Burnham Grammar School is a popular co-educational grammar school located in South Buckinghamshire, celebrated for its vibrant and supportive community. With a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating, the school is praised for its ambitious curriculum, the exemplary behaviour of its students, and the high aspirations set by its passionate staff.
The school’s ethos is focused on developing students who are “Responsible Learners” and “Prepared for the Future,” ensuring they become happy, healthy, and caring individuals. With a strong academic record and a wide range of extracurricular activities, it is a top choice for parents seeking a well-rounded education for their children.
Gaining a place, however, requires successfully navigating the Buckinghamshire 11+ system. This guide will provide you with a clear, accurate, and strategic roadmap to the entire process.
In this definitive guide, you will learn:
- Key dates for the 2025-2026 admissions cycle.
- A detailed breakdown of the 11+ exam format for Burnham Grammar School.
- A clear explanation of the qualifying score, weighting, and the critical importance of the catchment area.
- An expert strategy to prepare your child for the specific demands of the test.
Key Information for 2026 Entry
- Address: Hogfair Lane, Burnham, Slough, Buckinghamshire, SL1 7HG
- Number of Places in Year 7: 180
- Exam Provider: GL Assessment
- School Type: Co-educational Grammar School
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 directly with Buckinghamshire Council.
The Burnham Grammar School 11+ Exam Format
As part of The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS) consortium, Burnham Grammar School uses the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test.
The test is written and administered by GL Assessment and consists of two 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 Burnham 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 Burnham Grammar School is heavily oversubscribed, it then applies its specific admissions criteria to the pool of qualified children. Places are allocated in the following order of priority:
- Looked After Children and Previously Looked After Children.
- Children eligible for Free School Meals living in the catchment area.
- Children of staff members.
- Children living within the school’s defined catchment area.
- All other children, with priority given based on their 11+ score.
The Bottom Line: The catchment area is critically important. In recent years, it has been extremely difficult to secure a place if you live outside the defined catchment area. You must check the latest admissions policy on the school’s website to understand the rules and check your address.
[Image: A stylised map graphic showing the concept of a school with a defined catchment area circle around it.]
How to Prepare for the Burnham Grammar School Test
A structured and focused approach is the key to success.
- 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?
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