About the school
John Hampden Grammar School (JHGS) is a selective grammar school for boys aged 11 to 18, located on Marlow Hill in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. With a capacity of around 1,150 pupils, it has a strong reputation for academic excellence and value-added progress, and was rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted.
The school was established in 1893 as the Schools of Science and Art, reflecting High Wycombe's tradition of furniture making and craftsmanship. It moved to its current Marlow Hill site in 1966, was renamed John Hampden Grammar School in 1984 after the local MP and Civil War figure John Hampden, and became an academy in 2011.
John Hampden Grammar School is part of The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS) consortium and uses the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) to select pupils for Year 7. The school operates two catchment priority areas and is consistently oversubscribed, which makes focused preparation valuable.
School type
Boys' Grammar (Selective)
Exam date
Thursday 10 September 2026 (for September 2027 entry)
Exam board
Buckinghamshire STT (GL Assessment)
Address
Marlow Hill, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP11 1SZ
Age range
11–18 (Years 7–13)
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Admissions information
The John Hampden Grammar School entrance test is administered through the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) system. Here is everything you need to know about the admissions process and exam structure.
John Hampden Grammar School is one of the 13 schools in The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS) consortium, all of which use the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT). The exam board is GL Assessment and the test is administered by Buckinghamshire Council as part of its Coordinated Admissions Scheme. Entry is on the basis of academic ability.
The STT consists of two multiple-choice papers, each lasting approximately 45 to 60 minutes with a short break between them. One paper covers comprehension, technical English and verbal reasoning; the other covers maths, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning. Scores are age-standardised and weighted 50% verbal and 25% each for numerical and non-verbal ability. For the September 2027 entry the main test is on Thursday, 10 September 2026, with a practice test on Tuesday, 8 September 2026.
Children at state-funded Buckinghamshire primary schools are entered for the STT automatically. Families whose children attend a primary school outside Buckinghamshire must register online; for September 2027 entry, registration opens at 10 am on 1 May 2026 and closes at 3 pm on 2 June 2026. Families must also submit their Local Authority Common Application Form (CAF), naming the school, by 31st October.
STT results are released to parents in October 2026, ahead of the 31st October application deadline, with allocations made on National Offer Day on 1st March 2027. A standardised score of 121 is the qualifying threshold for consideration; achieving it does not guarantee a place, as the school applies its oversubscription criteria where demand exceeds places.
Key admissions details
John Hampden Grammar School has a Published Admission Number of 180 places for Year 7, with a capacity of around 1,150 pupils across the school. A number of places are ring-fenced for Pupil Premium and looked-after boys in catchment, scoring 113 to 120. The school is regularly oversubscribed, so a qualifying STT score combined with the school's admissions criteria determines who is offered a place.
John Hampden Grammar School operates a catchment area split into two priority areas. Priority Area A covers High Wycombe, Stokenchurch, Marlow, Beaconsfield, and Gerrards Cross; Priority Area B covers Maidenhead, Taplow, Stoke Poges, Iver Heath and parts of Burnham. Boys in Priority Area A are prioritised ahead of those in Priority Area B. Entry is based first on a qualifying STT score; where qualifying applicants exceed places, priority follows looked-after children, Pupil Premium in catchment, siblings, the two priority areas, and then straight-line distance from the school.
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John Hampden Grammar School was established in 1893 as the Schools of Science and Art in High Wycombe. It moved to its current Marlow Hill site in 1966, was renamed John Hampden Grammar School in 1984 after the local MP John Hampden, and today educates around 1,150 boys aged 11 to 18, including a sixth form.
John Hampden Grammar School has a Published Admission Number of 180 places for Year 7, with some places ring-fenced for Pupil Premium and looked-after boys in catchment. Demand is high and the school is regularly oversubscribed, making thorough preparation for the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test essential.
John Hampden Grammar School uses the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test. It consists of two multiple-choice papers covering comprehension and verbal reasoning in one and maths, non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning in the other, weighted 50% verbal and 25% each for numerical and non-verbal. The test is sat in September of Year 6.
John Hampden Grammar School operates a catchment area with two priority areas, with Priority Area A (High Wycombe, Stokenchurch, Marlow, Beaconsfield, Gerrards Cross) prioritised ahead of Priority Area B (Maidenhead, Taplow, Stoke Poges, Iver Heath, parts of Burnham). Entry is based first on the qualifying STT score, but catchment and distance are deciding factors where the school is oversubscribed, so proximity matters.
Children at Buckinghamshire state primary schools are registered automatically. Families outside Buckinghamshire must register online; for September 2027 entry this opens at 10 am on 1 May 2026 and closes at 3 pm on 2 June 2026. The Common Application Form, naming the school, must be submitted to your Local Authority by 31st October.
Yes. John Hampden Grammar School offers an extensive extracurricular programme, with music, debating and sport particularly popular, alongside a range of clubs and societies such as the Pratchett Debating Society and Young Magistrates.
Yes, all our tuition is available both in-person at our Edgbaston, Birmingham centre and online via live video sessions. Online tuition gives families across Buckinghamshire and beyond access to our expert tutors without the need to travel. The quality and personalisation of sessions is identical in both formats.
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