In Buckinghamshire, the route to a grammar school is the Secondary Transfer Test, usually shortened to the STT or just the Bucks 11+. It is run by the county's 13 grammar schools working together as The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools, and it uses GL Assessment papers. The single most important thing to know is how it is weighted: verbal skills count for half of the total score, which makes this one of the most verbal-reasoning-heavy 11+ tests in the country. This guide explains the papers, that weighting, the 121 qualifying score, the key dates, and how to prepare. The Bucks Transfer Test is run by TBGS, and Pip is not affiliated with it.
- The Bucks Secondary Transfer Test (STT) is the GL-based 11+ for Buckinghamshire grammar schools, run by TBGS.
- Two multiple-choice papers on the same day: English and verbal reasoning in one, maths and non-verbal or spatial reasoning in the other.
- The score is weighted to verbal skills (50%), with maths and non-verbal reasoning at 25% each.
- A standardised score of 121 qualifies; scores are age-adjusted and about 37% of children reach it.
What is the Bucks Transfer Test?
The Secondary Transfer Test (STT) is the entrance test for Buckinghamshire's grammar schools. The schools run it jointly as The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS), using papers from GL Assessment. Like other GL tests it is multiple choice and computer-marked, and it draws on English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. What makes Bucks distinctive is not the question types but the weighting: verbal ability carries far more of the final score than anything else.
What is in the Bucks Transfer Test
Children sit two multiple-choice papers on the same day, with a short break between them:
- Paper 1 covers reading comprehension, technical English (grammar, punctuation and spelling) and verbal reasoning.
- Paper 2 covers maths, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning.
- Both are multiple choice, sat on the same day, each lasting roughly 45 to 60 minutes.
Why verbal reasoning matters most
The Bucks score, called the Secondary Transfer Test Score (STTS), is not a simple total. It is weighted so that verbal skills make up 50 percent of the score, with maths and non-verbal reasoning at 25 percent each. In practice that means strong reading, vocabulary and verbal reasoning carry twice the weight of either maths or non-verbal reasoning. Families in Bucks therefore tend to put extra time into vocabulary and verbal reasoning, while keeping maths and non-verbal reasoning solid.
Scoring and qualifying
The STTS is a standardised score, typically on a scale from 60 to 170, adjusted for a child's age so the youngest are not disadvantaged. A score of 121 or above qualifies for a Buckinghamshire grammar school, and around 37 percent of children reach that mark. Importantly, qualifying does not guarantee a place: each school then applies its own admissions rules, such as catchment and siblings. To understand the scale itself, see our guide to standardised scores.
If a child scores below 121, or the result does not reflect their usual ability, for example after illness on the day, Buckinghamshire offers a Selection Review: the family submits school evidence and samples of work for a panel to reconsider whether the child is suitable for grammar school. There is also a separate admission appeal once places are allocated. Neither is a formality, but both are genuine second chances worth knowing about.
Key dates and the practice test
The test is sat in September, at the very start of Year 6, for entry to Year 7 the following September. A helpful feature of the Bucks system is that children first sit a short practice test a couple of days before the real one, purely to get used to the format and answer sheet, and a familiarisation booklet is provided in advance. Dates and details are set each year, so always confirm them on the Buckinghamshire Council and TBGS admissions pages. For the wider picture, see our guide to every 11+ exam type and the full GL Assessment guide.
One thing many families miss: entry is not automatic for everyone. Children at a state-funded Buckinghamshire primary are usually entered for the test automatically, but families whose child is at an independent, out-of-county or Milton Keynes school normally have to register themselves, in a window that typically opens in early May and closes in early June of Year 5. After the September test, results come out in October, the secondary application is due by 31 October, and places are confirmed on National Offer Day, 1 March.
How to prepare for the Bucks Transfer Test
Because verbal skills carry half the score, the highest-value habit is wide reading and vocabulary, which feeds both the English paper and verbal reasoning. Build that first, then keep maths fluent across the KS2 curriculum and practise non-verbal and spatial reasoning so the visual puzzles feel familiar. As the papers are multiple choice and timed, rehearse working accurately at a steady pace, and start early, since the test comes in the September of Year 6.
Build the verbal edge Bucks rewards
Pip generates unlimited verbal reasoning and vocabulary practice, plus maths and non-verbal reasoning, with timing built in, so the skills that carry the most marks become second nature.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Buckinghamshire Transfer Test?+
The Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) is the 11+ for the county's grammar schools, run by the consortium The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS) using GL Assessment papers. It is taken in September of Year 6 and decides which children qualify for a grammar place.
What does the Bucks Transfer Test include?+
Two multiple-choice papers sat on the same day. One covers comprehension, technical English and verbal reasoning; the other covers maths, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning. The standardised score is weighted: verbal skills count for 50 percent, with maths and non-verbal reasoning at 25 percent each.
What score do you need to pass the Bucks Transfer Test?+
A standardised Secondary Transfer Test Score (STTS) of 121 or above qualifies for a Buckinghamshire grammar school. Scores are age-standardised, and around 37 percent of children reach 121. Qualifying does not guarantee a place, as schools then apply catchment and other admissions rules.
When is the Bucks Transfer Test sat?+
In September at the start of Year 6, for entry to Year 7 the following September. Children first sit a short practice test a couple of days before the real test to get used to the format, and a familiarisation booklet is provided beforehand.
Do I need to register my child for the Bucks Transfer Test?+
Not always. Children at a state-funded Buckinghamshire primary school are usually entered automatically. If your child is at an independent, out-of-county or Milton Keynes school, you normally have to register them yourself, typically between early May and early June of Year 5. Always check the deadline with The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools.
What if my child scores below 121 in the Bucks Transfer Test?+
A score below 121 usually means a child has not qualified, but it is not always the end of the road. Buckinghamshire runs a Selection Review, where the family submits school evidence and samples of work for a panel to reconsider, and there is a separate admission appeal once places are allocated. Both are genuine routes, though neither is guaranteed.
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