Buckinghamshire / Buckinghamshire 11+
Chesham Road, Amersham, HP6 5HA
Dr Challoner's Grammar School
1
A selective boys grammar school in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,368 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective boys grammar school in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,368 pupils on roll. Families looking at Amersham, Buckinghamshire will usually see Dr Challoner's Grammar School as a selective option for boys aged 11-18, with sixth form continuing the academic journey on the same site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,368 pupils on roll and 180 Year 7 places.
For parents thinking about the 11+, the admissions picture is one of the clearest differentiators here. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 180 places available in Year 7 and roughly 2.8 applicants per place in the latest stored admissions picture. Catchment or distance rules still matter at allocation stage, so this is the kind of school where families need to read the admissions policy carefully rather than rely on headline scores alone.
On current official measures, the school offers a clear academic profile for parents to weigh up. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 1.18 and Attainment 8 at 77.5. 99.5% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 57.8% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 80% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Theatre. The wider offer currently includes Drama, Duke of Edinburgh. For many parents, the presence of a sixth form is part of the attraction, because it gives able pupils the option to stay in a familiar academic setting through to A level. Dr Challoner's Grammar School is likely to appeal most to families who want strong academic expectations but also need the practical details, culture, and selective route to line up sensibly.
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Buckinghamshire and England.
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Buckinghamshire and England.
Latest 2024/25 Year 11 destination mix compared with Buckinghamshire and England.
Dr Challoner's Grammar School has 180 Year 7 places for 2027 entry. Applications are handled through Buckinghamshire Council, and catchment-linked applicants must complete the school's SIF.
Rules 2, 3, 4, and 6 in the 2027 policy depend on living in Dr Challoner's catchment area, and affected applicants must complete the school's SIF so the address can be checked.
) — Understanding the terms we use — What to do if you are moving to a new house — If you miss the applicat...
) — Understanding the terms we use — What to do if you are moving to a new house — If you miss the applications deadline — National Offer Day: your child's school place offer — Waiting lists — Changing your preferences — Later allocation rounds Timeline for entry 2026 Children born between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2015 will be moving up to secondary school in September
The dates are below. 2025 2 May to 13 June – Secondary Transfer Test registration window Children who do no...
The dates are below. 2025 2 May to 13 June – Secondary Transfer Test registration window Children who do not attend a state-funded Buckinghamshire primary school, and who want to be considered for a Buckinghamshire grammar school, are registered by their families for the Secondary Transfer Test. Children who attend a state-funded Buckinghamshire primary school are registered for testing automatically. If you do not want your child to be tested, you should tell your child’s school. If your child does not attend a state-funded Buckinghamshire primary school and you have missed the deadline to register for testing, contact admissions . September to October - open events Find my child a school place Open events information for 2026 entry will be added to our school directory when they are available. Open events are the easiest way to see a school first-hand. You may need to make an appointment. 1 September – deadline for a new address for grammar school preferences For most grammar schools, this is the cut-off date for the home address they’ll use for applicants in their first round of allocations, but you should check each grammar school’s admissions policy to make sure. Your old address must also have been disposed of by this date, for your new address to be accepted. If your home address changes after this date, your previous address will still be used for allocations on National Offer Day and in the reallocation round . If your home address changes, you must provide us with evidence . 4 September - applications open You can apply for a secondary school place. September - Secondary Transfer Tests Secondary Transfer Testing will take place on: 9 and 11 September for children attending Buckinghamshire primary schools and partner schools 9 and 11 September, or 10 and 12 September, for children attending out of county schools For children who do not attend a state-funded Buckinghamshire primary school or Partner school, capacity for grammar school testing is limited: if that capacity is exceeded, further testing sessions may be organised on different dates. 10 October - Secondary Transfer Test results Children who sat the Secondary Transfer Test by 12 September will receive their results on 10 October. Children who sat the Secondary Transfer Test after 12 September will receive their results as soon as possible after 10 October. 24 October - Last date to hand in paper application This is the latest date for families of children who go to a state-funded Buckinghamshire primary school to hand a paper application form into their child’s school. 31 October - deadline for a new address for upper school preferences The latest date for moving into Buckinghamshire for us to use this address for allocations to upper/all-ability schools on National Offer Day and in the reallocation round . Your old address must also have been disposed of by this date, for your new address to be accepted. Buckinghamshire grammar schools have earlier deadlines. If your home address changes, you must provide us with evidence . 31 October - secondary school applications close at midnight Buckinghamshire residents have until midnight to submit their online secondary school application. If you are posting a paper application, it must reach us no later than 31 October. All applicants must submit address evidence to accompany their application. 21 November Deadline for late application Deadline for a late application (if submitted with evidence to support exceptional reasons for lateness) to be considered timely. Deadline for all change of address evidence Deadline for all evidence of address changes to be submitted, for the address to be used in relation to allocations on National Offer Day and in the reallocation round. 2026 30 January Deadline for armed forces/crown servant families to submit their child’s application and/or evidence of a posting to Buckinghamshire, for the application to be processed in time for National Offer Day. 2 March - National Offer Day View your school place offer. If you applied via the online application portal you will be able to log in and view your child’s offer. You will also be sent an email. Families who applied on a paper form or online Common Application Form (CAF) will be emailed if an email address was provided. 19 June - last date for late testing This is the latest date we can receive evidence to agree to register a child for the Secondary Transfer Test if they have very recently moved into the area. Testing will take place in July. If you move to Buckinghamshire after this date you will need to make an in year application and provide evidence of your move. Testing will take place in the Autumn term. View our information on
The Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test applies. It has two papers, is age-standardised, and assesses verbal, non-verbal, and mathematical skills.
