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Free Practice Questions for Bucks 11+ (STT)

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Key Facts: Bucks 11+ (STT) Exam

2 papers

Two all-multiple-choice papers sat on the same day in September

Buckinghamshire Council - The Secondary Transfer Test

Score of 121

Standardised Secondary Transfer Test Score of 121 or above qualifies for a grammar place

Buckinghamshire Council - Secondary Transfer Test results

50 / 25 / 25

Verbal skills count 50%, maths 25% and non-verbal reasoning 25% of the score

Buckinghamshire 11+ admissions guidance

Year 6

Children sit the test in September of Year 6 for Year 7 grammar entry

Buckinghamshire Council - Grammar schools and Secondary Transfer Testing

GL Assessment

The test is produced by GL Assessment, not CEM

Buckinghamshire Council - The Secondary Transfer Test

Free

There is no fee to register for or sit the Secondary Transfer Test

Buckinghamshire Council - Grammar schools and Secondary Transfer Testing

One sitting

A child sits the test once even when applying to several Bucks grammar schools

Buckinghamshire 11+ admissions guidance

100

Free original practice questions here

OpenExamPrep

The Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (Bucks 11+) is the GL Assessment selective test for Year 6 children seeking a place at a Buckinghamshire grammar school. It uses two all-multiple-choice papers sat in September: Paper 1 covers comprehension, technical English and verbal reasoning, and Paper 2 covers maths, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning. The skill areas are weighted as verbal skills 50%, maths 25% and non-verbal reasoning 25%, with scores age-standardised. A standardised score (STTS) of 121 or above is the qualifying standard, though it does not guarantee a place. This 100-question bank provides original 11+ multiple-choice practice across all four subject areas.

Sample Bucks 11+ (STT) Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Bucks 11+ (STT) exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which word is the odd one out?
A.robin
B.sparrow
C.salmon
D.blackbird
Explanation: Robin, sparrow and blackbird are all birds, while a salmon is a fish. The odd one out is the word that does not belong to the same group as the others.
2Glove is to hand as sock is to ____.
A.foot
B.shoe
C.arm
D.leg
Explanation: A glove is worn on a hand, so by the same relationship a sock is worn on a foot. Analogy questions ask you to find the same kind of link between two pairs of words.
3If the code for CAT is DBU, what is the code for DOG using the same rule?
A.EPH
B.CPF
C.EPG
D.FPH
Explanation: In CAT to DBU, each letter moves forward one place in the alphabet: C+1=D, A+1=B, T+1=U. Applying the same +1 rule to DOG gives D+1=E, O+1=P, G+1=H, so the code is EPH.
4Find the hidden four-letter word at the end of the first word and start of the second: 'broad' 'mistake'.
A.admi
B.admis
C.oadm
D.dami
Explanation: Joining the words gives 'broadmistake'. The hidden four-letter word formed by the end of 'broad' and the start of 'mistake' is 'admi'... reading across the join 'a-d-m-i' gives the letters between the two words.
5Which word means the opposite of 'ancient'?
A.modern
B.elderly
C.historic
D.fragile
Explanation: 'Ancient' means very old, so its opposite is 'modern', meaning new or of the present time. Antonym questions ask for the word with the opposite meaning.
6Complete the sequence of letters: B, D, F, H, ____.
A.J
B.I
C.K
D.G
Explanation: The letters skip one each time: B, (C), D, (E), F, (G), H, so the next letter after H is J. The pattern moves forward two places in the alphabet each step.
7Three children share sweets. Tom has more than Sara. Sara has more than Lily. Who has the fewest sweets?
A.Lily
B.Sara
C.Tom
D.Cannot tell
Explanation: Tom has more than Sara, and Sara has more than Lily, so the order from most to fewest is Tom, Sara, Lily. Lily therefore has the fewest sweets.
8Which word can go in front of all three words to make new words: ____ball, ____light, ____shine?
A.moon
B.sun
C.day
D.star
Explanation: Adding 'sun' makes 'sunball'... the best fit that forms real words for all three is 'sun': sunlight and sunshine are both common words, and the answer that joins all three correctly is 'sun'.
9If A=1, B=2, C=3 and so on, what is the value of the word CAB (add the letter values)?
A.6
B.5
C.7
D.8
Explanation: C=3, A=1 and B=2. Adding these values gives 3 + 1 + 2 = 6. Number-letter questions ask you to swap each letter for its position number and then calculate.
10Which two words are most similar in meaning: brave, tall, fearless, quiet?
A.brave and fearless
B.tall and quiet
C.brave and quiet
D.tall and fearless
Explanation: 'Brave' and 'fearless' both describe someone who is not afraid, so they are closest in meaning. Synonym questions ask you to pair the two words that mean almost the same thing.

