Sir William Borlase's Grammar School 11+ Guide

About Sir William Borlase's Grammar School

Sir William Borlase's Grammar School is a selective secondary school in Buckinghamshire. For children to get into Sir William Borlase's Grammar School they need to pass the school's 11+ entrance test. Hence, Sir William Borlase's Grammar School is a traditional grammar school, one of only 163 remaining in England.

Nestled in the picturesque town of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, Sir William Borlase's Grammar School is a beacon of academic excellence and personal growth. This co-educational institution, which caters to students aged 11 to 18, prides itself on delivering a comprehensive and stimulating curriculum that prepares young minds for the challenges and opportunities of the modern world.

At Borlase, students are encouraged to embrace a love for learning across a wide spectrum of subjects, from the sciences and mathematics to the humanities and arts. The school's dedicated faculty works tirelessly to ensure that each pupil receives the support and guidance necessary to unlock their full potential, both within the classroom and beyond. With a strong emphasis on independent research, practical exploration, and enriching field trips, students are given the tools to become critical thinkers, innovative problem-solvers, and engaged global citizens.

Beyond the academic realm, Sir William Borlase's Grammar School offers an unparalleled array of extracurricular activities designed to cater to the diverse interests and talents of its student body. From nationally-recognised hockey and rowing programmes to captivating dance, drama, and musical theatre performances, pupils have ample opportunities to explore their passions and develop new skills. This holistic approach to education not only fosters a well-rounded individual but also instils important values such as teamwork, perseverance, and self-expression.

The school's unwavering commitment to excellence is reflected in its students' consistently outstanding performance on both A-level and GCSE exams, cementing its position as one of the top 50 grammar schools in the country. However, the true measure of success at Borlase extends far beyond academic achievements; it lies in the character, resilience, and compassion that its students embody as they navigate the world beyond the school's walls. With its motto, "Te Digna Sequere" (Follow things Worthy), Sir William Borlase's Grammar School continues to inspire and nurture generations of young leaders, innovators, and change-makers.

School Information

Below you will find further information about Sir William Borlase's Grammar School together with their admissions contact details.

Sir William Borlase's Grammar School is a mixed (i.e. both girls and boys) school. It is also an academy, meaning the school is run independently by a trust or sponsor and is directly funded by the central government (not the local authority).

In total 1,165 pupils attend Sir William Borlase's Grammar School and it's led by the Headteacher, Mr Ed Goodall.

Sir William Borlase's Grammar School Location

Below you will find a map showing the school's location:

GCSE & A-Level Subjects

Below you will find a complete list of GCSE and A-Level subjects offered to pupils at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School for the 2022-23 academic year.

Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) Information

In order to get into Sir William Borlase's Grammar School, children need to pass the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT). This 11+ test is written by GL Assessment for use by the school's admissions process.

Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) Subjects & Structure

The Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) requires children to complete tests in the following subjects:

• English Comprehension
• Technical English
• Verbal Reasoning
• Key Stage 2 Maths
• Non-Verbal Reasoning
• Spatial Reasoning

The Secondary Transfer Test is an entrance examination for admission to Sir William Borlase's Grammar School. This assessment, provided by GL Assessment, consists of two one-hour papers that evaluate a student's abilities in various subjects.

The first paper focuses on verbal skills, which include English comprehension, technical English, and verbal reasoning. These sections assess a student's ability to understand and analyze written passages, their knowledge of English language conventions, and their capacity to draw logical conclusions from given information.

The second paper concentrates on mathematical and non-verbal skills. This includes Key Stage 2 maths, which tests a student's understanding of mathematical concepts and problem-solving abilities. The non-verbal reasoning and spatial reasoning sections evaluate a student's capacity to identify patterns, solve problems using visual information, and understand the relationships between shapes and objects.

Other Schools using Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT)

As well as Sir William Borlase's Grammar School, several other schools also use Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT). These are:

• Aylesbury Grammar School
• Aylesbury High School
• Beaconsfield High School
• Burnham Grammar School
• Chesham Grammar School
• Dr Challoner's Grammar School
• Dr Challoner's High School
• John Hampden Grammar School
• Royal Latin School
• Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School
• The Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe
• Wycombe High School

Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) Marking Process

The reality of 11+ tests, selective education and academic institutions such as Sir William Borlase's Grammar School is that only children with particularly high marks are admitted. Hence why it is important that children perform well in their 11+ papers.

Different schools (and different 11+ tests) have different marking processes. Some tests are marked in person, some remotely, while others utilise computer-based optical recognition technologies for quickly marking multiple-choice answer sheets.

Many 11+ tests are age-standardised to ensure younger children are not disadvantaged (i.e. their marks may be moderated depending on the month in which they were born). While creative writing papers can be used as tie-breakers, multiple-choice tests in Maths, Comprehension, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning normally make up the bulk of a child's marks. The specific details and weightings can vary from year to year.

It's worth remembering that once children's 11+ tests are being marked, the admissions process is completely outside of the parents' control. Hence, parents should not worry themselves about whether their child has got a place!

Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) Pass Mark

The pass mark for the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) changes every year and isn't generally made public knowledge. This is due to the academic strength of the children taking the test varying and how challenging the test ends up being (as well as plenty of other smaller variables).

Hence, as a vague rule-of-thumb, it's recommended that children aim for roughly 75-80% in their practice tests. Whilst this won't guarantee them a place at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School, it's a ballpark exam result figure for successful candidates.

Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) Key Dates for your Diary

Here are all the important dates for the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) tests (to get into Sir William Borlase's Grammar School) as well as other relevant dates.

Although the utmost care has been taken to gather these dates, parents should treat them as a guide and check with Sir William Borlase's Grammar School as they may well change.

Ofsted Information

Sir William Borlase's Grammar School was last inspected by Ofsted on 27/06/2012 and the inspection only lasted one day. Ofsted published their report on 19/07/2012, declaring that the school was 'Outstanding'. This information is summarised in the table below along with a link to the full report.

Last Ofsted Report Data

GCSE & A-Level Performance

Below are the individual GCSE and A-Level performance tables for Sir William Borlase's Grammar School per subject. Note that this may include children taking GCSEs early (e.g. taking a language GCSE in Year 10) or indeed a child in Year 12 retaking a GCSE.

GCSE Results Information (2022-23)

A-Level Results Information (2022-23)

Past 11+ Paper Downloads

Unfortunately, Sir William Borlase's Grammar School has not made any of their 11+ past papers publicly available. However, you can use our 11+ practice papers to help your child prepare.

Practice 11+ Paper Downloads

Here are some superb free 11+ practice papers that children can download and use to help prepare for the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test (STT) Ensure you double-check with Sir William Borlase's Grammar School which subjects and topics your child's 11+ tests are in to ensure you prepare for the right tests.