Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School 11 plus is a common choice for families who want a coeducational grammar in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, with strong academic outcomes and a busy school culture beyond lessons.
Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School 11 plus is a common choice for families who want a coeducational grammar in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, with strong academic outcomes and a busy school culture beyond lessons. The site is on West Street, so the practical reality of drop offs, buses, and the walk from Marlow station matters almost as much as the exam itself.
Most families feel calmer once two things are clear. First, the selection part is run through the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test, so you are dealing with one countywide process before you even think about offers. Second, the school’s oversubscription rules include a small, specific set of local priority places, but qualifying for grammar is still the first gate.
It also helps to keep your admin timeline simple from the start, especially if you are comparing several Buckinghamshire schools. A clear place to begin is this Buckinghamshire 11 plus application timeline, so deadlines do not creep up while you are focused on prep.
| Key detail | Information |
| Address | West Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 2BR |
| School type | Coeducational selective grammar, academy |
| Age range | 11 to 18 |
| Year 7 entry size | 180 places |
| Entry route | Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test plus local authority application |
| Qualifying score | Standardised score of 121 for qualification route |
| Local priority places | Pupil Premium priority places plus a small catchment lottery allocation |
| Local authority | Buckinghamshire Council |
| Contact | enquiries@swbgs.com, 01628 816500 |
For a quick factual cross check on basics like status, age range, and governance, see the DfE Get Information About Schools listing.
Children in Buckinghamshire state primary schools are usually registered through their school, while children in other settings need to be registered by a parent during the published window. Keep one folder with confirmation, candidate number, access arrangements evidence if relevant, and your shortlist.
Buckinghamshire runs a familiarisation session shortly before the main test so children know the format and timings. The main test itself is two multiple choice papers assessing verbal skills, maths, and non verbal reasoning, each with a fixed time limit.
Results are issued as a standardised score. Qualification for grammar is based on reaching the qualifying score. Offers depend on school specific oversubscription rules once children have qualified.
Even with a strong score, a place is only possible if the school is listed on your Common Application Form. This is where families sometimes slip, especially when comparing several grammars.
Offers are made through the local authority on national offer day. Waiting list movement can happen after offers, so it is worth staying organised and realistic, especially if distance is a deciding factor in your case.
For children who do not achieve the qualifying score, Buckinghamshire offers a Selection Review route in some circumstances. Appeals are also possible, but they follow strict rules and are not a second exam. See the School admission appeals code.
| Key date | 2027 entry |
| Registration opens | 1 May 2026 |
| Registration deadline | 2 June 2026 |
| Familiarisation paper | 8 September 2026 |
| Secondary Transfer Test | 10 September 2026 |
| Results sent | 9 October 2026 |
| Common Application Form deadline | 31 October 2026 |
| National offer day | 1 March 2027 |
Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School does not operate a simple catchment guarantee. Qualification comes first. After that, places are allocated using the school’s oversubscription rules.
Up to 20 places can be offered to children eligible for Pupil Premium who live in the school’s defined catchment area and score within a stated range below the qualifying score.
After priority places, up to 15 places are reserved for children who live in the defined catchment area and have qualified, allocated by random lottery rather than distance.
Remaining places are allocated to qualified children, prioritising Buckinghamshire residents first, then those outside the county. Tie breaks use straight line distance from home to the nearest open school gate.
Note: Siblings are not given priority for Year 7 places at this school.
Selection is via the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test: two multiple choice papers covering verbal, maths, and non verbal reasoning. Timing is fixed, so familiarity with moving on, staying calm, and avoiding careless errors is essential.
If access arrangements are needed, evidence is required and deadlines matter. Paperwork tends to take longer than expected, so it is best treated as an early admin task.
A steady structure helps Year 6 stay manageable. See the year by year Bucks 11 plus preparation plan for guidance.
You can also book a free 11 plus diagnostic session with Find Your Tutor (FYT) focused on Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School, which benchmarks your child’s current level and gives a personalised preparation roadmap.
Join Hundreds of Families Who Secured Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School Places with Find Your Tutor.
The school publishes detailed outcomes, and it helps to look for numbers rather than impressions. In the school’s published results for 2025, A level outcomes included 17% at A*, 53% at A* and A, 82% at A* to B, and 95% at A* to C. GCSE outcomes vary by subject, with examples such as Maths: 78% at grades 9 to 7 and 99% at grades 9 to 5, and English Language: 67% at grades 9 to 7 and 96% at grades 9 to 5, as set out in Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School published exam results .
Two calmer questions help when comparing selective schools:
The exam dates are set countywide through Buckinghamshire and published in the Key dates section. Register early, then build prep gradually so the final weeks are for timing and confidence, not new topics.
The selection test is the Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test. It uses two multiple choice papers covering verbal skills, maths, and non verbal reasoning across the two papers.
No. Children can sit the test and apply from outside the county. After qualification, the school’s oversubscription rules prioritise qualified children living in Buckinghamshire ahead of qualified children living outside the county.
Yes, but living close does not remove the need to qualify. The school also has a small number of local priority places, including a catchment lottery allocation, so local planning should be realistic and rules based.
The standard qualifying score is 121. That score is the qualification gate, but an offer at this school depends on how the oversubscription rules and tie breaks apply to your situation.
No separate school specific entrance paper is published for Year 7 entry. Selection is through the countywide Secondary Transfer Test.
A set number of places are reserved for children in the defined catchment area who have qualified, and those places are allocated by random lottery rather than distance.
No. Siblings are not given priority for Year 7 admissions at this school, so each child’s application is treated on its own merits and the published criteria.
The admissions rules include up to 20 places for eligible children who live in the catchment area and meet the stated score range conditions. Eligibility and evidence matter, so it is worth checking early rather than assuming it will not apply.
Buckinghamshire has a Selection Review route in certain circumstances. Appeals are also possible, but they are evidence based and follow a legal framework, not a re sit of the test.
The school uses straight line distance from the child’s home address to the nearest open school gate. When distances are identical and a further tie break is needed, a random method can be used.
Local authority application rules apply. Many families refine their shortlist after seeing results, but changes need to stay within the published application process and deadlines.
Build accuracy first, then timing. Train the habit of moving on, keeping calm, and avoiding bubbling mistakes, because those errors can lose marks even when knowledge is strong.
A mix of fiction and nonfiction works well. Short, frequent chats about meaning, inference, and why an author chose certain words tend to help more than long forced reading sessions.
Waiting lists are held and can move as families accept other places or move house. Staying organised and responding promptly reduces stress, especially when distance plays a role.