About the Bucks 11+ (STT) Exam

The Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT), commonly called the Bucks 11+, is the selective test used by The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools consortium to decide which children qualify for one of the county's grammar schools. Produced by GL Assessment, it consists of two multiple-choice papers sat in September at the start of Year 6. Paper 1 assesses verbal skills through English comprehension, technical English (grammar, punctuation and spelling) and verbal reasoning; Paper 2 assesses mathematics, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning. Scores are age-standardised, and the three skill areas are weighted so that verbal skills count for 50% of the overall score and maths and non-verbal reasoning each count for 25%. A standardised Secondary Transfer Test Score of 121 or above is the qualifying standard.

Exam sponsor: The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS) consortium, with tests produced by GL Assessment. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

Two multiple-choice papers. Paper 1 covers comprehension, technical English and verbal reasoning; Paper 2 covers non-verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning and mathematics. The exact number of questions per paper is not published by GL Assessment.

Time Limit

Two papers, each about 45 to 60 minutes, sat on the same day with a short break between them.

Passing Score

A standardised Secondary Transfer Test Score (STTS) of 121 or above is the qualifying standard. There is no fixed minimum for individual sections, and meeting the standard does not guarantee a grammar school place because schools apply further admissions criteria.

Exam / Certification Fees

There is no fee to register for or sit the Secondary Transfer Test; it is free for children at state-funded Buckinghamshire primary and partner schools and for registered out-of-county children.

Exam sponsor website

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

50%

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal reasoning makes up part of the 50% verbal-skills weighting in Paper 1. Practice here covers letter and word codes, sequences, analogies, odd-one-out, hidden words, word relationships, alphabet logic and number-word problems in multiple-choice form.

25%

English (Comprehension and Technical English)

English also contributes to the 50% verbal-skills weighting. Practice here covers reading comprehension, inference, vocabulary in context, and technical English: spelling, punctuation, grammar, parts of speech and sentence correction at Key Stage 2 level.

25%

Mathematics

Maths carries 25% of the overall score in Paper 2. Practice here covers number and place value, the four operations, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio, measurement, time, money, geometry, data handling and multi-step word problems from the Key Stage 2 curriculum.

25%

Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning

Non-verbal reasoning carries 25% of the overall score in Paper 2. Practice here covers shape sequences, analogies, odd-one-out, matrices, reflections and rotations, nets and cubes, and spatial reasoning with mental manipulation of shapes.

Preparing for the Bucks 11+ (STT) Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: A standardised Secondary Transfer Test Score (STTS) of 121 or above is the qualifying standard. There is no fixed minimum for individual sections, and meeting the standard does not guarantee a grammar school place because schools apply further admissions criteria.
  • Assessment: Two multiple-choice papers. Paper 1 covers comprehension, technical English and verbal reasoning; Paper 2 covers non-verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning and mathematics. The exact number of questions per paper is not published by GL Assessment.
  • Time limit: Two papers, each about 45 to 60 minutes, sat on the same day with a short break between them.
  • Exam / certification fees: There is no fee to register for or sit the Secondary Transfer Test; it is free for children at state-funded Buckinghamshire primary and partner schools and for registered out-of-county children. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Bucks 11+ (STT): Suggested Study Strategy

1Practise on multiple-choice answer sheets so your child gets used to marking answers clearly and not losing marks on a paper-based, machine-read test.
2For comprehension, train your child to underline the exact words in a passage that prove an answer rather than choosing what merely sounds right.
3For technical English, revise spelling rules, punctuation, parts of speech and common grammar errors, since these question types reward precise knowledge.
4For maths, drill quick mental calculation and the Key Stage 2 curriculum, and practise multi-step word problems under time pressure.
5For non-verbal and spatial reasoning, learn the common question types early - sequences, matrices, reflections, rotations and nets of cubes - so the formats feel familiar.
6Because verbal skills carry 50% of the score, spend proportionally more practice time on comprehension, technical English and verbal reasoning.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many papers are in the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test?

There are two multiple-choice papers. Paper 1 covers comprehension, technical English and verbal reasoning; Paper 2 covers non-verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning and mathematics. Both are sat on the same day with a break between them.

What score do you need to pass the Bucks 11+?

The qualifying standard is a standardised Secondary Transfer Test Score (STTS) of 121 or above. There is no fixed minimum for individual sections, and qualifying does not guarantee a place because schools apply further admissions criteria.

How are the sections weighted?

The three skill areas are combined using a weighting where verbal skills count for 50% of the overall score, while maths and non-verbal reasoning each count for 25%.

When do children sit the test?

Children sit the Secondary Transfer Test in September at the start of Year 6, for entry to a grammar school in Year 7 the following September.

Who produces the Buckinghamshire test?

The test is produced by GL Assessment for The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools consortium. It is a GL-style 11+ test, not a CEM test, so GL-style practice is the most relevant preparation.

Are these official GL Assessment practice questions?

No. These are original OpenExamPrep questions modelled on the skills assessed in the Secondary Transfer Test. GL Assessment and Buckinghamshire Council provide official familiarisation materials separately.