For parents in and around Aylesbury, the 11+ journey often leads to three superb and highly sought-after grammar schools: Aylesbury Grammar School (AGS) for boys, Aylesbury High School (AHS) for girls, and the co-educational Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School (SHFGS).
These schools are renowned for their academic excellence and vibrant school communities. AGS has a rich history dating back to 1598 and a strong house system, while AHS is celebrated for its forward-thinking approach. Sir Henry Floyd is known for its dynamic and inclusive environment. Gaining a place at any of them, however, requires successfully navigating the Buckinghamshire 11+ system.
At elevenplus.com, our goal is to provide you with a clear, accurate, and strategic roadmap. This definitive guide will break down everything you need to know about the Aylesbury grammar schools’ 11+ test.
In this definitive guide, you will learn:
- Which schools use the Aylesbury 11+ test.
- Key dates for the 2025-2026 admissions cycle.
- A detailed breakdown of the exam format and the subjects tested.
- How the test is scored, including the crucial weighting.
- An expert strategy to prepare your child for the specific demands of the test.
Which Schools Use This Test?
This is the most straightforward part of the process. All three Aylesbury grammar schools are part of The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS) consortium. This is great news for parents, as it means all three schools use the exact same 11+ exam: the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test.
Your child will sit one test, and their result can be used for applications to any of the 13 grammar schools in the county, including all three in Aylesbury.
Key Dates for your Diary (2026 Entry)
- Registration Opens: Friday 2nd May 2025
- Registration Closes: Friday 13th June 2025 (3pm)
- Practice Test Date: Tuesday 9th September 2025
- Secondary Transfer Test Date: Thursday 11th September 2025
- Results Released to Parents: Friday 10th October 2025
- Secondary School Application Deadline (CAF): Friday 31st October 2025
- National Offer Day: Monday 2nd March 2026
Please note that dates can vary slightly, so it is always best to confirm with Buckinghamshire Council.
The Exam Format: A Breakdown of the GL Assessment Test
The Buckinghamshire Transfer Test is written and administered by GL Assessment. The test consists of two separate papers, both taken on the same day with a short break in between. Each paper is approximately 60 minutes long.
Paper 1: Verbal Skills This paper focuses on language, logic, and comprehension. It includes:
- English Comprehension
- Technical English (Spelling, Punctuation & Grammar)
- Verbal Reasoning
Paper 2: Maths & Non-Verbal Skills This paper focuses on numerical and spatial reasoning. It includes:
- Mathematics
- Non-Verbal Reasoning
- Spatial Reasoning
All questions across both papers are multiple-choice, and your child will mark their answers on a separate answer sheet.
The Admissions Process: Score, Weighting, and Catchment
Gaining a place at an Aylesbury grammar school is a two-stage process.
Stage 1: The Qualifying Score First, your child must achieve the minimum “qualifying score” in the exam. This score is age-standardised to ensure fairness. The final score is calculated using a specific weighting:
- Verbal Ability: 50%
- Numerical Ability (Maths): 25%
- Non-Verbal Ability: 25%
The qualifying score for any Buckinghamshire grammar school is 121.
Stage 2: The Oversubscription Criteria Achieving a score of 121 does not guarantee a place. Because the Aylesbury schools are popular, they are often oversubscribed. The schools then apply their specific admissions criteria to allocate places. For all three Aylesbury grammar schools, a key criterion is the catchment area.
Priority is given in the following order:
- Looked After Children.
- Children eligible for Free School Meals.
- Children living within the school’s defined catchment area.
- Siblings of current students (AGS also considers siblings at AHS).
- Children of staff members.
The Bottom Line: Children whose permanent home address is within the defined catchment area are given strong priority. It is very important to check the latest admissions policy on each school’s website to understand the catchment rules.
[Image: A stylised map graphic showing the concept of a school with a defined catchment area circle around it.]
How to Prepare for the Aylesbury Test
A structured and focused approach is the key to success.
- Familiarise, Don’t Frighten: Before the main test, children take a Practice Test and are sent a Familiarisation booklet. These are excellent resources to help your child understand the format and layout of the exam without feeling overwhelmed.
- Focus on the GL Format: Ensure all practice materials are in the GL Assessment style. This means practising with multiple-choice questions and, crucially, using a separate answer sheet to perfect exam technique.
- Build a Broad Skillset: The weighting shows that verbal skills are twice as important as Maths or Non-Verbal Reasoning. However, a balanced revision plan is still essential, as a very high score in one area cannot compensate for a weak score in another.
- Develop Speed and Accuracy: The papers are tightly timed. Regular practice under timed conditions is vital to build the speed and accuracy needed to perform well under pressure.
- Don’t Forget the Foundations: The GL Assessment is strongly based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum. A deep and fluent understanding of core Maths and English topics is the best possible preparation.
By understanding the specific format of the exam and the importance of the admissions criteria, you can create a preparation plan that gives your child the best possible chance of success.
Ready to start your focused preparation?
➡️ Our GL Assessment Practice Packs are specifically designed to mirror the format and style of the Buckinghamshire 11+ Test, providing the most authentic practice available.
