School Address

Contact Information

Email Address office@jhgs.bucks.sch.uk

Telephone (Main Office) 01494 529589

Website Address https://www.jhgs.bucks.sch.uk

Parking in the school

There is limited parking space available on the school premises, alternative parking is listed below, all within a 15 minute walk:

• High Wycombe Park and Ride, Marlow hill, High Wycombe HP11 1TJ (Opening Times: Mon-Sun All Day)
• Mid and South Buckinghamshire, Diagnostic Centre, Lancaster Road, High Wycombe HP12 3QL (Opening Times: Mon-Fri 08:00-19:00 & Sat-Sun 08:00-17:00)

The STT: Overview

There are four key components to the STT, a test overseen and marked by the GL Exam Board, making it a GL 11 Plus Exam. The STT will assess candidates competency in English, Verbal Reasoning (VR), Non-verbal Reasoning (NVR) and Maths. For an in depth breakdown of the GL 11 Plus in Buckinghamshire, please visit our article ‘Selective Tests in Buckinghamshire – The GL 11 Plus Test’.

Overview:

The test consists of two exam papers, each taking approximately 60 minutes in length.

• Paper One: Verbal Reasoning (VR) & English: VR and English each have their own section.

• Paper Two: Non-verbal Reasoning (NVR) & Mathematics: NVR will include Spatial Reasoning (SR) too, and will have its own section. Maths will have its own section.

TBGS GL 11 Plus Test: Pass Criteria

Test scores are received by October for the following year of entry. For example, for entry in 2023, test scores will be received in October 2022. It is notable that younger children are not penalised for their age, the results are statistically standardised to compare any child’s score average to the average score of their school year. Further, there is no ‘pass mark’, for the STT; instead, admission is based on whether a candidate has met a ‘qualifying score’. This is the minimum aggregate score received upon sitting the STT that a child must receive in order to be eligible for admission to John Hampden Grammar School. The qualifying score in John Hampden’s 2023 admission policy is stated as 121. However, the ‘qualifying mark’ can vary from year to year. Although the qualifying mark cannot be predicted, it is estimated that the top 25% of students will achieve the qualifying mark. For more information please see our article ‘Selective Test in Buckinghamshire – GL 11 Plus”

Catchment Area

As a prerequisite, a child must achieve the qualifying score (currently 121) in order to be eligible for admission to John Hampden Grammar School. The school does operate on a catchment area; a link to a map of the catchment area can be found on page 8 of their admissions policy – https://www.jhgs.bucks.sch.uk/596/2023-admissions – it is notable that the catchment area is subject to change every year, so please check for the most updated version of the catchment area.

Oversubscription Criteria:

Where the number of eligible admissions exceeds the number of places, offers for a place at John Hampden Grammar School are made on a tiered basis. The prerequisite to meet the “qualifying score” of 121 still must be met.

1. Looked after or previously Looked After* boys;
2. 12 boys who qualify into the “Additional Eligibilities” criteria listed below;
3. Other boys who attract the Pupil Premium who achieve the qualifying score of 121 and reside in the Catchment Area;
4. Brothers of siblings in years 7-12 who are on roll of the school at the time allocations are made and who will be on roll of the school at the time of proposed admission;
5. Boys who have exceptional social or medical needs which can only be met at John Hampden Grammar School;
6. Sons of staff who are employed on a permanent contract at the School, where the member of staff has been employed for two or more years at the time the application for admission is made, or the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skills shortage;
7. Boys living in the Priority Area A of the School (High Wycombe, part of South Buckinghamshire and some outlying villages);
8. Boys living in the Priority Area B of the School (part of South Buckinghamshire and Maidenhead);
9. All other boys will be offered in distance order using the methodologunset out in the County Scheme where those living closest to the School should be given priority

Reference to “Catchment Area” means both Priority Area A and Priority Area B together. A full map of the catchment area can be found at https://johnhampden.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/document/Catchment-Map-Sept-2022.pdf?ts=1609929372360 

Additional Eligibilities:

12 places with the 180 possible places are reserved for Looked After Children, or children who attract the Pupil Premium who:

• Achieved 115-120 in the STT 
• Reside in the Catchment Area of the school

The children meeting the above criteria do not have to meet the prerequisite standard of scoring 121 in the STT, they are they only category in the Oversubscription Criteria who do not have to do so. If there are more than 12 children meeting the above criteria, priority will be given to the child residing closest to the school.

*A Looked After or Previously Looked After child is one who is in or has previously been in state authority care.

**A child in receipt of the Pupil Premium is eligible for free school meals must be eligible for them from 31st October of the preceding year of entry, and must remain eligible at the date of entry.

For a full and detailed breakdown of the admissions process and eligibility criteria, please visit John Hampden Grammar School 2023 Admission policy at https://www.jhgs.bucks.sch.uk/596/2023-admissions