally recognised credentials:

Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9): Younger pupils adapt rapidly and receive targeted EAL sessions integrated seamlessly into their weekly schedules.
Key Stage 4 (Years 10 & 11): Year 10 pupils work toward the Cambridge PET (Preliminary English Test), progressing in Year 11 to the Cambridge First Certificate (FCE)—both testing comprehensive speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills.
Sixth Form (Years 12 & 13): Sixth Form students prepare for the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) examination, opening doors to top UK and global universities.

Social Well-Being & Cultural Celebration

We know that moving to a new country and studying in a second language is a big milestone. Our EAL department provides dedicated pastoral support to ensure pupils feel supported every step of the way:

Settling In: We guide international students through British culture, school routines, and campus life so they feel at home from day one.
Celebrating Diversity: We regularly celebrate our multi-cultural heritage through social events and whole school events, for example 'International Day of Language'

At Read School, our international pupils are warmly welcomed, celebrated for their unique contributions, and fully supported toward bright, global futures.

Careers Education & Guidance

Preparing for the Real World & Beyond

At Read School, education goes far beyond the classroom. Our Careers Education and Guidance program equips pupils with the real-world skills, self-awareness, and industry knowledge needed to navigate future study options and launch fulfilling careers.

A Progressive Careers Journey (Years 7–11)

Embedded within our PSHE (Personal, Social, Health, and Economic) curriculum, our structured careers program helps pupils discover their strengths, explore dynamic career pathways, and plan for key transitions:

Years 7–9 (Exploration): Pupils build self-awareness, explore different industries, and discover how their personal interests align with future opportunities.
Years 10 & 11 (Focus & Choice): As pupils prepare for GCSEs and future post-16 choices, focus shifts to strategic action planning. Pupils benefit from:
- Independent Expert Guidance: One-to-one sessions with our external, professional careers advisor.
- Leadership Mentoring: Dedicated interviews with the Headteacher and Deputy Head to discuss future pathways.
- Morrisby Profiling: Access to the leading online Morrisby careers platform to match personality traits and strengths with potential career paths.

Annual Careers Fair: Connecting with Industry

Every year, Read School hosts a vibrant Careers Fair featuring over 40 local companies, employers, and industry leaders. Pupils get the opportunity to network, explore diverse career paths, and gain firsthand advice on how to stand out in university and job applications.

Sixth Form & Higher Education Support

For our Sixth Form students, career guidance becomes highly personalised to ensure a smooth transition to university, degree apprenticeships, or the world of work:

UCAS & Higher Education Guidance: Sixth Form tutors, academic departments, and the Head of Sixth Form offer comprehensive, individual support throughout the university application process.
University & Funding Insights: Regular visits from university experts and industry leaders cover essential topics, including student finance, apprenticeship choices, and university selection.
Specialist Pathways Mentoring: Students applying for highly competitive fields- such as Medicine, Veterinary Science, or Law- as well as those applying to Oxford and Cambridge, receive tailored, one-to-one mentoring, mock interviews, and application support.

Through early exploration, expert guidance, and strong industry links, we empower every pupil to step confidently into higher education and the modern workplace.