Highdown School and Sixth Form CentreMaiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge
Inspection, results, pupils and attendance side by side in Reading.
Summary of the comparison
Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre and Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge are secondary schools in Reading.
Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre scores 63 out of 100 (grade C, average) and Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge scores 49 out of 100 (grade D, below average). Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre is ahead on our composite score.
Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre was judged Good and Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge was judged the expected standard.
On GCSE Attainment 8, the latest published figures are 54.9 for Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre and 39.2 for Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge.
GCSE Attainment 8 has risen at Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre (51.9 in 2021-22, 54.9 in 2025-26) and has fallen at Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge (49.4 in 2021-22, 39.2 in 2025-26).
Side-by-side comparison
| Measure | ReadingHighdown School and Sixth Form Centre | ReadingMaiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge | England average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overview | |||
| Our score | C63/100Stronger figure | D49/100 | |
| Local ranking | 3rd of 10 in Reading | 34th of 41 in Oxfordshire | |
| Inspection | Ofsted: Good | Ofsted: Expected | |
| School type | Academy converter | Academy sponsor led | |
| Phase | Secondary | Secondary | |
| Age range | 11-18 | 11-16 | |
| Gender | Mixed | Mixed | |
| Pupils on roll | 1,537 | 374 | |
| Capacity | 1,440 | 934 | |
| Location | Reading, RG4 8LR | Reading, RG4 9LN | |
| GCSE results | |||
| Attainment 8 | 54.9 Stronger figure | 39.2 | 46.2 |
| Grade 5+ in English & maths | 64.4% Stronger figure | 32.1% | 46.3% |
| Grade 4+ in English & maths | 79.6% Stronger figure | 51.3% | 64.8% |
| Cohort | 250 | 78 | |
| A-level results | |||
| A-level entries | 141 | Not reported | |
| A-level average points | 34.4 | Not reported | 35.0 |
| A-level average grade | C+ | Not reported | |
| Best 3 A-levels points | 34.7 | Not reported | 35.8 |
| AAB+ incl. facilitating subjects | 16.8% | Not reported | 17.5% |
| Pupils | |||
| Pupils in the census | 1,545 | 421 | |
| Free school meals (ever 6) | 11.1% | 24.7% | |
| English as an additional language | 16.1% | 9.3% | |
| SEN support | 11.6% | 29.4% | |
| SEN with an EHC plan | 1.7% | 6.4% | |
| Attendance | |||
| Overall absence | 8.3% Stronger figure | 11.3% | 6.2% |
| Persistent absence | 21.0% Stronger figure | 29.1% | 15.8% |
marks the stronger figure on measures with a clear direction. Rows describing a school's intake, such as free school meals, English as an additional language and SEN, carry no marker: they describe who a school serves, not how well it serves them.
Historical trends
Each solid line is one school; the dashed line is the national average.
GCSE Attainment 8
GCSE Progress 8
Overall absence
Free school meal eligibility (ever 6)
Pupils on roll
Ethnicity over time
One panel per school: the largest groups across this comparison, one colour per group, on a shared scale.
Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre
Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge
Full profiles: Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre · Maiden Erlegh Chiltern Edge