John Hampden Grammar School 11 Plus (11+) Secondary Transfer Test

Introduction

Founded in 1893, John Hampden Grammar School, known as ‘JHGS’ for short, is a selective state boys’ grammar school that educates students aged between 11 and 18. Located in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, the school is named after the English Civil War commander and local Member of Parliament, John Hampden.

In 2011, the school became an Academy and in previous years has been rated as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted. Known for providing excellent sports facilities, John Hampden  Grammar School offers hockey, rugby, climbing and Rock-it-Ball as extra-curricular sporting activities.

11 plus Secondary Transfer Test Information for John Hampden Grammar School

Address: John Hampden Grammar School, Marlow Hill, High Wycombe, HP11 1SZ

County: Buckinghamshire

Admissions Info: office@jhgs.bucks.sch.uk, 01494 529589

School Type: Boys’ Grammar

Number of pupils: 1,036 (approx.)

Number of Places in Year 7: 150 (approx.)

Open Day Date: July and October

Exam Date: September

Exam Board Type: GL Assessment

John Hampden Grammar School Year 7 Admissions

Year 7 entry to John Hampden Grammar School is determined by student performance in the 11 plus Secondary Transfer Test. The 11+ test is produced by the exam board GL Assessment and administered by Buckinghamshire County Council as part of its co-ordinated admissions scheme.

More information about the admissions process at John Hampden Grammar School is available on the school’s website, as well as the Local Authority website.

For more details on the Secondary Transfer Test, parents are encouraged to contact the Admissions Team at Buckinghamshire County Council on 01296 388222, or by emailing office@ahs.bucks.sch.uk.

John Hampden Grammar School encourages all parents and prospective pupils interested in applying to the school, to arrange a visit. Visits typically include a tour of the school and the opportunity to meet with staff members. To arrange a visit to John Hampden Grammar, parents should contact the school office to make an appointment, on 01494 529589, or by emailing office@jhgs.bucks.sch.uk.

The school often receives more applications than there are available places. In such cases, the following oversubscription criteria is used, giving priority to:

• Looked after or previously looked after boys
• Students eligible for Pupil Premium or Free School Meals
• Students who have brothers that already attend the school
• Students who have exceptional medical or social needs
• Students that live closest to the school

John Hampden Grammar School also has a waiting list system in place. Students who are added to the waiting list are ranked in accordance with the school’s oversubscription criteria. If parents decline an offer of a place, they may subsequently re-join the waiting list upon request.

John Hampden Grammar School’s full admissions policy is available to download from their website.

How to Apply for Year 7 Entry to John Hampden Grammar School

Students that live within the school’s catchment area are automatically registered for a Year 7 place, unless parents withdraw them from the application process.

In all other cases, parents need to make an application for testing to the Testing Administrator, using the Bucks online application portal by the deadline date. Parents should also inform their home local authority by completing a Common Application Form (CAF), stating their child’s school preference. The CAF should be sent alongside evidence of the boys’ home address.

As with all 11+ Secondary Transfer Tests in Buckinghamshire, results are sent to parents before the end of October.

John Hampden Grammar School Catchment Area

Does John Hampden Grammar School have a catchment area?

Yes, they do. For John Hampden Grammar School, the catchment area is made up of two sections. Priority Area A covers High Wycombe, part of South Buckinghamshire and some outlying villages, and is followed by Priority Area B, which covers parts of South Buckinghamshire and Maidenhead.

John Hampden Grammar School 11 Plus Secondary Transfer Test Format

John Hampden Grammar School uses the 11+ exam to determine Year 7 entry. The test is used to assess the academic suitability of candidates. There are two test papers that focus on:

1. Comprehension, technical English and verbal reasoning
2. Non-verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning and maths

Each test is multiple choice and lasts approximately 45 minutes. The Secondary Transfer Test is weighted as follows:

• Verbal skills section – 50%
• Non-verbal section – 25%
• Maths section – 25%

In order to be considered for a Year 7 place at John Hampden Grammar School, students need to achieve a minimum qualifying score of 121 or above. Each test is age standardised to ensure fairness to all students.

