John Hampden Grammar School Admissions Guide
John Hampden Grammar School is a selective boys' school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. It is one of the 13 grammar schools in the county that use the Secondary Transfer Test (STT) as part of their admissions process.
The school is named after John Hampden, a 17th-century politician and leader of the Parliamentarians during the English Civil War. The school has a reputation for academic excellence, sporting achievements, and a strong sense of community. In this guide, we will provide you with information about the school, the admissions criteria and procedure, and some tips on how to prepare for the STT.
How to get into John Hampden School, High Wycombe
To be eligible for admission to John Hampden School, your son must:
Be a resident of Buckinghamshire or have a parent who works in the county for at least 15 hours per week.
Be in Year 6 at the time of application (although there are some procedures for late admissions)
Achieve a qualifying score in the STT, which is administered by GL for the Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (BGS) consortium.
Rank John Hampden School as one of your preferences in the online application form.
Admissions Criteria & Secondary Transfer Test
The Secondary Transfer Test (otherwise known as the 11 Plus) is a common entrance exam that is used by all thirteen grammar schools in Buckinghamshire. It consists of two papers, each lasting 45 minutes (60 minutes including introduction and practice examples), that assess your son's verbal, non-verbal, and numerical reasoning skills. The papers are multiple-choice and are marked by a computer.
The STT is scored on a standardised scale, where the average score is 100 and the standard deviation is 15. This means that about 68% of the candidates will score between 85 and 115, and about 95% will score between 70 and 130.
The qualifying score for admission to John Hampden School is 121 (Looked After Children and students receiving Pupil Premium may be eligible with a score of 113 and up), which means that your son must score in the top 5% of the candidates to be eligible. However, scoring 121 or above does not guarantee a place at the school, as there may be more qualified applicants than places available. In that case, the school will use the following criteria from their admissions policy to rank the applicants:
12 Boys who are Looked After or Previously Looked After (LAC/PLAC/IALAC), as defined in the School Admissions Code, or eligible for Pupil Premium (P.P.) or Service Premium (S.P.) who have scored a mark of 113-120 in the Admissions Test and who reside in the Catchment Area.
Other boys eligible for P.P. or for S.P. who have achieved the qualifying mark of 121 or more in the Admissions Test and who reside in the Catchment Area.
Brothers of siblings in Years 7-12 who are on the roll of the school at the time allocations are made and who will be on the roll of the school at the time of the proposed admission. - Boys who have exceptional medical or social needs which can only be met at the school supported by evidence as set out in the County Scheme.
Sons of staff who are employed on a permanent contract at the school where the member of staff has been employed at the school for two or more years at the time the application for admission is made, or the member of staff is recruited to fill a vacant post for which there is a demonstrable skills shortage.
Boys living in the Priority Area A of the School.
Boys living in the Priority Area B of the School.
All other boys will be offered in distance order using the methodology set out in the County Scheme where those living closest to the school will be given priority.
Tie Breaker: Priority within each criterion is conferred in distance order using the methodology set out in the County Scheme with those living closest to the school given priority. If there are two or more pupils in any criterion who cannot be separated including by distance, places will be allocated using the process of random allocation, by the drawing of lots, supervised by a person independent of the school.
The school has an admission number of 180, which means that it can offer up to 180 places each year.
Key Dates and Application Process
The key dates for the STT and the application process are as follows:
Early May: Registration for the STT opens on the BGS website
Late June: Registration for the STT closes
Early September: The STT takes place at your son's primary school or a designated test centre
Mid-October: The STT results are sent to you by email or post
Late October: The online application form for secondary school places opens on the Buckinghamshire Council website
Early November: The deadline for submitting the online application form
Early March: The secondary school offers are sent to you by email or post
Mid-March: The deadline for accepting or declining the offer
If you are unhappy with the outcome of the STT or the school offer, you have the right to appeal. You can find more information about the appeals process on the BGS and the Buckinghamshire Council websites.
Preparing for the Assessment
The STT is a challenging exam that requires your son to demonstrate a high level of reasoning skills. Therefore, it is important to prepare well in advance and practice regularly.
