Buckinghamshire 11 Plus

Buckinghamshire School Allocation Profiles Page 2

Buckinghamshire 12+ and 13+ Tests Page 3

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). There is also a Free School that opened in Winslow in September 2013, the Sir Thomas Fremantle Secondary School. The school’s admissions are also handled by BCC.

Buckinghamshire operates an “opt out” system for the 11+, whereby children at Bucks state primary schools are automatically entered for the test unless their parents actively withdraw them from taking it. Children at private schools within the county and those attending schools outside Buckinghamshire must actively apply to take the test.

Many private schools in the county and some large schools outside the county administer the Bucks 11 plus on behalf of Bucks CC. These are known as “Partner Schools”. The children receive the application form for the test and the CAF (school application form) via their school, the tests take place in the school and the results are provided via the school in exactly the same way as for children attending Bucks state schools.

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

Online registration for testing opens in early May each year and closes at the end of June. (See below for exact dates for the current round of admissions.)

If your child attends a primary school in Buckinghamshire; they will sit a Preparation Test at their school in order to become familiar with the Transfer Test; they are slightly shorter than the real test and take about 35 minutes each. Children attending other schools are invited to take the Preparation Test at one of the grammar schools.

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

Buckinghamshire is unusual in that it has retained the 12+ and 13+ tests for grammar school entry. Places are not reserved for candidates taking these tests, so availability depends on vacancies arising in each year group. The number of places available has declined significantly in recent years.

Important changes to Admissions 2019 onwards

For the September 2018 test (2019 admission) the Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools will be reverting to using GL Assessment as the supplier for the test, following 5 years of testing by Durham CEM. Click here for more information.

All subjects continue to be tested in two separate papers.

One paper will contain English comprehension, verbal reasoning, technical English (eg spelling, punctuation and grammar) and the other paper will comprise maths, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning.

Further information about testing and admissions for 2019 can be found here

Help to boost your child’s exam performance and confidence in preparation for the exams. Book our GL Assessment format papers tailored to the Buckinghamshire schools. BOOK HERE

Bucks 11 Plus Admissions Information for September 2019 entry

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

Bucks 11 Plus General School Information

Open evening information for all Bucks schools, including grammar schools, is published on the Buckinghamshire County Council website each year. Dates for grammar school open days and evenings for 2018 are shown below.

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.

• The Amersham School, Amersham
• The Aylesbury Vale Academy, Aylesbury, (formerly Quarrendon Upper School)
• The Beaconsfield School, Beaconsfield
• Buckingham School, Buckingham
• Burnham E-ACT Academy, Burnham
• The Chalfonts Community College, Chalfont St. Peter
• Chiltern Hills Academy, Chesham
• Cottesloe School, Wing
• Cressex Community School, High Wycombe
• The Grange School, Aylesbury
• Great Marlow School, Marlow
• The Highcrest Academy, High Wycombe
• Holmer Green Senior School, Holmer Green
• John Colet School, Wendover
• The Mandeville School
• The Misbourne School, Great Missenden
• Princes Risborough School, Princes Risborough
• Sir William Ramsay School, Hazlemere
• St Michael’s Catholic School
• Waddesdon CofE School, Waddesdon
• The Bourne End Academy, Bourne End

N.B. The Aylesbury Vale Academy was previously known as the Quarrendon School. Chiltern Hills Academy was previously called Chesham Park Community College. The Highcrest Academy was previously known as Highcrest Community School. The Bourne End Academy also known as the Wye Valley School, Burnham E-ACT Academy was previously known as Burnham Upper School.

Buckinghamshire School Allocation Profiles Page 2

Buckinghamshire 12+ and 13+ Tests Page 3

_{Information on this page was believed to be correct at the time of writing, but we would not necessarily be aware of subsequent changes unless someone brings them to our attention.
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_{Page updated on 6th January 2018}