Dr Challoner’s High 11 Plus Guide
It might be difficult to find your way around the 11 Plus the first time as a parent. How do you aid your kid in getting ready for Dr Challoner’s High 11 Plus Exam? What kind of exam structure is it? What stores sell test papers? We’ve provided parents with a “Dr Challoner’s High 11 Plus Tips” in this article that seeks to address all of your concerns.
Page Contents
Dr Challoner’s High School
Dr Challoner’s High School is an all-girls selective grammar school in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. Awarded the 2014 Exceptional Schools Award, the school is reputed as one of English’s leading secondary schools, almost always in the top 50 within national league tables. Boasting solid academic results year after year, nearly all A-LEVEL pupils progress to higher education, with pupils receiving offers from Oxbridge and Russel Group universities. On this page, you can find all of the information required for making an admissions application, in addition to resources and guidance for 11 plus exam preparation and key dates in the 2023/2024 calendar.
School details:
Address: Dr Challoner’s High School, Cokes Lane, Little Chalfont, Amersham, Buckinghamshire. HP7 9QB
County: Bucks
Type of school: Girls’ Grammar School Academy Converter
Age range: 11-18
Ofsted rating: Outstanding
Number of pupils: 1224
Admissions to Year 7: 180
Open mornings (2024 entry): April 2024 | June 2024
11+ exam date (2024 entry): September 2024
Exam board: The Secondary Transfer Test (GL Assessment)
Admissions phone number: 01494 763 296
Admissions email address: Email here
A Brief Overview of Dr Challoner’s High School and School Performance
The school is named after Robert Chaloner, who became Rector of Amersham in 1579. Upon his death in 1621, he left a small fortune in his will to create a grammar school. Dr Challoner’s High School was built in 1962 during an expansion that saw the boys remain at what is now Dr Challoner’s Grammar School, and the girls move to the current site of Dr Challoner’s High School.
The school has multiple specialisms, as a sports college, in modern foreign languages, and science, meaning that the school places a particular focus on these subjects. It also receives additional funding from the government to improve facilities related to these. Therefore, if you want your child to excel in any of these subject areas, this school would be a wise choice.
Academic results are strong, with 100% of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths according to 2018/19 figures. Dr Challoner’s enters 97% of pupils for the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), with an average point score of 7.73 – meaning pupils score double the national average. The school’s Progress 8 score for the same year was 1.09, meaning that pupils at this school are, on average, likely to achieve a whole grade higher than expected than predictions made based on their primary school attainment. When taking all of these impressive results into consideration, it is easier to understand why 99% of pupils continue to A-LEVEL studies.
Dr Challoner’s High 11 Plus Admissions Process: 2024 Entry
For admission to this school, children must sit the 11 plus entrance exam, usually taken at the beginning of Year 6. The entrance exam is known as the Secondary Transfer Test (SST) organised through The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS), with test papers are provided by GL Assessment. Thirteen grammar schools belong to TBGS group. Their aim is to ensure fair testing between all grammar schools in Bucks, despite each holding academy status and determining their own admissions procedure.
Below you can find the key dates and information related to the admissions process for the 2024 entry. Please note that if your child is already a pupil at a Bucks primary school, they will automatically register for the SST. If you do not want your child to sit the 11 plus exam, you should contact their primary school to opt-out. Independent primary school pupils and all other pupils outside Bucks will need to register online.
For more information, please refer to the 2024 Admissions Policy.
| April 23rd 2023 – Open morning | Opening morning for prospective Year 7 pupils. There will be a talk from the headteacher followed by a tour of the school. |
| May 4th 2023 – SST registration opens (3 pm) | The Secondary Transfer Test registration opens for Buckinghamshire-based independent primary schools and non-Buckinghamshire-based applicants. Registration is made via the Buckinghamshire Council website. |
| June 24th 2023 – SST registration closes (3 pm) | Registration deadline for The Secondary Transfer Test. |
| June 30th 2023 – Additional open morning | There is another open morning for prospective Year 7 pupils, and it will follow the same structure as the April event. |
| Sept 7th 2023 – SST mock test | All candidates are invited to sit a practice test, details of which will be emailed to you in advance. Note that this will likely be 10-15 minutes shorter than the actual test. |
| Sept 9th 2023 – SST test | The Secondary Transfer Test (11+ exam) for all TBGS schools, including Dr Challoner’s High School. TBGS will communicate the test venue and other important information in advance. |
| Oct 15th 2023 – SST scores published | All schools within TBGS group will publish SST scores. |
| Oct 31st 2023 – CAF deadline | Please submit your secondary schools application CAF by midnight. If you choose to submit a paper application, Buckinghamshire Council state that it must be received no later than 3 pm on November 1st 2023. You should also include evidence of your home address, such as a copy of a recent utility bill. |
| March 1st 2024 – National Offer Day | On National Offer Day, candidates will receive official confirmation of a place at Dr Challoner’s High School, subject to having met all of the entry criteria. |
| March 15th 2024 – Deadline to accept/reject offer | Parents must accept the school’s offer or appeal the decision. (See appeals procedure in FAQs). |
Dr Challoner’s High 11 Plus Exam
As highlighted above, this school’s 11 plus entrance exam is the STT, provided by TBGS using the GL Assessment. Passing the exam is crucial for admission to the school; however, it is not the only factor in the entry criteria (please see FAQs at the bottom of the page). On the exam day, pupils will sit two 45 minute tests (each with an extra 15 mins allocated for practice). The first test is on comprehension, technical English and verbal reasoning. The second test focuses on non-verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning and maths. Both tests are taken on the same day, but note that there is a toilet break between each test. Each paper is weighted 50/50; however, the sections are not. The first paper accounts for 50% of the marks, while the second paper is split non-verbal 25% and mathematics 25%. Only 30% of candidates reach the 121 pass mark, not because the exam questions are too challenging, but because of the high number of questions that must be successfully completed within 60 minutes on each test.
