Buckinghamshire / Buckinghamshire 11+
Marlow Hill, High Wycombe, HP11 1SZ
John Hampden Grammar School
1
A selective boys grammar school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,271 pupils on roll.
At a glance
At a glance
A selective boys grammar school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, serving ages 11-18 with a sixth form and around 1,271 pupils on roll. John Hampden Grammar School serves boys aged 11-18 and keeps a full sixth form on site. Current published roll and admissions data point to around 1,271 pupils on roll and 180 Year 7 places.
From a family point of view, admissions are likely to be one of the most important parts of the picture. The current route includes GL Assessment, with 180 places available in Year 7 and demand that currently looks high by grammar-school standards. 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.
The academic side of the school is backed by enough published data to give families a useful starting point. The latest published Ofsted judgement is Outstanding. Recent official performance measures show Progress 8 at 0.84 and Attainment 8 at 73.2. 94.5% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths in the latest stored GCSE figures. In the sixth form, 31.4% of entries were awarded AAB or better at A level. Destinations data also suggest strong progression after sixth form, with 63% moving into higher education.
Published school information highlights facilities such as Design technology. The wider offer currently includes Drama, Duke of Edinburgh, Sport. 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. Taken together, those features make John Hampden Grammar School the kind of school that rewards careful research into travel, admissions detail, and day-to-day fit, not just headline outcomes.
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.
Year 7 applications are coordinated through Buckinghamshire Council after boys take the Buckinghamshire grammar-school transfer test.
Catchment and priority areas apply. The home address is where the child lives for more than half the week, and 2026-entry applicants are expected to live there by 1 September 2025.
Qualified looked-after and previously looked-after boys
First priority goes to qualified looked-after, previously looked-after, and internationally adopted previously looked-after boys.
Ring-fenced catchment places for eligible boys scoring 113-120
Up to 12 places are ring-fenced for looked-after, pupil-premium, or service-premium boys in catchment who score between 113 and 120.
Other catchment pupil-premium or service-premium boys
Other eligible pupil-premium or service-premium boys in catchment are then ranked once they reach the normal qualifying score.
Brothers of current John Hampden pupils in catchment
Brothers of boys already in Years 7 to 12 at John Hampden are next if they also live in catchment.
Boys with a sister at Wycombe High School in catchment
The policy then prioritises boys whose sister attends Wycombe High School and whose home is in John Hampden's catchment.
Sons of staff
Children of staff are next in line under the published staff criterion.
Year 7 entry is through the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test rather than a school-specific paper.
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, NVR, Maths
Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test
Two papers are sat on the same day, with each paper lasting about 60 minutes in total across verbal, non-verbal, and mathematical reasoning 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
Two papers are sat on the same day, with each paper lasting about 60 minutes in total across verbal, non-verbal, and mathematical reasoning skills.
Non-verbal reasoning
Two papers are sat on the same day, with each paper lasting about 60 minutes in total across verbal, non-verbal, and mathematical reasoning skills.
English
Science
Creative writing
Read the 2027 admissions policy
Check the PAN, ring-fenced places, priority areas, and address rules before starting the Buckinghamshire grammar-school application.
Open admissions policyTake the Buckinghamshire Transfer Test
Boys must take the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test to be considered for Year 7 grammar-school places.
Open 2027 admissionsApply through Buckinghamshire Council
John Hampden says Year 7 admissions are dealt with by Buckinghamshire Council after the transfer test process.
Check the application routeLatest 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 | 75.4 | 74.2 | 49.4 |
| 2022/23 | 72.9 | 71.8 | 47.0 |
| 2023/24 | 73.2 | 72.1 | 46.7 |
| 2024/25 | 72.3 | 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 | B+ average (42 points) | 44.0 points | 37.5 points |
| 2022/23 | B average (41.3 points) | 40.5 points | 33.7 points |
| 2023/24 | B+ average (41.7 points) | 41.3 points | 34.5 points |
| 2024/25 | B+ average (42.2 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 | 98% | 99.1% | 94.1% |
| 2022/23 | 98% | 98.9% | 93.9% |
| 2023/24 | 99% | 99.0% | 93.3% |
| 2024/25 | 97% | 97.8% | 91.4% |
Latest year breakdown
| In education | 96% |
|---|---|
| In apprenticeships | 0% |
| In employment | 1% |
Latest inspection: 15 September 2022
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
Nearby option within a reasonable 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
John Hampden Grammar School currently uses GL Assessment.
1. Read the 2027 admissions policy: Check the PAN, ring-fenced places, priority areas, and address rules before starting the Buckinghamshire grammar-school application. 2. Take the Buckinghamshire Transfer Test: Boys must take the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test to be considered for Year 7 grammar-school places. 3. Apply through Buckinghamshire Council: John Hampden says Year 7 admissions are dealt with by Buckinghamshire Council after the transfer test process.
Key dates are still being verified for John Hampden Grammar School.
John Hampden Grammar School is currently rated Outstanding following the latest published inspection dated 15 September 2022.