Two days before the 11 plus Secondary Transfer test, pupils will have the opportunity to take two practice tests in order to become familiar with the layout of the actual exam.

For more information on the Secondary Transfer Test, please see the Buckinghamshire County Council website.

How to Prepare for the John Hampden Grammar 11 Plus School Secondary Transfer Test?

When it comes to preparing for the Secondary Transfer Test, the sooner students start revising, the more time they’ll have to improve before test day. We’d advise that parents create a study schedule with their son that maps out what needs to be covered. As the test approaches, the schedule can be adjusted to focus on specific areas that need improving.

At Exam Papers Plus, we publish practice tests that help pupils prepare for independent and grammar school entrance exams, like the Secondary Transfer Test at John Hampden Grammar. Our practice tests help familiarise students with the format of the entrance exam and get them used to the types of questions they may be asked in the two test papers.

As the exam date approaches, our practice tests can be taken under exam conditions to help students improve their time managements skills. As each test paper on the day lasts 45 minutes, students need to get used to answering questions quickly, under time pressure.

Practice Exam Papers for the 11 Plus John Hampden Secondary Transfer Test

For for the John Hampden Grammar School Secondary Transfer Test, we would specifically recommend the following practice resources:

Full-length practice tests 

• 11+ Buckinghamshire Practice Test 1
• 11+ Buckinghamshire Practice Test 2
• 11+ Buckinghamshire Practice Test 3
• 11+ Buckinghamshire Practice Test 4
• 11+ Buckinghamshire Practice Test 5

Subject and skill-specific practice resources 

English

Full Practice Tests

• 11+ English – Grammar Schools – (Pack 1)
• 11+ English – Grammar Schools – (Pack 2)
• 11+ English – Grammar Schools – (Pack 3)
• 11+ English – Grammar Schools – (Pack 4)

Skill specific practice

• 11+ English – Grammar Schools – Spelling – (Pack 3)
• 11+ English – Grammar Schools – Punctuation
• 11+ English – Grammar Schools – Sentence Completion
• 11+ English – Grammar Schools – Comprehension – (Pack 1)
• 11+ English – Grammar Schools – Inference Skills

Mathematics

Full Practice Tests

• 11+ Maths – Grammar Schools – (Pack 1)
• 11+ Maths – Grammar Schools – (Pack 2)
• 11+ Maths – Grammar Schools – (Pack 3)
• 11+ Maths – Grammar Schools – (Pack 4)

Skill specific practice

• 11+ Maths – Grammar Schools – Problem Solving Pack 1
• 11+ Maths – Grammar Schools – Problem Solving Pack 2

Verbal Reasoning

Full Practice Tests

• 11+ Verbal Reasoning – Grammar Schools – (Pack 1)
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning – Grammar Schools – (Pack 2)
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning – Grammar Schools – (Pack 3)
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning – Grammar Schools – (Pack 4)

Skill Specific Practice

• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Anagrams
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Analogies
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Codes
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Compound Words
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Embedded Words
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Form a Word
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Insert a Letter
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Letter Calculations
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Letter Sequences
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Move a Letter
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Number Calculations
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Number Sequences
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Shuffled Sentences
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Synonyms
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Word Completion
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Word Match
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Word Opposites
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Word Puzzles
• 11+ Verbal Reasoning (Grammar Schools): Word Relationships

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Full Practice Tests

• 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning – Grammar Schools – (Pack 1)

Spatial Reasoning

Questions & Video Tutorials

• 11+ Spatial Reasoning – Grammar Schools

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Our practice tests aim to show what sort of questions were included in John Hampden Grammar School 11+ past papers. The information provided about John Hampden Grammar School was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the post.