What 121 means in the Secondary Transfer Test
The Buckinghamshire result is a Secondary Transfer Test Score, commonly shortened to STTS. The council uses 121 as the qualifying score for grammar school consideration. It is a standardised result, not a percentage or a raw mark out of 121.
A child who reaches that standard has met the academic requirement. Families still apply for individual schools through the normal secondary application process.
Why scoring more than 121 does not secure a nearer place
Buckinghamshire Council explicitly explains that once a child is qualified, additional marks do not improve the chance of allocation or success at an admission appeal. The next question is the school’s oversubscription policy.
A fictional child scoring 130 outside a school’s priority area should not be assumed to rank ahead of a child scoring 121 inside it. Work through the actual policy categories rather than ordering qualified applicants by their test scores.
Check these details for every school
- Catchment and residence dates: confirm the relevant address and whether it meets the policy.
- Priority category: read the order of criteria, including any applicable sibling or other priority.
- Distance and ties: use the school’s published measurement and tie-break rules.
- Historical allocation: compare the same category and round, without treating last year’s outcome as a guarantee.
- CAF and travel: name the school on time and check the full weekday journey.
The Buckinghamshire route page links the shared testing system to the individual schools.
If the score is below 121
If your child is eligible for pupil premium, first check the school-specific provisions: Buckinghamshire says its grammar schools offer some places below 121 subject to a stated minimum score and other conditions, usually including catchment. The council asks families to send the relevant evidence to the school by the application deadline. This is separate from Selection Review.
Read the council’s Selection Review guidance promptly. A successful review can establish qualification, but it is not an offer or necessarily a change to the numerical score.
Before requesting a review, understand its effect on a later appeal. Buckinghamshire says an appeal panel following an unsuccessful review first considers whether that review was fair, consistent and objective. It is not simply a second opportunity to present the same academic case.
Submit the school application by the relevant deadline and include realistic alternatives. For the local process, read Buckinghamshire review or appeal. If a qualified application is later refused, the refusal’s waiting-list and appeal instructions explain the remaining options.
A FEW MORE ANSWERS
Still wondering?
Does 130 put a child ahead of someone with 121?
Buckinghamshire Council says a higher score does not make an already qualified child more likely to receive a grammar place. Allocation depends on the school’s published criteria.
What if a child qualifies through Selection Review?
A successful review means the child is treated as qualified in the same way as someone who scored at least 121. They still need an application and sufficient priority for a place.
Can a child living outside Buckinghamshire qualify?
Qualification and home address are separate considerations. Even a qualified child must meet the named school’s allocation rules, including any catchment and distance priorities.
Official sources
Checked 28 Sept 2026