Home › Bucks 11+ guide
The Buckinghamshire 11+ (Secondary Transfer Test)
Buckinghamshire grammar schools use the Secondary Transfer Test, supplied by GL Assessment. Children at state-funded Buckinghamshire primary schools are entered automatically unless parents opt out; others must register.
Dates (2026 test, for September 2027 entry)
- Registration for children outside state-funded Bucks primaries (including Milton Keynes and Partner schools): 1 May to 3pm on 2 June 2026
- Withdrawal deadline for children entered automatically: 2 June 2026
- Secondary Transfer Test: 8 and 10 September 2026 (children at other schools sit it at a grammar school or central venue; invitations by 7 August)
- Results: 9 October 2026 (for papers received by 18 September)
- Application deadline: 31 October 2026
Before the real test, children normally sit a practice test: two shorter multiple-choice papers of about 40 minutes each, in test conditions, which are not marked.
Next year: the test is usually in the second week of September of Year 6, with results in October. Buckinghamshire Council confirms the dates each year.
What is in the test?
Two multiple-choice papers, each about 45 minutes long (60 minutes with the introduction and examples), with a short break between them. An audio soundtrack gives the instructions and timings. One paper tests verbal skills: comprehension, technical English and verbal reasoning. The other tests maths and non-verbal skills, including spatial reasoning. The test is produced by GL Assessment.
The qualifying score
A standardised score of 121 or above qualifies a child for a Buckinghamshire grammar school. There are routes below that, such as a selection review or appeal. Qualifying does not guarantee a place at a particular school.
How to prepare
- Verbal reasoning carries a lot of weight: build vocabulary and practise the question types.
- Practise non-verbal reasoning patterns and timed maths.
- Sit full timed mocks in the final months.
Our GL Assessment-style mock papers cover verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and maths, with a free sample of every paper.
Always check the official source. Written and checked by the Exam Mocks UK team against the official sources on 5 November 2026. Official information: Buckinghamshire Council.