Here are some tips on how to prepare for the STT:
Familiarise yourself with the format and content of the STT by using the sample papers and practice materials available on the BGS website
Identify your son's strengths and weaknesses by reviewing his performance on the sample papers and practice materials
Focus on improving your son's speed and accuracy by timing his practice sessions and checking his answers
Use a variety of resources to enhance your son's reasoning skills, such as books, online courses, apps, and learning centres.
Encourage your son to read widely and develop his vocabulary, as this will help him with the verbal reasoning section of the STT
Support your son's mental and physical well-being by ensuring that he gets enough sleep, exercise, and nutrition, and that he has a balanced and positive attitude towards the STT
Famous Alumni of John Hampden School
John Hampden School has produced many notable alumni who have excelled in various fields, and most notably sport, such as:
Heston Blumenthal (chef)
Simon Burnett (swimmer)
Nicholas Catlin (hockey player)
Kenton Cool (climber)
Otto Decker (soccer/football player)
Matt Ingram (footballer)
Kevin Keen (football coach)
Terry Pratchett (fiction author)
Delores Kane (former MI5 officer)
Ben Sneesby (alpine skier)
Alex Sobel (Labour and Co-operative politician)
Roger Varian (racehorse trainer)
Simon Wigg (speedway, grasstrack and longtrack rider)
What is the ranking of the John Hampden School High Wycombe
According to the government's compare school performance service, John Hampden School is ranked as one of the top-performing schools in the country, based on its GCSE and A-level results. In 2022/23, the school achieved:
A Progress 8 score of 0.83, which means that its pupils made well above average progress from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4
An Attainment 8 score of 72.9, which means that its pupils achieved an average of 72.9 points per subject at GCSE
A percentage of 99% of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths at GCSE, which is equivalent to a high C or low B
A percentage of 64.5% of pupils achieving grade 7 or above in English and maths at GCSE, which is equivalent to an A or A*
An average point score of 46.6 per entry at A-level, which is equivalent to an A grade
A percentage of 40.3% of pupils achieving A* or A grades at A-level
What is their acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate of John Hampden School is the ratio of the number of places offered to the number of applications received. In 2020, the school received 1,032 applications and offered 180 places, which gives an acceptance rate of 17.4%. However, this does not reflect the true selectivity of the school, as only the candidates who scored 121 or above in the STT were considered for admission. The actual acceptance rate of the qualified candidates is unknown, as the school does not publish the number of candidates who achieved the qualifying score.
Is John Hampden a good school?
John Hampden School is widely regarded as a good school, based on its academic performance, reputation, and feedback from pupils, parents, and staff. The school has been rated as 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, the official body that inspects and regulates schools in England.
The school has a strong ethos of excellence, respect, and responsibility, and aims to provide a stimulating and supportive environment for its pupils to achieve their full potential. The school offers a broad and balanced curriculum, with a wide range of subjects, activities, and opportunities for its pupils to develop their skills, interests, and talents. The school also has a vibrant and diverse community, with a rich cultural and social life, and a strong sense of belonging and pride.
Why is the school so popular?
The school is popular for several reasons, such as:
Its high academic standards and results, which make it one of the top-performing schools in the country and a desirable destination for ambitious and talented pupils
Its selective admissions policy, which makes it a prestigious and exclusive school that attracts the best and brightest pupils from the county and beyond
Its historical and cultural heritage, which gives it a unique and distinctive identity and character, and a connection to a famous and influential figure
Its location and facilities, which make it a convenient and comfortable place to study and learn, with easy access to transport links, local amenities, and natural scenery
Its ethos and values, which make it a friendly and respectful place to be, with a positive and supportive atmosphere, and a shared vision and mission
Is it hard to get into?
Getting into John Hampden School is not easy, as it requires your son to score in the top 5% of the candidates who take the STT, and to compete with over a thousand applicants for a limited number of places. The STT is a challenging exam that tests your son's reasoning skills, which are not directly taught in the primary school curriculum. Therefore, your son will need to prepare well in advance and practice regularly to improve his chances of success. The school also has a strict catchment area policy, which means that your son's distance from the school will affect his ranking and likelihood of getting an offer.
To find out more about how Arka Learning can help your child prepare:
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