Wycombe High School 11 plus: 2024 entry guide

About Wycombe High School

Wycombe High School is a grammar school for girls aged 11 to 18 in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Founded in 1901, it established itself as the first girls' grammar school in Buckinghamshire and has earned and maintained an excellent reputation as one of the leading grammar schools in the country. The Sunday Times named Wycombe High School 'Southeast Secondary School of the Year' in 2022.

The curriculum at Wycombe High School is broad, flexible and responsive. Girls study 14 subjects in Years 7 to 9 (increasing to 23 options by the time they reach sixth form) and have thorough exposure to digital learning, including specific coding lessons and Focus Days which are entirely devoted to digital activities. The school actively promotes STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and there is a wide range of extracurricular STEM activities on offer, including vibrant clubs and societies, competitions and visits.

Ofsted has designated Wycombe High as an 'outstanding' school, praising the quality of teaching, exemplary behaviour from students, high-quality pastoral care, and a safe and calm atmosphere. Students leave the school to pursue degrees at a wide range of excellent universities, as well as highly respected apprenticeships and employment opportunities.

• Address: Wycombe High School, Marlow Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP11 1TB

• Local authority: Buckinghamshire Council

• School type: girls' grammar

• Headteacher: Nicola Renyard

• Number of pupils: 1,300+

• National rank (Sunday Times Parent Power): 42

• A level results: 85.6% A*–B

• GCSE results: 82.1% 9/8/7

Key info for Year 7 admissions

• Admissions contact: [email protected], 01494 523961

• Number of places in Year 7: 192

• Open evening: July 2023

• Exam registration opens (out-of-county applications): 5th May 2023

• Exam registration closes (out-of-county applications): 16th June 2023

• Exam date: 14th September 2023

• Exam type: Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test

• Common application form (CAF) deadline: 31st October 2023

• National school offer day: 1st March 2024

How to apply to Wycombe High School

1. Secondary Transfer Test registration

Wycombe High School is a member of The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS). This consortium administers the 11 plus exam (Secondary Transfer Test) for all 13 grammar schools in the county.

Buckinghamshire’s 11 plus registration process is unique as they operate an ‘opt-out’ system. If your child attends a Buckinghamshire primary school, they will automatically be registered to take the test.

If your child's primary school is not in Buckinghamshire and you would like to apply for a place at Wycombe High School, you will need to register for the Secondary Transfer Test separately. Registration will be open on the Buckinghamshire Council website between 5th May 2023 and 16th June 2023.

2. Apply for a school place

You will receive your child's results in the Secondary Transfer Test on 13th October 2023. If your child has achieved the pass mark in the exam, they will be eligible for a place at the school. You will then be able to name Wycombe High School on your common application form.

Before listing the school as a preference on your form, check its admissions policy and make sure your child is eligible. Passing the Secondary Transfer Test will not be a guarantee of a place as more children reach the qualifying standard each year than there are places available.

The application form must be submitted to your home local council by 31st October 2023. The form must be completed for your home local authority – i.e. if you live in Buckinghamshire you will need to complete the form on the Buckinghamshire Council website. If you live in a different local authority, make sure to apply through the relevant website for that council.

What is the pass mark for Wycombe High School?

Your daughter's test papers in the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test will be marked and weighted. The English and verbal reasoning test will have a weighting of 50% applied, while the non-verbal reasoning and maths sections will be weighted at 25% each. The total of all scores will then be age-standardised to avoid any potential disadvantage for younger children. This overall mark will be your child's Secondary Transfer Test Score (STTS).

The qualifying score in the Secondary Transfer Test is 121. If your child achieves a score of 121 or higher, they will be eligible for entry to Wycombe High School.

Unlike other grammar schools in the country, children in Buckinghamshire are not ranked in order of their scores. Grammar school entry is entirely dependent on whether or not the child has scored 121, and whether they meet the individual school's admission criteria. We've included the admission criteria for Wycombe High School below.

Wycombe High School admission criteria

There are 192 places available in Year 7 at Wycombe High School. Girls who qualify and have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which names the school will be allocated places before the admission criteria are applied.

When the number of children who meet the pass mark exceeds the number of places available, Wycombe High School will apply oversubscription criteria in this order:

1. Looked after and previously looked after children

2. Qualified disadvantaged* girls who live within the catchment area and have achieved a minimum score of 115 in the Secondary Transfer Test. Up to a maximum of 12 places are available in this category

After places have been offered to the girls in the above categories, the following criteria will be applied to girls whose main home address is within Catchment Area A. If any places remain, these criteria will be reapplied to girls whose normal home address is in Catchment Area B, and then lastly to girls who do not live within either catchment area.

1. Girls living within the catchment area

2. Younger sisters of current students at Wycombe High School

3. Other qualified disadvantaged girls* whose normal home address is within the catchment area, and who have not already been offered a place under previous criteria

4. Daughters of staff at Wycombe High School

5. Other qualified disadvantaged girls* who have not been offered a place under previous criteria

6. All other places will then be offered in distance order, prioritising girls who live closest to the school

*Disadvantaged girls refers to girls who are currently in receipt of the pupil premium, service premium, or free school meals.

Wycombe High School catchment area

Wycombe High operates a catchment area to prioritise eligible children living close to the school. There are two catchment areas – Catchment Area A (the priority) and Catchment Area B:

• Catchment Area A includes High Wycombe, Stokenchurch, Marlow, Cadmore End, Flackwell Heath and the southern parts of Princes Risborough

• Catchment Area B includes Maidenhead, Cookham Dean, Cookham Rise and Waltham St Lawrence

A map of both catchment areas is available on the Wycombe High School website.

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