Buckinghamshire is a fully selective county — the 11+ decides secondary school.
In Buckinghamshire, all secondary schools are either grammar or secondary modern, meaning every child sits the Bucks 11+. The test is administered by CEM (Durham University) and assesses English and Maths skills. Grammar school places in Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Amersham are highly competitive.
The county has grammar schools in High Wycombe, Aylesbury, Amersham, Chesham and Beaconsfield. Each school accepts pupils from the wider county, not just the local area.
The Bucks 11+ uses CEM-style papers that focus on reading comprehension, maths and numerical reasoning. The test is intentionally difficult to prepare for, so well-rounded ability matters.
Practical plan
Start in Year 5 with strong reading habits and daily vocabulary.
Build mental maths fluency: fractions, percentages, ratios.
Practise reading comprehension inference questions weekly.
Use timed mocks in Year 6 summer to build exam confidence.
No. Buckinghamshire uses CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring at Durham University), which differs from GL Assessment papers used in Kent and other areas.
The Bucks 11+ is usually held in September of Year 6. Registration closes several months earlier — check Buckinghamshire Council's secondary transfer guide each year.
Very competitive. At oversubscribed schools like RGS High Wycombe, many more children sit the test than places available. Starting preparation early and maintaining reading and maths habits from Year 4 onwards helps.