Guide to grammar schools and the Secondary Transfer Test

Last updated: 23 April 2025

Timeline for entry in 2026

Children born between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2015 will be moving up to secondary school in September 2026. The dates for that academic year are as follows:

2 May 2025 – Secondary Transfer Test registration opens

Registration will open at 10am for children who do not attend a state-funded Buckinghamshire primary school.

If your child goes to a state-funded Buckinghamshire primary school they are automatically registered for the Secondary Transfer Test.

13 June 2025 – Secondary Transfer Test registration closes

Registration will close at 3pm.

September 2025 – Practice and Transfer Tests

9 September 2025 – Children sit the Practice Test.

11 September 2025 – Children sit the Secondary Transfer Test.

Children who attend a state-funded Buckinghamshire primary school or a partner school will sit the test in school during the school day.

Children who attend any other school will be invited to sit the test at a grammar school or other central testing venue where possible. Capacity for grammar school testing is limited: if that capacity is exceeded, further testing sessions may be organised on different dates. Dates and test venues will be confirmed when formal invitations are emailed to parents by the middle of August.

Families cannot choose or change a test time, date or testing centre: this will be assigned to you.

October 2025 - Secondary Transfer Test results released

10 October 2025; families will be notified of their child’s test results, if their child sat the test on the 11 September.