Guide to grammar schools and the Secondary Transfer Test

This information is for the parents of pupils who will be moving up to Year 7 in September 2025.

In Buckinghamshire, we have two types of mainstream secondary schools; grammar schools and upper/all-ability schools.

• grammar schools admit children who score at least 121 on the Secondary Transfer Test
• upper/all-ability schools admit any child, regardless of ability

Each of the thirteen grammar schools in Buckinghamshire is its own Admission Authority.

For the purpose of Secondary Transfer Testing, the thirteen schools work together as The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS). We administer the Secondary Transfer Testing process for TBGS. We provide this information on their behalf. You can find more details on the TBGS website including links to the website for each grammar school.

GL Assessment is the test provider for the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test.

Most children will take the Secondary Transfer Test during the autumn term of Year 6. The test is designed to assess a child’s suitability for grammar school. The skills measured in the test should make sure that your child will go to a school that can best meet their educational needs.

The test assesses how well your child can think through and work out verbal, mathematical and non-verbal problems. This gives your child the chance to show their skills in different ways; using words, numbers and pictures or diagrams.

Each child will have the opportunity to work through a Familiarisation booklet, so that they can see the style of the tests and to try out some of the question types: children who attend a state funded Buckinghamshire primary school or Partner School will receive a hard copy of the Familiarisation booklet, alternatively you can download the Familiarisation booklet.

Your child can also take a Practice Test before taking the Secondary Transfer Test.