Aylesbury High School is one of Buckinghamshire’s most sought-after girls’ grammar schools, drawing applications from families across the county and beyond. It is located on Walton Road in Aylesbury (HP21 7SX), educates around 1,400 girls aged 11 to 18 and is a member of The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS) partnership. Its reputation rests on consistently exceptional academic results, a strong sixth form and a record of progression to the country’s leading universities.
If your daughter hopes to join Aylesbury High in Year 7, you need to understand the entrance process, the realistic competition for places and how best to prepare. This guide sets out the verified facts on admissions, results and timing, and explains how to give her the strongest possible chance of qualifying.
School overview
Aylesbury High School was inspected by Ofsted on 5–6 December 2023 and judged Outstanding in every category, including the sixth form. This maintained the Outstanding rating it first earned in June 2012, more than a decade of sustained excellence (Ofsted report).
The school’s GCSE results place it among the strongest performers in the country. In 2024/25, the average Attainment 8 score was 74.3, with 98.9% of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in both English and mathematics. The EBacc average point score was 6.84 (DfE performance data). A Progress 8 measure was not calculated for 2024/25 because the school did not have a Key Stage 2 baseline for that cohort.
At A-level in 2025, 18% of grades were A*, 45% were A*–A and 76% were A*–B, across 209 students. The school secured 9 Oxbridge offers that year, and 15 students went on to read Medicine (school exam results). These figures show strong attainment across the board and a clear pathway into the most competitive university courses.
Girls who do well at Aylesbury High tend to be academically curious, well organised and motivated by learning beyond the demands of exams. The Outstanding sixth form is a major draw for families thinking ahead to the full seven-year journey, not just Year 7 entry.
The entrance exam: Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test
Admission to Aylesbury High is determined by the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT), the county-wide 11+ assessment provided by GL Assessment and used by all TBGS grammar schools. Every child seeking a grammar place sits the same test.
The STT consists of two papers, each lasting approximately 60 minutes, covering three areas: verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and mathematics. The papers are multiple choice, with answers marked on separate answer sheets, so accuracy and pace both matter. There is no penalty for wrong answers, which makes finishing the paper and attempting every question an important part of exam technique.
Pass mark and realistic score targets
The qualifying score is 121. A child’s raw marks across both papers are age-standardised (so younger children are not disadvantaged) and combined to produce a single standardised score. A score of 121 or above means a child has qualified for a grammar place.
There is an important distinction to understand here: qualifying does not guarantee a place at Aylesbury High specifically. Because the school is heavily oversubscribed, reaching 121 secures grammar eligibility, but the allocation of places at this particular school then depends on the oversubscription criteria explained below. For that reason, families should aim comfortably above the 121 threshold rather than treating it as the target. A confident margin above the pass mark gives the best protection against high demand.
Key dates for September 2027 entry
For children due to start Year 7 in September 2027, the timeline is:
- Registration opens: 10am on Friday 1 May 2026
- Registration deadline: 3pm on Tuesday 2 June 2026
- Test dates: 8 and 10 September 2026
Registration is handled through The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools, and missing the deadline means a child cannot sit the test on the main dates, so diarise these carefully. The test itself takes place at the start of Year 6.
The school holds an Open Morning on Friday 10 July 2026 (9am–10:30am) for prospective Year 7 families, though booking was not yet open at the time of writing (open events page). Attending an open event is a good way to confirm the school is the right fit before committing to the process.
Competition and catchment
Aylesbury High has a Published Admission Number (PAN) of 186 for September 2026 entry, meaning 186 Year 7 places are available. Demand consistently exceeds supply.
The school operates as a catchment-area grammar. Once a child has achieved a qualifying score, places are offered according to a defined order of priority: first to looked-after and previously looked-after children, then to high-scoring children eligible for the Pupil Premium, then to siblings of current pupils, then to children of staff, then to those with an exceptional medical or social need, and finally by straight-line distance from home to the school. For families without a sibling or priority connection, how close you live to the school is decisive once your daughter has qualified.
A notable feature of the Aylesbury arrangement is the sibling cross-priority with Aylesbury Grammar School, the partner boys’ grammar. A girl with a brother already attending Aylesbury Grammar can be treated within the sibling priority category, and vice versa, which is worth checking carefully if you have children of both sexes.
Because the final tie-breaker is distance, the qualifying score alone does not tell the whole story. We have not been able to verify the exact “last distance offered” for the most recent admission cycle from a primary source, so families should consult Buckinghamshire Council’s admissions team directly for the latest catchment cut-off figures before relying on them.
Preparation timeline and strategy
The strongest preparation begins early, ideally in Year 4. This is not about cramming. It is about giving a child time to build genuine skill and confidence so that by the September of Year 6 the test feels familiar rather than daunting.
Our approach is built on a few core principles:
- Prepare the subjects separately. Verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and mathematics each demand different techniques. Teaching them as distinct disciplines, rather than blurring them together, produces deeper, more reliable progress.
- Use mock tests under timed conditions. Realistic, full-length mocks are the single best way to build exam stamina and reveal where a child loses marks, whether to careless errors, pacing or specific question types.
- Keep group sizes small. We cap classes at 8 students so every child gets meaningful attention and feedback.
- Start with a clear baseline. A free diagnostic assessment identifies where a child stands and what to prioritise, so preparation is targeted rather than generic.
Think Smart Academy supports families from our High Wycombe centre and online, so focused 11+ preparation is accessible whether you live nearby or further across the county.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating 121 as the goal. At an oversubscribed catchment school, qualifying is only the first step. Aim well above the pass mark.
- Leaving preparation too late. Starting in Year 5, or worse the summer before the test, leaves little room to fix weaknesses calmly.
- Neglecting non-verbal reasoning. Because it feels less “academic” than maths or English, it is often under-practised, yet it carries real weight.
- Skipping timed practice. A child who knows the content but cannot finish the paper will lose avoidable marks.
- Overlooking the catchment reality. Families sometimes focus entirely on the score and forget that distance is the deciding factor. Understand where you stand geographically early on.
- Missing the registration deadline. The 3pm deadline is firm, and a late registration can mean no test place at all.
Next step
Aylesbury High School rewards early, structured and confident preparation. With an Outstanding rating, exceptional results and a clear pathway to leading universities, it is a place worth working towards, and the families who plan ahead consistently fare best.
Learn more about how we prepare girls for Aylesbury High on our school page, or book a free consultation to discuss your daughter’s preparation and arrange her diagnostic assessment.