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Our View
There is something in the air at Leighton Park. The school’s long-standing focus on values, character and community alongside academic achievement now feels very relevant, zeitgeisty even, and it has quietly become a real contender for both local and international parents. Pupils genuinely love their school and thrive on the creative and analytical approach to their studies, alongside the emphasis on personal development where all pupils are encouraged to become ethical changemakers.
We loved the open spaces and sense of peace, the creative energy so evident in the new Music and Media Centre and the D&T suite, the gentle good manners of the pupils and the thoughtful, child-centred focus of the staff. This is a school rising far beyond its smart new buildings, and even beyond its Quaker foundations.
Where?
Leighton Park is set in 65 acres of beautiful parkland, in the Shinfield area of Reading right next to the university. Once inside the secure gates, the school has a country-campus vibe with a mixture of listed and modern buildings, and a wonderful sense of space and calm.
Reading is super well-connected – it’s just 30 minutes into London Paddington by train, and about the same to Heathrow airport, and there’s also an excellent local road network.
Head
Matthew Judd arrived at Leighton Park in 2018 from Haberdashers’ Aske’s in north London, where he was second master and head of prep. He lives on site with his husband, and is a brilliant, energetic and charismatic head who has moved the school forward considerably since his arrival.
Deputy head Eddie Falshaw also speaks passionately about the school’s seven core values, based on its Quaker origins: simplicity, truth, respect, integrity, peace, equality and sustainability. He’s big on the importance of student voice too; monthly meetings serve as an open suggestion box for pupils to express improvements or changes they would like to see. Unusually, pupils call teachers by their first names here. It’s all part of the culture of mutual respect, with Dr Falshaw telling us ‘it provides a different dynamic – conversation is about dialogue rather than hierarchical structure, which creates a powerful relationship between staff and pupils’.
The Quaker ethos is perhaps most strongly evident in the periods of silence and reflection built into the school day. There is 10 minutes of silence at the end of each assembly and, as at lunch during our visit, a bell is rung at any point as a call to pause activities and silently reflect. It is an astonishing and moving sight to see a full and buzzing dining hall stop in its tracks, if only for a few moments. We’re assured by pupils that you quickly get used to it, and that they enjoy taking a moment of peace during a busy day.
In September '25 Luke Walters will take over as head - Luke comes to the school from Christ's Hospital School, where he has been deputy head since 2019. He was previously part of the senior team at Ardingly College, and prior to that worked at Marlborough College Malaysia and Reading Blue Coat.
Admissions
Leighton Park describes itself as ‘selective but not elite’. The main entry points are Years 7, 9 and 12, and prospective pupils sit a test in maths and English and have an interview.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, with parents now valuing more than purely academic success, entry is becoming more competitive. The school has just had the go-ahead to raise pupil numbers from 550 to 600, though these additional places will mostly be in the sixth form.
Academics and destinations
The curriculum here is rigorous and innovative, with lessons designed to help shape pupils into changemakers and ensure they feel confident tackling complex problems. STEAM subjects sit front and centre; engineering is taught in Years 7 to 9 and offered as a GCSE option, and there is an additional emphasis on subjects including D&T and computer science.
From Year 7, pupils get stuck into timetabled lessons called Approaches to Learning, which cover areas including metacognition, AI, referencing, collaboration, presentation skills and coaching. There’s also a full carousel of options including food and nutrition, D&T, music, media production, dance and drama, giving pupils plenty of opportunity to discover their passions before making their GCSE choices. Global perspectives is up for grabs as a subject at GCSE, reflecting Leighton Park’s emphasis on intercultural understanding, and the school’s national award-winning personal development programme, Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) and borrowed from the International Baccalaureate philosophy, runs in Years 8, 10 and 12.
The sixth-form offering is exceptionally broad. There is a long list of A-level subjects, including music tech, Mandarin, computer science and business alongside the option of following the IB programme, and pupils can also sign up for a CTEC in sport and physical activity and a BTEC Level 3 in digital film and media production. Results are strong, with top performers achieving strings of As and 40+ in IB, but with every pupil achieving the best result possible for them.
Leavers’ destinations are as diverse as the pupils themselves. Last year, 62 per cent chose STEAM-related university courses and 19 per cent opted for specialist arts degrees. A significant number go on to prestigious conservatoires, reflecting the outstanding musical ability of many of the pupils, and overseas institutions are gaining popularity.
Co-curricular
Creative energy ripples through the school, and music and drama are nothing short of fabulous. The magnificent new Music and Media Centre – complete with a 500-seat theatre and a media production suite – hosts concerts every week, and 60 per cent of pupils play an instrument, all the way up to the sixth form. Musical successes come thick and fast too: the Bassoon Quartet won ISA School Band of the Year, songwriters won first and second place in the composition category and the acapella group are current national champions. This year’s whole-school production of West Side Story received rave reviews, and the junior drama group Quercus have just performed Alice in Wonderland at the ISA Drama Competition. Learning is supported by innovative partnerships: Leighton Park is a flagship Yamaha music education partner (the only one in Europe), which means fantastic equipment at pupils’ fingertips and professional musicians visiting regularly to work with pupils.
The art department houses a string of studio spaces dedicated to different areas including etching and lithography, and pupils are heartily encouraged to experiment and develop their own artistic style. Fine art is a popular A-level subject, with options including textiles and photography.
There is lots of investment going into sport, including the new LED-lit Astroturf, with the full Sport and Wellness Centre planned for 2026 described as ‘the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle’. Leighton Park believes in sport and wellness for all, and there are more than 30 options, from rugby to yoga, with the aim that everyone will find something that they enjoy. The main sports are football, hockey and netball, and there is a partnership with Chelsea FC, as well as an Advanced Performer Programme with weekly strength and conditioning, nutritional support and inspiring guest speakers for sports scholars and athletes.
All Year 9 pupils take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award, and popular extracurricular clubs include Warhammer, cookery, model gliders, chess, fixing bikes and building drones – and the school is always open to new ideas.
School community
As one would expect at a Quaker school, kindness is nurtured and differences are embraced. One pupil told us that ‘the school feels warm, like a hug’, and there is little to no bullying due to the culture of mutual respect.
Students are proud to be a member of one of the school’s four houses, with a range of community activities laid on to bring everyone together and charity initiatives to support the wider community. There is an opportunity for all students to shine in a dizzying array of competitive events, from performing arts to sports and academics.
The school’s Changemaker Programme encourages social action and service, with a focus on sustainability. For example, there is a drive to reduce waste in the school kitchen, and as pupils enter the dining hall a screen displays the weekly numbers because, according to Mr Falshaw, ‘pupils need to see the reality for change to happen’.
The Oakleaf Diploma, much loved by sixth-formers, is the school's bespoke ‘adulting’ programme designed to ensure pupils leave Leighton Park with skills for life. There are lessons in everything from managing finances, letter-writing, cooking and ironing to learning how to tie a bow tie, recognising that soft skills are just as important to success as exam results.
And finally....
While some of the more informal structures may not appeal to everyone, we think there is so much to be lauded at Leighton Park. Pupils quickly get used to the culture and really thrive at a school where they are encouraged to develop personally and academically, and above all to make a positive difference in the world.
As one eloquent sixth-former told us, ‘You can always tell when you meet an Old Leightonian as they still have that sense of purpose’ – and surely no parent could ask for more than that.