Dr Challoner’s High 11 Plus Exam Sample Test Papers and Resources
Typically, parents start thinking about 11 plus exam preparation once their child begins Year 4. However, guidance on how to get prepared varies. If you’re reading this thinking, “My child has not started preparing”, check out this 11 Plus Guide: Six Month Countdown to learn more about how to prepare over the coming months. While some parents prefer to invest in 11+ tutors, others prefer their child to practice using sample test papers. You can find practise papers for the GL Assessment below:
Free GL assessment English papers:
Free GL assessment maths papers:
Free GL assessment, verbal reasoning papers:
Free GL assessment non-verbal reasoning papers:
Free GL assessment general practice papers:
Additional Information about Dr Challoner’s High School
When it comes to extracurricular activities, the first thought that jumps to mind is sports. The school employs top sports coaches to help students thrive in PE with opportunities to compete against other schools as part of the tennis, netball, and badminton teams. There are several sports clubs, from hockey to athletics, and more. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, some of these are currently on hold. Dr Challoner’s High School provides its students with an impressive variety of school trips, with opportunities to learn outside of the classroom in the UK and around the world. You can check out the list of school trips available to each Year group below.
List of school trips
Year 7
- Condover Hall
- Ski trip
- Kew Gardens (Geography & Science)
- National Gallery (Art)
- Theatre trips
Year 8
- Ski trip
- Places of worship: Mandir at Neasden and Mosque at Stanmore
- Music Trip
- Theatre trip
Year 9
- Barcelona
- Iceland
- Austria
- Ski trip
- Imperial War Museum (Holocaust exhibition)
- Music trip
- Theatre trip
Year 10
- Provence, South of France
- Berlin
- Classic Tour of Italy
- Duke of Edinburgh
- Margam (Geography)
- Ski trip
- Computing trip to San Francisco
- Visit places of worship
- Brighton (Art)
- Theatre trips
- National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park (IT)
- Science in action
- Drama theatre trip
- Music trip
Year 11
- Classic Tour of Italy
- Computer Science trip to Silicon Valley
- German Exchange
- Spanish trip to Salamanca
- Classics theatre trip
- Drama theatre trip
- Music trip
- Trip to Coventry Cathedral
- Battlefield workshop
- Frontline living history workshop
Official Social media
Dr Challoner’s High School FAQs by Parents
What is the school’s Ofsted rating?
The school’s current Ofsted rating is ‘Outstanding’. You can access the full report here.
Dr Challoner’s High School fees
This school is a selective grammar school and is non-fee paying.
Where is the catchment area for Dr Challoner’s High School?
Yes, the school does have a catchment area. To check if you live in the catchment area, please visit the Bucks County Council website and use the postcode checker. Candidates need to have resided within the catchment area from April 1st 2020. Please be aware that the catchment area fluctuates every year. If a higher number of candidates pass the exam, the catchment area will shrink closer to the school.
You need to ensure the school is your first choice on the CAF if you want your child to be considered for admission, even if you live inside the catchment area. Once all candidates within the catchment area have been allocated a place, candidates outside the catchment area will be offered places in order of proximity (in a straight line).
What score do 11+ candidates need to achieve to receive an offer for admission?
For the 2023 Secondary Transfer Test, the pass mark is predicted to be 121. Other factors are taken into consideration, such as the catchment area and pupil premiums.
What if too many candidates score 121 in the 11+ exam?
In this instance, the oversubscription criteria will apply in the following order:
- Candidates who are/previously were in care.
- Candidates in receipt of Pupil Premium in the catchment area.
- Same as above but who score at least 115 in the STT (12 places available).
- Daughters of staff who filled a vacant role considered to be a skill shortage and has been employed for 2+ years.
- Siblings of current pupils
- The remaining places are allocated beyond the catchment area in order of proximity.
If my child is denied a place at the school, how can I appeal?
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of allocation, you should request an appeals form by emailing independentappealsclerk@challonershigh.com.
Information about appeals for 2024 entry has not been released. For 2023 entry, the deadline for submitting an appeals form is 31st March 2023. Appeals are being heard up until 22nd June 2023.
For 2024 entry, if a candidate does not meet the pass mark of 121, appeals will go to a selection review. This is a panel of Secondary and Primary Headteachers, supported by a clerk. The Panel considers each written application received and, where appropriate, will obtain advice from an Educational Psychologist before making a decision.
Parents have the right to make representations to an Independent Appeal Panel if their child has been refused admission because the school is full. More information is available in the 2024 Admissions Policy.
Is there a waiting list for the school?
Waiting lists are in accordance with the oversubscription criteria, they are first managed by Bucks Council until 31st December 2024 at which point the school manages the waiting list.
Dr Challoner’s High School Uniform
Details for the full school uniform and PE kit can be found here. The school’s Parents Association also runs a second-hand uniform shop.
Where can I view GCSE and A-LEVEL results in further detail?
The school’s website has an entire page dedicated to GCSE and A-LEVEL exam results. You can also learn more about the different exam boards used and other statistics to evaluate the school’s performance.
You can also access further 11 plus exam resources below:
A Guide to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Tests
11 plus Exam: Parental Guide For Grammar School Entry
11+ Maths Exam: Helping Your Child to Prepare and Pass in 2022
Meet the 11+ Online Tutors Delivering Results
When Should you Start to Prepare Your Child for the 11 Plus Exam