Our Location
Where you can find us.
Located just 5 minutes from Junction 11 on M4, John Madejski Academy is easily accessible from all of its surrounding locations including, Slough, Oxford, Basingstoke and London.
About Reading
Whether you are looking for the excitement of a modern city, or the charms of English countryside at its most beautiful, you’re sure to find it in Reading, the heart of Royal Berkshire. Reading is surrounded by Henley, Windsor, Oxford, and a host of lovely Thameside villages and is a 30 minute train journey away from central London.
Reading is the embodiment of over a thousand years of history combined successfully with all the assets of a modern, vibrant city. The Victorian red-brick buildings for which we are famous, nestle beside beautiful medieval churches, famous old coaching inns sit opposite high-tech office developments - there is a surprise around every corner.
Reading prides itself on being a family-friendly kind of place.
Urban life
Reading’s economy attracts international blue-chip investment and is home to Verizon, Cisco, Symantec, Microsoft, Oracle, Prudential, Logica CMG, Yell and IMG
Reading is one of the UK's top ten retail destinations. The town boasts two impressive shopping centres, The Oracle and Broad Street Mall.
Aside from the two shopping centres, you will find all your favourite high street brand names in Reading - either on Broad Street (our main shopping thoroughfare) or in the side roads between Friar Street and Broad Street.
Reading has a hugely diverse range of excellent restaurants and eateries. Within the Borough there are well in excess of 100 licensed establishments in a huge variety of styles, from modern wine bars and cafe bars to new-style and traditional public houses.
Rural life
In 2007, Reading was named Regional Winner and Best in the Region in the city category of the 2007 Thames and Chilterns in Bloom Competition.
In addition The Forbury Gardens – a Greenflag award winning formal gardens in the heart of the town centre were named Best Park in Region.
Remarkable landscapes abound in Berkshire - the scenery around Reading is some of the best you will find anywhere in the south - from pretty Thameside villages to the inspiring beauty of the Chilterns, the scenery is always changing and always to be admired.
Reading grew between two great rivers - the Thames and Kennet. The majestic Thames comes through the town just north of the town centre, on its way from Henley to Oxford. The Kennet flows through the heart of The Oracle Shopping and Leisure Complex and meanders past some of the most historic parts of the town centre.
Transport
By Air
Heathrow Airport
The local airport is Heathrow - just 25 minutes drive time straight along the M4. Reading is served by a half hourly direct coach service between Heathrow and Reading Station - RailAir Link. The quickest and most convenient way is by the RailAir coach link. Regular departures from the station approx every 30 minutes, 7 days a week.
Gatwick Airport
A regular train service runs between Reading and Gatwick, or you can use the Railair Coach link to Heathrow and catch a Flightlink bus from Heathrow coach station.
Gatwick Airport is about 1 1/2 hours by road (M4/M25) or use the regular train service.
Southampton (Eastleigh) airport is about 1 hour (M3/A33)
By Ferry
Routes from Portsmouth and Southampton are easy, about 1 1/2 hours drive, or again there are regular direct services by train.
By Train
Reading is one of the busiest national rail interchanges in Britain and has direct routes to almost every part of the UK.
http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/
By Coach
National Express coaches serve Calcot (about 6 miles west of Reading centre, just off M4 Junc12). Any local bus on the Calcot/A4 route heading east will take you into the town centre.
http://www.nationalexpress.com
http://www.stagecoachbus.com/
By Bus
Reading has an excellent local bus service. Reading Buses serves the entire Reading urban area and some of the local villages. Newbury Buses offers routes between Reading and Newbury/West Berkshire. Other rural areas are served by Arriva, First and Thames Travel buses.
By Car
Parking in Reading is relatively easy as the town has plenty of good quality muliti storey car-parks. Real time traffic information signs on main routes into the town centre will advise you if car parks are full. You may wish to avoid traffic stress by using one of our Park and Ride Services. Parking is free, and you can save money by buying a return or family ticket on the bus. Buses run approximately every 8 minutes.
