Bucks 11 Plus Test Date 2026: Full Timeline for Parents

June 2026: The Registration Deadline — Do Not Miss This

Registration for the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test closes in June of Year 5. For the 2026 cohort (children in Year 5 during the 2025/26 academic year), this means June 2026. This is the single most important administrative task in Year 5. Missing the deadline means your child cannot sit the test — there is very limited provision for late registration.

In-county state primary school children are typically registered automatically by their school once they have been listed as wishing to take the test. Parents should confirm this directly with their school's office rather than assuming it has been done. Out-of-county children and those attending independent schools must register directly with Buckinghamshire Council. The official registration process is managed via the TBGS website and Buckinghamshire Council admissions pages.

September 2026: Test Day

The Secondary Transfer Test is sat in September of Year 6 — typically in the first or second week of the school year. The test consists of two 45-minute papers, usually sat on the same day. Most in-county children sit the test at their own primary school. The exact test date for September 2026 will be announced by The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS) consortium — check thebucksgrammarschools.org for the official confirmed date.

All instructions during the test are delivered via audio recording. A recorded voice tells children when to start each section, how many questions it contains, and when to stop. The voice cannot be paused or questioned. Children who have not practised with audio-format tests may find this unexpectedly pressuring. Specific preparation with audio-led mock tests before September is strongly recommended.

October 2026: Results Released

Results for the September 2026 test are released in October 2026 — typically around three to four weeks after test day. The result is communicated as either 'qualified' or 'not qualified'. The specific standardised score is not shared at the initial results stage; parents can request their child's score from Buckinghamshire Council after results are released.

Children who are qualified then proceed to list grammar school preferences on the Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF). Children who are not qualified may still apply to comprehensive schools through the normal admissions process.

October/November 2026: The SCAF Deadline

The Secondary Common Application Form (SCAF) is submitted after 11+ results are received. Qualified families list up to three grammar school preferences on the SCAF, alongside comprehensive school preferences. The deadline for submitting the SCAF is typically the last working day of October or mid-November 2026. Exact dates are confirmed by Buckinghamshire Council each year. Late applications are processed after all on-time applications — in a competitive admissions year, a late SCAF can significantly reduce the chance of receiving a grammar school offer.

March 2027: National Offer Day

All Year 7 secondary school place offers across England are released simultaneously on National Offer Day — the first of March 2027 (or the next working day). Families receive their offer by email and through their online school admissions account, or by letter. Offers must be accepted or declined within a specified window, usually two to three weeks after Offer Day. Children who do not receive a grammar school offer are placed on the waiting list for any listed grammar schools, and offers can be made from waiting lists throughout the spring and summer as other children decline places.

How to Prepare for September 2026

The test is sat in September of Year 6, which means the effective preparation window runs through Year 5 (2025/26) and the summer holidays before Year 6. Children beginning Year 5 in September 2025 have approximately 12 months before their test date. The most effective preparation follows a structured approach: a diagnostic assessment early in Year 5 to identify gaps, focused domain-specific practice through the year, and timed full mock papers in the summer holidays.