When do I need to apply for my child's Secondary School place?

Submit your child’s secondary school application in the autumn term, by the national deadline of 31 October 2024.

Submit one application to your child’s home Local Authority (LA): this application should include all your child’s preferred schools (even if the school is not in that LA’s area). You can submit their application to Buckinghamshire Council on the online application portal from 5th September 2024.

You will find out which secondary school your child has been offered on National Offer Day: 3 March 2025.

 How do I decide which schools to apply for?

It is important to do your research before applying for school places, to find out:

• Information about your preferred schools, and whether they will be right for your child;
• If your child needs to sit a test before applying (such as the Secondary Transfer Test for grammar schools, or the banding test for The Highcrest Academy);
• If you should include further information or evidence when you apply (such as a Supplementary Information Form, or additional address evidence if you have recently moved house);
• Whether your child is likely to be offered a place.

Most schools host open events, so that families can visit schools and learn about what they have to offer: check school websites for details. School websites will also have lots of other helpful information.

You can use the checker on the website which enables you to work out your catchment and closest schools (measured in a straight line): www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/find-a-school-place

 What do I need to know about grammar schools and the secondary transfer test?

There are two types of mainstream secondary school in Buckinghamshire:

• Upper/all-ability schools, which admit children without reference to their academic ability
• Grammar schools, which admit children who score 121 or higher in the Secondary Transfer Test (11 plus)

The Secondary Transfer Test measures verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning, and mathematical skills. There are two papers, each about 60 minutes long, with a break between. The test takes place in school during the school day. A shorter practice test is taken two days before the test, to help children learn what to expect. A Familiarisation Booklet will be posted to your child’s home address in July.

Children who attend a Buckinghamshire state-funded primary school are automatically entered for the Secondary Transfer Test and do not need to be registered for testing separately. If you do not want your child to sit the test, confirm this in writing to Ms Mirza. 

If your child has Special Educational Needs or a disability and/or receives adjustments in school to help them access the curriculum, and if you think they may have difficulty accessing the Secondary Transfer Test, speak to your Ms Mirza to see if an application for adjustments should be made.

If a child scores 121 or higher in the Secondary Transfer Test, they are considered ‘qualified’ for grammar school, and will be prioritised for places at their preferred grammar school(s) according to each grammar school’s admission rules.

What do I need to know about school transport?

Most children are not entitled to Free School Transport: make sure you consider how your child will get to school when deciding which schools to apply for. Families may be able to pay for school transport if places are available or otherwise make use of public transport.

Free School Transport may be given if your child (a) attends their nearest school and (b) the nearest school is over the statutory walking distance of 3 miles (or the route is deemed unsafe to walk). You can use our free school transport checker’. The distance used for transport purposes is the shortest driving/walking route: this is different to the distance used for admissions purposes (straight line, or ‘as the crow flies’).

For your child to be considered for Free School Transport, you must include your nearest school, as identified in the checker above, in your application. If your child's nearest school is not included in their application, Free School Transport will not be provided to a school further away. Bear in mind that your nearest school may not be your catchment school. For grammar qualified children, an upper/all-ability school may be the nearest school – Free School Transport is not provided to grammar school unless it is the child’s nearest school.

More information about School Transport is available here:

www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools-index/school-transport/