Aylesbury Grammar School

Aylesbury Grammar is a selective boys' school in the Buckinghamshire 11+ consortium, which uses GL Assessment papers. The exam itself follows the standard GL format, but because the school is highly selective, the score you'll need to achieve is higher than at some other Bucks schools. This means your son will be competing against a strong cohort of candidates, so thorough preparation is important.

Vocabulary is the biggest challenge parents report for this exam. The verbal reasoning section uses more demanding vocabulary — particularly in synonym and antonym questions — that can catch children off guard if they haven't built their word knowledge steadily from Year 4 onwards. Tutors in the area strongly recommend working through vocabulary lists as part of regular preparation, not just closer to the exam date.

Verbal reasoning overall requires the broadest preparation, as the GL format includes 21 different question types (such as code-based questions and analogies), and your son needs to be comfortable with all of them. Maths is more straightforward — it covers standard KS2 content — though word problems and multi-step questions do require careful thinking under time pressure. English comprehension passages are age-appropriate but inference questions are the trickiest part; reading widely across different genres will help build the skills needed here.

Time pressure is moderate but noticeable, particularly in the verbal reasoning section. Starting timed practice early in your preparation will help your son build speed and confidence without sacrificing accuracy.

#### Key dates — checked October 2026 - Bucks Secondary Transfer Test 2026 (for September 2027 entry): practice test 8 September, main test 10 September 2026; results emailed 9 October 2026. - Qualifying standard: a Secondary Transfer Test Score (STTS) of 121 or above qualifies for a Buckinghamshire grammar school (unchanged for 2028 entry). Below 121, entry is only via selection review or appeal. - Next cycle (September 2028 entry): registration May–June 2027 (Bucks state-primary pupils entered automatically); test early September 2027; results mid-October 2027. - CAF deadline: 31 October; National Offer Day: 1 March.