The Bucks 11+, officially the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test, is how children qualify for the county's 13 grammar schools. GL Assessment sets two multiple-choice papers, and 121 is the qualifying score. Dr Khan Tuition at 36 High Street, Burnham prepares children in Years 4 and 5 for it. For a free 30-minute consultation, call us on 01753 378222.
Children sit the test at the start of Year 6. There are two papers, each lasting about 60 minutes, taken on the same day, and every question is multiple-choice.
A short practice test usually takes place two days beforehand, so children can get used to the format and the answer sheet. In 2026, for example, the practice test was on 8 September and the real test on 10 September. Children at state-funded Bucks primaries, and at some other schools that host the test, sit both at their own school; everyone else goes to a grammar school test centre.
Children at state-funded primary schools in Buckinghamshire are entered automatically. Parents who would rather their child didn't take part can withdraw them, or opt out, through Buckinghamshire Council. Every other child has to be registered by their family, including pupils at those host schools and at primaries in neighbouring council areas. For the 2026 test, Bucks 11 plus registration ran from 1 May to 3pm on 2 June. For the September 2027 test, the council's timeline puts registration in May and June 2027.
Near our centre, that line runs straight through the neighbourhood. St Peter's CofE Primary (0.2 miles), Lent Rise School (0.6 miles) and St Mary's Farnham Royal CofE Primary (2.0 miles) are Buckinghamshire primaries, so their pupils are entered automatically. Our Lady of Peace Catholic Primary (0.5 miles), Priory School (0.6 miles), Lynch Hill School Primary Academy (0.9 miles) and Cippenham School (1.3 miles) are Slough-borough schools, so families there need to register if they'd like their child to sit the Bucks test. Two schools less than a mile apart can sit on opposite sides of the line, so it's worth checking which council your child's school belongs to. We name these schools only to show where the boundary falls; none of them is connected with us.
Each child's result is a Secondary Transfer Test Score built from three age-standardised section scores, weighted 50% verbal, 25% mathematical and 25% non-verbal. Age standardisation means the youngest children in the year aren't at a disadvantage. A score of at least 121 means a child is considered qualified for a Buckinghamshire grammar school. Qualifying isn't the same as being offered a place, though. When a school has more qualified applicants than places, it decides who is offered one using the oversubscription criteria in its own admissions policy. Reading the policy of every grammar school you're considering, before you apply, is time well spent.
How we prepare
This guide explains how the test works, who is entered automatically, the key dates and what happens once results arrive, drawing on Buckinghamshire Council and The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools as sources. Further down, you'll see how we help children get ready. We're an independent centre with no connection to the grammar schools or to the organisations that run the test.
Every session follows a structured plan targeting your child's specific knowledge gaps, not random revision.
Individual 1-to-1 tuition is available. Your child gets real, focused attention, not lost in a classroom of 30.
Parents receive weekly progress updates. You always know exactly where your child stands.
The Dr Khan Method
A first assessment covers comprehension, vocabulary, verbal reasoning, maths and non-verbal reasoning, so we can see which of the two papers needs more attention.
A personalised plan reaches you within 48 hours of the consultation. Weekly lessons build reading, vocabulary and number skills first, then introduce the less familiar reasoning puzzles.
Because every question is multiple-choice, we teach children to work steadily, rule out unlikely options, record answers accurately and move on instead of getting stuck.
Weekly progress updates show which question types are improving and where time is still being lost.
The stages run in the same order each year. Here they are with the dates for each entry year.
| Stage | September 2027 entry (test sat in 2026) | September 2028 entry (Year 5 in 2026–27) |
|---|---|---|
| Registration window | 1 May to 2 June 2026 (3pm) | May to June 2027 |
| Home-address cut-off for most grammar schools | 1 September 2026 | 1 September 2027 |
| Practice test | 8 September 2026 | Early September 2027 |
| Secondary Transfer Test | 10 September 2026 | Early September 2027 |
| Results | 9 October 2026 | Mid-October 2027 |
| Secondary school applications to your home council | By 31 October 2026 | By 31 October 2027 (national closing date) |
Buckinghamshire Council has published its timeline for September 2028 entry, for children born between 1 September 2016 and 31 August 2017. So far it gives months rather than exact days, and we'll add the exact dates here once the council confirms them. A few grammar schools use an address cut-off earlier than 1 September, so check each school's admissions policy for its own date.
The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools send familiarisation materials to parents in the summer term of Year 5, showing the style of questions and how answers are recorded. That's the best place to begin, because it reflects the real test. Parents sometimes search for a Bucks 11 plus familiarisation test, but there are really two separate things: the familiarisation materials sent home in Year 5, and the short practice test sat a couple of days before the real one.
If you're hunting for Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test practice papers, start with the official familiarisation material, then build up timed work on each question type. We don't sell practice papers; our lessons focus on the skills and pacing the test demands.
Year 4 or Year 5? A Year 4 start leaves room to build reading and vocabulary at a gentle pace, while a Year 5 start gives a focused run-up to a September test. Neither promises a result, and we'll suggest a realistic timeline once we've met your child. Lessons can be 1-to-1, and online sessions are available too. If you're comparing secondary transfer test tuition or 11 plus tuition in Buckinghamshire more widely, our 11+ tuition page explains how we cover both local tests.
Burnham Grammar School on Hogfair Lane, 0.3 miles from our centre, is one of the 13 grammar schools that admit through the Secondary Transfer Test. Like the others, it offers places to qualified children according to its own admissions policy. A dedicated Burnham Grammar School 11+ page will look at it in more detail.
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Local to Burnham
The Bucks test isn't limited to Buckinghamshire residents. Families from Slough borough or the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead can register their child, and because pupils at Slough-borough primaries aren't entered automatically, registration is essential. Some families also register for the Slough Consortium test, which our Slough 11+ tuition page will cover, and Maidenhead families can read our upcoming guide for Maidenhead families. Whichever schools you choose, the application itself goes through your own home council.
From our centre, Britwell is about 1.8 road miles away, Cippenham about 2.3, Taplow about 2.7 and Maidenhead about 3.9. You'll find more about individual lessons on our 1-to-1 tuition page, or visit the Dr Khan Tuition homepage.
Getting started
Three simple steps to begin your child's journey.
A free 30-minute session to understand your child's current level.
Within 48 hours, you receive a structured plan showing exactly what your child needs to work on.
Weekly classes begin. You receive progress updates every step of the way.
Common questions
Sources: Buckinghamshire Council: grammar schools and Secondary Transfer Testing (key dates); Buckinghamshire Council: Timeline for 2028 entry; Buckinghamshire Council: the Secondary Transfer Test; The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools: FAQs; The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools: the Secondary Transfer Test; Burnham Grammar School admissions, Buckinghamshire Council. Last checked: Oct 2026.
In a free 30-minute chat, we'll look at your child's year group, whether they're entered automatically or need registering, and how they're getting on with each part of the test. There's no charge for the consultation, and no minimum contract if you go ahead.
Free 30-minute consultation.
