Aylesbury Grammar School 11 Plus Exam Information
- Address: Aylesbury Grammar School, Walton Road, Aylesbury, Bucks HP21 7RP
- Aylesbury Grammar Website: Click here for more information
- Admissions Contact:
- Telephone: 01296 484545
- Email: [email protected]
- School Type: Boys
- Total Number of Students in School: 1,283 (approximately)
- Number of Places Available for Year 7 Entry: 186
- Registrations Open Date: 5th May 2023
- Registrations Closing Date: 16th June 2023
- AGS Exam Provider: GL Assessment
- Ofsted Report: Ofsted Report | Aylesbury Grammar School, London
Aylesbury Grammar School Registration information
- Registration for the test will be automatic for pupils who attend Buckinghamshire Primary schools unless the parent expressly withdraws their child from testing.
- In all other cases, including where pupils attend independent schools in Buckinghamshire, an application for testing should be made to the Testing Authority. In addition, all applicants must notify their home Local Authority of their preference for the school prior to the closing date of 31 October 2023
Aylesbury Grammar School (AGS) 11+ Exam Dates
- Families can register their child for the Secondary Transfer Test from 5 May to 16 June 2023
- Families who registered for testing will receive a test invitation by email on 9 August 2023
- Children who attend a state-funded Buckinghamshire primary school and Partner School will sit the Practice Test on 12 September 2023
- Children who attend a state-funded Buckinghamshire primary school and Partner School will sit the Secondary Transfer Test on 14 September 2023
- Secondary Transfer Test results released 13 October 2023
- The deadline to submit a secondary school application to your home Local Authority is 31 October 2023
- National Offer Day 1st March 2024
Aylesbury Grammar School 11+ Exam Styles
- Students are eligible to be considered for admission to Aylesbury Grammar School in Year 7 if they meet the required qualifying score of 121 in the admission tests or have been deemed qualified by a Selection Review Panel.
- Two tests, each of approximately 60 minutes in length including an introduction and practice examples.
- The STT assesses verbal, non-verbal and mathematical skills.
- Each child’s raw scores in the two tests are added together and the resulting score is converted into an age-standardised score thus setting all children on an equal footing regardless of when their birthday falls in the year.
Access 11+ Past Papers with Detailed Mark Schemes and Answers.
Must Practice these time tested 11+ GL Assessment style practice Papers along with Multiple choice Answer sheet.
Finding a Grammar School for your child in Buckinghamshire
Finding the right high school for your child in Buckinghamshire can be a daunting task. This county is one of the last remaining places within the UK education system where secondary schools remain fully selective.
Accordingly, admissions to all Buckinghamshire state schools are managed through the Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC), and every child who finishes primary school is automatically registered for the 11 Plus (sometimes referred to as the Buckinghamshire Transfer Test) unless parents choose to opt-out of the scheme. Unusually, BCC also automatically registers every child for a preliminary Preparation Test, designed to familiarise them with the 11 Plus Transfer Test format.
Each year after sitting the 11 Plus Transfer Test, around 30% of children qualify for a place at one of the county’s 13 academically selective grammar schools, with the majority of other Buckinghamshire state school pupils being allocated places at BCC’s 21 non-grammar secondary schools, or its one free school.
Sending your child to a grammar school in Buckinghamshire can have many benefits. As they only take on the top 30% of 11 Plus entrants, these schools are typically renowned for attainment far higher than that of the average UK state comprehensive school. What’s more, unlike independent schools in Buckinghamshire, grammar schools are free to attend.
If you’re interested in finding out more, the following article will take a closer look at The Aylesbury Grammar School (AGS), a selective state grammar academy for boys in Aylesbury.
Aylesbury Grammar School’s Exam Results
AGS’ 2019 A-Level and GCSE results, which are well above the national average, are summarised below.
- A-Levels: A quarter of candidates (54 students) gained at least 3 A grades, while A* - A grades were achieved by 41 pupils. 48.6% of all entries were graded A* - A (the national average was 25.2%. The school remains one of the top state schools for pupils going to Oxbridge or Russell Group Universities.
- GCSEs: An exceptional 100% of pupils gained 5 or more GCSEs at grades 9 - 4, with 78% of these achieving grades 9 - 7. AGS students were roughly 4 times more likely to achieve grade 9 than the average student nationally.
How to Register for 11 Plus at The Aylesbury Grammar School
All grammar school admissions within Buckinghamshire (including those for the Aylesbury Grammar School) are run by Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC). Pupils enrolled in Buckinghamshire state primary schools are automatically entered for BCC’s 11 Plus entry exam (sometimes referred to as BCC’s Secondary Transfer Test).
Applications from families living outside AGS’ catchment area and outside of Buckinghamshire can be made using the registration form on BCC’s website, but parents should take into account that the selection criteria might place such applications at a disadvantage. For more information, visit BCC’s website, here.
