Maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning
Competition
Selective
Prism’s suggested target
78% in practice (our estimate, not a school figure)
About the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test
Two papers sat in September of Year 6: Paper 1 (verbal skills) and Paper 2 (maths and non-verbal skills).
Stage
Paper
Questions
Time
Transfer Test
Paper 1: Verbal Skills
45
50 minutes
Transfer Test
Paper 2: Maths & Non-verbal
45
50 minutes
Paper formats are indicative and change from year to year. Always check the current arrangements with the school or local authority.
How to prepare
The Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test covers maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. Most families start steady preparation in Year 4 or early Year 5, building accuracy first and speed later, then sit timed papers through the summer before the test, which usually takes place in September.
For maths, secure the Key Stage 2 arithmetic, fractions, ratio and problem solving before moving to the multi-step questions that separate the strongest candidates.
For English, read widely every day and practise comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar; selective tests reward precise word knowledge.
Verbal reasoning is a set of learnable question types, such as letter codes, hidden words and word analogies. Learning each type, then practising it against the clock, lifts scores quickly.
Non-verbal reasoning is about spotting patterns in shapes: rotations, reflections, sequences and matrices. Short, regular sessions work better than long ones.
Practice questions in the style of the test
Written by Prism in the style of the test, not taken from any school’s papers.
Question 1Aim for about 60 seconds
What is the missing digit in this addition?
2
0
□
1
4
+
2
4
3
5
9
4
4
7
7
3
Show the worked answer
Answer: D, 4
How to work it out
Work from the right, carrying as you go.
The column with the box gets no carry, so □ + 3 must end in 7.
That makes □ = 4.
Why the other options are wrong
A (8): Test this digit in the column: it does not give the answer shown.
B (5): One too many: check the carry again.
C (7): This is the digit in the answer, not the missing digit in the number being added.
E (3): This adds a carry that is not there: the column to the right does not pass 9.
Question 2Aim for about 45 seconds
Which part has a punctuation mistake? Choose “No mistake” if there is none.
Show the worked answer
Answer: E, No mistake
How to work it out
There is no mistake: the whole sentence is punctuated correctly.
Check every part before choosing “No mistake”.
Why the other options are wrong
A (“What an excellent): This part is punctuated correctly.
B (idea!” exclaimed): This part is punctuated correctly.
C (Miss Harper, clapping): This part is punctuated correctly.
D (her hands together.): This part is punctuated correctly.
Question 3Aim for about 35 seconds
Which one letter completes the word in front of the brackets and starts the word after them, in both pairs?
shel ( ) lat scar ( ) ine
Show the worked answer
Answer: A, F
How to work it out
F makes shelf and flat, and scarf and fine.
The same letter must work in all four places.
Why the other options are wrong
B (T): T does not make four real words.
C (O): O does not make four real words.
D (Z): Z does not make four real words.
E (S): S does not make four real words.
Question 4Aim for about 45 seconds
Which of the shapes below could join this group?
The group
Show the worked answer
Answer: B
How to work it out
Every shape in the group has the same number of dots as it has sides.
Shading and rotation change freely, so they are distractors.
What entrance test does John Hampden Grammar School use?
John Hampden Grammar School uses the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test, which tests maths, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning. Check the school’s admissions page for the current arrangements.
What score does my child need for John Hampden Grammar School?
Schools do not publish pass marks. As a guide, Prism suggests a child aims to score around 78% consistently in practice for a selective school. This is Prism’s own estimate, not a figure from the school, and no score guarantees a place.
When should my child start preparing for John Hampden Grammar School?
Most families start in Year 4 or early Year 5, then practise timed papers during the summer before the test, which usually takes place in September.
Preparing for John Hampden Grammar School?
Prism starts with a free assessment across maths, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning, then builds a weekly plan for your target schools. Parents follow progress free.