We're Finalists in the Education Choices Awards!

We're delighted to have been selected as Finalists by Education Choices magazine for their Developing School Partnerships Award 2026! 

For more than 135 years, Leighton Park  has combined academic excellence with its founding Quaker values of integrity, community and service. These values shape every aspect of school life and underpin our commitment to meaningful partnerships that extend opportunities beyond our own campus.

We were the first independent school in the UK to receive an ISI 'Significant Strength' judgement for values-led education. Our partnerships embody this ethos by creating impactful educational experiences across sport, music, drama, STEAM, literacy and teacher training for schools across Reading and Berkshire.

Sport Partnerships

Leighton Park hosts regular KS2 Festivals of Sport, welcoming pupils from up to 20 maintained primary schools each year. Events in football, hockey, netball, rugby, cricket and swimming provide coaching, mentoring and inclusive participation opportunities led by Leighton Park students, sports scholars and staff.

Our swimming partnership, the longest-running in the school’s history, gives local children weekly access to our 25m pool, with Year 10 Sports Leaders supporting lessons and building younger pupils’ confidence. One visiting Headteacher commented that some children were entering a swimming pool for the first time.

Sixth Form students studying Cambridge Technical (CTEC) Sport qualifications deliver coaching sessions in local schools, developing leadership, communication and organisational skills while supporting younger pupils’ wellbeing and participation. Students also complete a Level 2 Sports Leadership qualification through our CAS programme, acting as mentors, referees and role models.

Each year we host the ISA Inclusive Sports Festival in partnership with Power2Inspire, enabling students from visiting schools to participate in adapted sports including Boccia, Goalball and Sitting Volleyball, reinforcing our commitment to equality and inclusion.

Music Partnerships

Between 2024 and 2026, Leighton Park students delivered more than 960 hours of music partnership activity benefiting over 1,200 young people.

Our partnership with the Kennet Federation includes choir support for KS2 pupils, instrumental tuition and access to Grade 1 music examinations hosted at Leighton Park. These experiences broaden aspirations, develop confidence and provide access to opportunities many pupils would not otherwise experience.

Drama and Dance Partnerships

Leighton Park works closely with The Wren School and The Ridgeway Primary School to deliver workshops, collaborative performances and curriculum enrichment.

GCSE Drama students from The Wren participate in professional theatre workshops alongside Leighton Park students, while Year 10 students lead weekly drama sessions at Ridgeway Primary. Visiting pupils are invited to perform in our Summer Showcase, building confidence, creativity and communication skills.

Dance partnerships see Leighton Park students working with local primary schools to create contemporary dance performances showcased during our annual Let’s Dance event.

STEAM Partnerships

One of our most significant partnerships has been with The Royal Institution. Following specialist training, our A Level Mathematics students deliver masterclasses for Year 6 pupils from maintained schools, developing younger students’ confidence and enthusiasm for mathematical problem-solving while strengthening our students’ communication and leadership skills.

As a pilot school for the Royal Institution’s Computer Science initiative, Leighton Park students have also supported coding and digital skills sessions at Redlands Primary School.

Our annual STEAMFest welcomes more than 300 KS2 pupils each year for hands-on learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. Since 2020, almost 1,800 pupils from 27 local schools have participated.

Literacy Partnerships

Through the Oakleaf Diploma and our partnership with the charity ABC to Read, every Lower Sixth student is trained as a reading mentor and volunteers weekly in local primary schools. Students support literacy and oracy development while developing empathy, resilience and leadership skills that continue to shape their future careers.

Be Inspired Programme

Our Be Inspired programme provides free enrichment opportunities for local schools through workshops, events and educational visits. Activities include creative writing, sustainable cooking, STEAM, sports nutrition and cultural celebrations.

This year alone, 700 students from 32 school visits have participated, with over 90% rating workshops as “fabulous”. All activities are offered free of charge, with transport support available to remove barriers to participation.

Teacher Training Partnerships

Leighton Park has become a significant contributor to teacher development through partnerships with the University of Reading, Astra Alliance and Wokingham Federation SCITT.

Since hosting its first trainee in 2019, the programme has expanded significantly, supporting trainees across a broad range of subjects. The initiative strengthens the local education sector, with 35 non-Leighton Park teachers qualifying through these partnerships.

Leighton Park also regularly hosts leadership events and professional development opportunities for schools across Reading Borough.

Our partnerships reflect a deeply held belief that education should be outward-facing, collaborative and transformative. By empowering our students to serve others while widening access to opportunity, Leighton Park continues to build a connected educational community shaped by compassion, inclusion and meaningful social impact.

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