Parents within the BCC authority should note that grammar schools in this area are oversubscribed, and competition for places at schools like AGS is high. While preference for AGS can be expressed during the admissions process, it’s possible that pupils who are successful in the Buckinghamshire 11 Plus test will receive an offer from a different grammar school.
11 Plus Entry Requirements for The Aylesbury Grammar School
Children who achieve a qualifying score of 121 in the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer 11+ Test might be offered a place at AGS; unlike in some local authority admissions processes, a higher score than 121 will not give your child a better chance of receiving a place offer.
Families’ geographical proximity to the Aylesbury Grammar School is also an important factor in determining entry, as qualifying applicants within the catchment area will be given preference in many cases. If you wish to check whether your postcode is within AGS’ catchment area or would like to review AGS’ admissions policy and selection criteria, details can be found here.
Buckinghamshire County Council’s Secondary Transfer 11 Plus Exam Format
In 2018, BCC changed its 11 Plus exam provider from CEM to GL. Prior to taking the 11 Plus Secondary Transfer Test, children in Buckinghamshire primary schools will automatically be entered in a Practice Test which is slightly shorter than the Transfer Test. The purpose of this is to familiarise children with the exam format and test conditions.
A familiarisation guide for the entire BCC test process, including the Secondary Transfer 11 Plus test, can be found here.
The test itself consists of:
- Two test papers, both multiple choice.
- Paper A lasts about 45 minutes (or 60 including introduction and examples) and assesses Verbal Reasoning Skills
- Paper B lasts approximately 45 minutes (or 60 including introduction and examples) and assesses Mathematical and Non-Verbal Skills.
Tips to crack the 11 Plus Entrance Exam for Aylesbury Grammar School
- Practice is key. If your child is not used to sitting tests or exams, help them get used to the types of questions they could be asked by using practice papers at home.
- Use the Pi Academy’s targeted resources to work on areas which your child finds challenging.
- Hiring a professional tutor can be a great way to gauge your child’s preparation for the 11 Plus.
The Aylesbury Grammar School: History and Overview
Aylesbury Grammar School was founded in 1598, originally occupying premises in Aylsebury’s Old Town for over 300 years before moving to its current campus in 1907. Having been a co-educational independent school in the early part of the 20th century, AGS underwent a transition to become a state grammar in the 1950s, a period during which it was also converted into a boys’ school. In 2012, it was awarded academy status.
AGS’ motto Schola Ailesburia, Floreat Ailesburia (“educate Aylesbury, let Aylesbury flourish”) befits both its excellent academic track record and its longstanding reputation as a cornerstone of the local community. Today, it has a roll of around 1300 students and was rated “Outstanding” in its last Ofsted inspection. The report highlighted not only the quality of teaching and leadership at Aylesbury Grammar School but also its capacity for enabling “confident, caring, articulate and mature” young people to flourish. Further, values such as respect and strong teacher-pupil relationships were identified as key within the school’s “cohesive, purposeful and happy” community.
Facilities and Extracurricular Activities at The Aylesbury Grammar School
At AGS, pupils are encouraged to embrace an extensive range of music, trips, sport and enrichment opportunities throughout the curriculum and their extracurricular pursuits. The school’s prospectus notes AGS’ long-running House system tradition, which encourages a healthy spirit of competition between peers.
The school’s wide-reaching curriculum is facilitated by separate suites for subjects such as Maths, Languages, History and Geography. The school also boasts a Design centre with state-of-the-art ICT resources and an Art & Ceramics wing. AGS equally boasts a variety of competitive sporting teams, fixtures and ample sporting facilities, including a swimming pool, a gymnasium, a health & fitness suite, squash courts, a sports hall and a separate Sixth Form area.
Meanwhile, pupils with a creative bent can take advantage of the school’s orchestra, band and theatre productions, which frequently run in conjunction with nearby girls’ grammar school Aylesbury High School.
To encourage a conscientious and community-minded attitude, AGS pupils are expected to undertake involvement in charitable programs on both a national and local level, with volunteering and fundraising tasks frequently being run with the support and guidance of staff.
Conclusion
If you’d like to learn more about the Aylesbury Grammar School, we recommend checking out the school’s website where you can download or order the current prospectus, read detailed information about its curriculum, teaching faculty, campus and results, and get a better idea of AGS’ vision and values. It could also be worthwhile checking out the school’s last report on the Ofsted website, as this provides an in-depth description of the school’s performance from an unbiased source.
If you’ve taken all these steps, you might also consider arranging a visit to the school in person with your child, using the contact details supplied at the top of the page. No matter what you decide, the Pi Academy wishes you every success in your school search.
Aylesbury Grammar School Catchment Area Criteria: Parents need to check the latest updated information on the school website
Aylesbury Grammar School Social Profiles
- Aylesbury Grammar School Facebook Page
- Aylesbury Grammar School Twitter Page
11 Plus Exam Guidance - Facebook Group for Parents and Teachers- Key Stages Guidance - Facebook Group for Parents and Teachers
Other Grammar Schools in Buckinghamshire:
Aylesbury High School 11 plus Exam Information
