GCSE rank #61 In-site school
Aylesbury Grammar School
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Outstanding Boys only
Consortium guide
Buckinghamshire 11 Plus
Understand how the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test works, which schools share it, what the assessment usually looks like, and the practical checks to make before building a shortlist.
13 schools GL Assessment 7 key dates
Last checked 29 Mar 2026
Applies To
The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools group consists of 13 grammar schools situated throughout the county.
Test Format
GL Assessment sets the test, which covers maths, verbal skills, and non-verbal reasoning.
Eligibility
There are no formal entry requirements for the Buckinghamshire Transfer Test.
Places Available
Each year, there are around 2,300 to 2,400 grammar school places available across the 13 schools in the Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools…
Applications
Each year, approximately 7,000 to 8,000 children take the Buckinghamshire 11 Plus Test.
01 / Route overview
What this route covers
The Buckinghamshire Transfer Test is an 11 Plus exam set by GL Assessment and is used by all grammar schools in Buckinghamshire.
In this section
- What the route covers
- Which schools use it
- What to compare next
Buckinghamshire 11 Plus is a shared route used by 13 schools, so it helps to get clear on the test, timeline, and school list before narrowing further.
Once the Buckinghamshire route itself is clear, the shortlist usually improves when you compare travel, admissions rules, and school fit instead of treating every school on the route as interchangeable.
Schools using this route
These are the schools currently linked to the Buckinghamshire route.
GCSE rank #73 In-site school
Aylesbury High School
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Outstanding Girls only
GCSE rank #47 In-site school
Beaconsfield High School
Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Outstanding Girls only
GCSE rank #103 In-site school
Burnham Grammar School
Slough, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Good Mixed
GCSE rank #66 In-site school
Chesham Grammar School
Chesham, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Outstanding Mixed
GCSE rank #80 In-site school
Dr Challoner's Grammar School
Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Outstanding Boys only
GCSE rank #27 In-site school
Dr Challoner's High School
Amersham, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Outstanding Girls only
GCSE rank #87 In-site school
John Hampden Grammar School
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Outstanding Boys only
GCSE rank #69 In-site school
The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Good Boys only
GCSE rank #81 In-site school
Royal Latin School
Buckingham, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Good Mixed
GCSE rank #85 In-site school
Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Outstanding Mixed
GCSE rank #89 In-site school
Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
Marlow, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Outstanding Mixed
GCSE rank #68 In-site school
Wycombe High School
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Ofsted: Outstanding Girls only
What to compare next
- Travel time and how realistic the school day looks from home
- Oversubscription and admissions rules applied after the test result
- School type, setting, and whether the environment suits your child
- Any route-specific deadlines, forms, or extra steps to keep alongside the shared test
02 / Selection test
Exam format and structure
The Buckinghamshire Transfer Test consists of multiple-choice papers in maths, verbal skills, and non-verbal reasoning. There is no creative writing task. The test is designed to assess your child’s academic ability and reasoning skills, and to compare their performance with other applicants.
In this section
- Paper structure
- Subjects covered
- Stages or provider
Paper structure
Paper 1: Verbal Skills (GL Assessment)
See the papers and topics below.
Paper 2: Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning (GL Assessment)
See the papers and topics below.
What the test covers
Approximately 60 minutes in length, which includes instructions and practice questions which won’t be marked
Assessed English comprehension, grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, and verbal reasoning
All questions are multiple choice
Covers Key Stage 2 maths topics, such as problem-solving and applying knowledge to unfamiliar questions
Includes visual and spatial reasoning questions
Designed to assess logic and pattern recognition skills
Paper 2 also lasts approximately 60 minutes, including instructions and practice questions which do not count towards their final score. Both sections are multiple-choice format.
03 / Scoring
Pass mark and score guidance
Your child’s Buckinghamshire 11 Plus Test raw marks are age-standardised to allow fair comparison between children of different ages. Each child receives standardised scores for verbal skills, maths, and non-verbal reasoning, which are then combined using a weighting system: verbal skills count for 50% of the total score, while maths and non-verbal reasoning each count for 25%.