This school uses the shared Buckinghamshire consortium route. The consortium page brings together the common test format, key dates and official papers used across that route.
Open Buckinghamshire guidePaper 1
VR, Maths, NVR
Secondary Transfer Test paper 1
First of the two Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test papers used for grammar-school qualification.
Paper 2
VR, Maths, NVR
Secondary Transfer Test paper 2
Second of the two Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test papers; the combined sections assess verbal, non-verbal and mathematical skills.
Maths, Verbal reasoning and Non-verbal reasoning are included in the published format.
English, Science and Creative writing are not listed in the current published format.
Maths
Verbal reasoning
First of the two Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test papers used for grammar-school qualification.
Non-verbal reasoning
First of the two Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test papers used for grammar-school qualification.
English
Science
Creative writing
Secondary Transfer Test registration opens
1 May 2026
Secondary Transfer Test registration closes
2 June 2026
Test invitations sent
7 August 2026
Practice Test
8 September 2026
Transfer Test
10 September 2026
Transfer Test results released
9 October 2026
Secondary application deadline
31 October 2026
Read the Year 7 admissions page and policy
Start with the school's Year 7 admissions page and the 2027 admissions policy to check the catchment-linked rules.
Open Year 7 admissionsRegister for the Secondary Transfer Test
If your child is not automatically entered through a Buckinghamshire state-funded primary school, register through Buckinghamshire Council during the published test window.
Register for the testSubmit the school's SIF if needed
Families applying under the catchment-linked rules must complete the school's Supplementary Information Form by the published autumn deadline.
Check the SIF rulesSubmit the secondary application
List Dr Challoner's Grammar School on your home local authority secondary application by the national deadline.
Apply for a secondary placeLatest official destinations data currently covers 2022/23 study leavers.
Recent trend
This follows the school's published overall GCSE score across the subjects pupils take. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 77.9 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 77.5 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 77.5 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 73.9 | 72.3 | 46.8 |
Recent trend
This follows the published average A-level result for the school's sixth form. Higher is better.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | A average (51.0 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | A- average (47.1 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | A- average (46.9 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | A- average (47.4 points) | 41.8 points | 35.0 points |
Recent trend
This follows the share of pupils moving into a sustained destination after Year 11, such as education, apprenticeships, or employment.
| Year | This school | Grammar schools | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/22 | 99% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 100% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 98% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 98% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 0% |
Latest inspection: 6 November 2019
Local rivals first, then nearby alternatives that still fit the same shortlist-building context.
Same Buckinghamshire area and similar boys' selective route
Same Buckinghamshire area and similar boys' selective route
Same Buckinghamshire area and similar boys' selective route
Same wider selective region with a comparable travel distance
Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Similar Attainment 8 and Progress 8
Best Grammar Schools in Buckinghamshire
Compare the best grammar schools in Buckinghamshire for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Buckinghamshire sits within the Buckinghamshire route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
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Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Best Grammar Schools in Buckinghamshire
Compare the best grammar schools in Buckinghamshire for the 2026 admissions cycle using published GCSE results, Ofsted, admissions routes, and practical local context. Much of Buckinghamshire sits within the Buckinghamshire route, so shared testing still matters alongside each school's own admissions rules.
Best Boys' Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best boys grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county and Ofsted before comparing realistic shortlist options.
Best Grammar Schools in the UK
Explore the best grammar schools in the UK with a national ranking parents can filter by county, school type, and Ofsted. Useful for broad searches like top UK grammar schools, grammar school rankings, and 11+ school shortlists.
Best Grammar Schools by A-level Results
Explore the best grammar schools by A-level results in the UK, ranked by the published share of students achieving AAB or better at A level.
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Dr Challoner's Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Read the Year 7 admissions page and policy: Start with the school's Year 7 admissions page and the 2027 admissions policy to check the catchment-linked rules. 2. Register for the Secondary Transfer Test: If your child is not automatically entered through a Buckinghamshire state-funded primary school, register through Buckinghamshire Council during the published test window. 3. Submit the school's SIF if needed: Families applying under the catchment-linked rules must complete the school's Supplementary Information Form by the published autumn deadline. 4. Submit the secondary application: List Dr Challoner's Grammar School on your home local authority secondary application by the national deadline.
Secondary Transfer Test registration opens: 1 May 2026. Secondary Transfer Test registration closes: 2 June 2026. Test invitations sent: 7 August 2026. Practice Test: 8 September 2026. Transfer Test: 10 September 2026. Transfer Test results released: 9 October 2026. Secondary application deadline: 31 October 2026
Dr Challoner's Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 6 November 2019.