11 Plus Schools

Buckinghamshire 11 Plus

Buckinghamshire School Allocation Profiles Page 2

Buckinghamshire 12+ and 13+ Tests Page 3

Bucks 11 Plus

Buckinghamshire (Bucks) is one of the last remaining Counties where education is fully selective. There are 13 grammar schools and 21 Upper Schools in the County. Admission into Year 7 at all schools is managed centrally by Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC).

Buckinghamshire operates an “opt out” system for the 11+, whereby children at Bucks state junior (primary) schools are automatically entered for the test unless their parents actively withdraw them from taking it. Children at private schools and at schools outside Buckinghamshire must actively apply to take the test. Application forms for entry to the tests are available from July each year and have to be submitted at the start of September each year (see table below for the current year’s dates).

Many private schools in the county and large schools outside the county, but close to the border, administer the Bucks 11 plus on behalf of the Buckinghamshire County Council. These are known as “Partner Schools”. The children will receive the application form for the test and the CAF via their school, the children are tested in school and the results are provided via the school in exactly the same way as for state school children in Bucks.

Children attending schools outside Buckinghamshire which do not have a Partner School arrangement with Bucks County Council take the test at central venues around the county on two separate days during the autumn half term.

Approximately 30 percent of children qualify for a grammar school place each year, and a further 5% are deemed qualified after a successful appeal against non-qualification. School places are allocated by distance from school gates with defined catchment areas that receive priority.

The Buckinghamshire 11+ tests comprises two multiple-choice verbal reasoning tests. A child’s higher score in these two tests will be their Verbal Reasoning Test Score (VRTS). The VRTS score is used to decide if a child has reached the standard necessary for a Buckinghamshire grammar school. Both verbal reasoning tests must be taken for a VRTS to be recorded. A child’s 11+ score ceased to be a deciding factor several years ago and all children scoring 121 or higher, or whose case is successful at an appeal, are considered equally qualified. Every child living in Bucks who scores 121 or higher will be offered a grammar school place, although this may not be for the school of first choice.

To assess your chances of gaining a place at your preferred school you can view our summary of past Allocation Profiles (Distances).

Buckinghamshire is also unusual, in that it has retained the 12+ and 13+ tests for grammar school entry. There is no guarantee that a successful candidate in these tests will be allocated a school place, but for some children it offers a second bite of the cherry if they have been unsuccessful in the 11+.

Bucks 11 Plus Admissions Information for September 2013 entry

Closing date for applications 7th September 2012 to register child for the 11+ Test. Registration is required for all children attending Partner Schools and out of county schools. All children at Bucks state junior schools and combined schools are automatically registered.
31st October 2012 for the Common Application Form
11+ test dates 4th and 10th October 2012 for children attending a Bucks state junior (primary) school or Bucks “Partner School”.
For out of county children, the test will be held at a central venue on two dates in the half-term week commencing 29th October 2012.
Test Types Two Verbal Reasoning Tests of 50 mins each containing 80 questions. Each question carries 1 mark. Multiple choice format containing 21 question types.
Examiners NFER administered by GL Assessment
Test Results 30th November 2012: State School and Partner School children receive their results envelope at the end of the shool day. Children tested centrally have their results posted first-class to their home address.
Pass Mark Need to achieve a score of 121 or more in at least one test. Statutory selection appeal offered to non qualifiers.
Standardised Score Yes.
Allocations Day Monday 1st March 2013
Appeal Dates From January 2013 for selection appeals.
From mid May 2013 for over-subscription appeals
Link to Buckinghamshire Admissions Information

Bucks 11 Plus Appropriate Practice Materials

Verbal Reasoning materials (multiple choice format) published by IPS, The Tutors, and Susan Daughtrey Bright Sparks only (Papers 1 – 8 in two packs), not her other books. They do not cover all the 21 types, and have additional question types in them that do not feature in the Bucks tests. Also GL Assessment 11 plus Verbal Reasoning – Pack 1 contains 15 of the 21 types and 85 questions; Pack 2 contains all 21 types and 80 questions on each paper. Walsh books provide more challenging material for use towards the end of tutoring.

All of these materials are listed in the Buckinghamshire part of the 11+ Regions section of the online shop where you can purchase these in a convenient place.

More information and advice can also be found in the Buckinghamshire section of the 11+ Forum

Bucks 11 Plus School Information

Open evening information for all Bucks schools, including grammar schools, is published on the Buckinghamshire County Council website in July each year. Open evenings take place in the last two weeks of September.

School Gender Places
Aylesbury Grammar School Boys 180 places in Year 7
Aylesbury High School Girls 180 places in Year 7
Beaconsfield High School Girls 150 places in Year 7
Burnham Grammar School Co-educational 150 places in Year 7
Chesham Grammar School Co-educational 180 places in Year 7
Dr. Challoners Grammar School Boys 180 places in Year 7. N.B. DCGS do not permit viewings of the school outside open evenings other than for in-year applications.
Dr. Challoners High School Girls 150 places in Year 7
John Hampden Grammar School Boys 150 places in Year 7
Royal Grammar School Boys 172 day places in Year 7 & 10 boarding places
The Royal Latin School Co-educational 174 places in Year 7
Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School Co-educational 150 places in Year 7
Sir William Borlase School Co-educational 120 places in Year 7
Wycombe High School Girls 180 places in Year 7

N.B. Chesham Grammar School was known as Chesham High School until September 2010.

Upper Schools in Buckinghamshire

All Buckinghamshire Upper Schools are co-educational.

N.B. Chiltern Hills Academy was known as Chesham Park Community College until September 2011.

Buckinghamshire School Allocation Profiles Page 2

Buckinghamshire 12+ and 13+ Tests Page 3

Page updated on 30th January 2012

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