In this section
- Score mix
- Threshold notes
- How marks are described
To qualify for a grammar school place, a child must achieve a Secondary Transfer Test Score (STTS) of 121 or above. There is no fixed minimum score for individual sections. The qualifying score is set each year to select roughly the top 30–35% of the cohort.
04 / Applications
Key dates and how to apply
How to Apply for the Buckinghamshire Transfer Test
In this section
- Registration timing
- Test day
- Application steps
Key dates
Registration opens
Friday 2nd May 2025
Registration closes
Friday 13th June 2025
Practice test
Tuesday 9th September 2025
Test date
Thursday 11th September 2025
Results day
Friday 10th October 2025
Secondary school application deadline
Friday 31st October 2025
National offer day
Monday 2nd March 2026
Application steps
Automatic registration
Most children at Buckinghamshire state primary schools are automatically registered for the Transfer Test by their school.
Manual registration
If your child attends a school outside Buckinghamshire, you must complete the online application on the Buckinghamshire Council website during the registration window. You’ll need to provide your child’s details and current school information.
Test centre allocation
The council will assign a test centre for children who do not attend a Buckinghamshire primary school.
Confirmation
After registering, you’ll receive a confirmation email. Keep this for your records.
Once your child achieves the qualifying score, each grammar school applies its own admissions criteria. These may include distance from the school, sibling priority, pupil premium eligibility, or children of staff. Check the relevant school’s website for details on their admissions policy and application process.
07 / Shortlisting
Admissions points to compare school by school
Once the route itself is clear, treat the linked schools as separate choices. This is usually where travel, oversubscription rules, and school fit start to matter most.
In this section
- Travel and realism
- Oversubscription rules
- School-by-school fit
The shared route keeps the testing process simpler, but the final shortlist usually depends on how each linked school applies its admissions rules and how practical each option still looks once travel is taken seriously.
Check these before you rank schools
- Travel time and how realistic the school day looks from home
- Oversubscription and admissions rules applied after the test result
- School type, setting, and whether the environment suits your child
- Any route-specific deadlines, forms, or extra steps to keep alongside the shared test
08 / Preparation
How to prepare for this route
Supporting your child’s preparation for the Buckinghamshire Transfer Test can make a significant difference. Here are some practical steps to help them succeed:
In this section
- What to practise
- How to plan
- How to stay grounded
Start Early
Begin preparation in Year 4 or early Year 5 to give your child plenty of time to develop key skills.
Use Practice Papers
Work through Buckinghamshire-style 11 Plus practice papers under timed conditions. This helps your child become familiar with the exam format and improve their test technique.
Focus on Weak Areas
Monitor your child’s progress to identify topics that need extra attention.
Encourage Daily Reading
Regular reading builds vocabulary, comprehension, and critical thinking skills, supporting both verbal skills and reasoning papers.
Try Online Tools
Use online resources that offer Buckinghamshire-specific practice questions and provide personalised feedback to make revision more effective and engaging.
Consistent, structured, and positive preparation can help your child feel confident and ready for the test.
09 / FAQs
Questions families often ask
Use these answers as a planning guide, then confirm the live admissions details for your application year.
In this section
- Common questions
- Decision checks
- Application-year details
Does one Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test result cover every school on this page? +
In broad terms, yes: the shared Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test route lets one test result support several school applications. The important caveat is that final admissions rules can still differ between the schools using that route.
Does a qualifying score guarantee a place? +
No. A strong or qualifying result may keep a school in play, but final offers still depend on the admissions policy, oversubscription rules, and how competitive that year is.
What should parents compare once the route itself is clear? +
Parents usually make better decisions when they compare catchment, out-of-county realism, boys’ versus girls’ options, and the difference between a qualifying result and a realistic eventual offer. That turns a broad route into a realistic shortlist instead of a wish list.
Who usually manages registration or applications for Buckinghamshire? +
The live process usually sits with Buckinghamshire Council and the participating grammar schools. This page helps you understand the route, but the final registration and admissions instructions should always be checked on the live official pages for the relevant year.