12 and 13 Plus
Slough Grammar Schools Admissions
What are the 12+, 13 and late transfer tests?
If your mind is set for a grammar school place for your child, but they do not pass the 11+ you could consider the late transfer test.
After years of preparation, hearing that your kid has missed out on a grammar school place due to their 11+ score can be a huge disappointment. Most children settle happily into an alternative school and flourish there, but in some cases, there is a second chance to gain a grammar school place. This is known as the 12+, 13+ and late transfer tests.
It is worth noting that there are usually far fewer places available via the late transfer procedure than in the first round of 11+ admissions and often only a few per school. There is no reason why your child should not apply but it is important to be realistic about your chances of getting in.
What is the late transfer test?
The late transfer test is to determine which students are suitable for entry into a grammar school in Year 8 or Year 9.
Not all grammar schools have this system, but they might offer a late transfer procedure if:
- They have a pass mark for the 11+ and only admit children who achieve this score, rather than admitting the highest-ranked children until all places are filled. This can leave unfilled places if there are fewer children passing the test than places available.
- There were fewer applicants overall than spaces, so there are no children on the waiting list to fill vacant places.
- A number of children have left the school during the academic year, leaving vacancies.
Who can take the test?
The late transfer test is intended for children who did not gain a school place via the usual 11+ route. This may be because they did not reach the required standard or did not take the 11+ in the first place. The theory is that some children perform better with the benefit of an extra 18 months of age, education and preparation time.
Children who move into the area during the school year don not have to take the late transfer test but should contact their preferred schools to find out about their vacancies and in-year admission procedures.
What skills are involved?
Different schools have different arrangements for the 12+ and 13+, but typically, children are asked to complete a combination of maths, English, verbal reasoning and non verbal reasoning tests. These may be written or computer-based tasks.
Some schools use tests commissioned by an external examination provider, such as CEM , which also provides 11+ tests. This is the case in many Buckinghamshire schools, where the pass mark for 11+ means that a number of places are filled each year by the late transfer test. Others write their own papers or use a combination of both in-house and external papers. Tests are generally taken at a fixed location, which may be the school or another test centre.
PLEASE NOTE: The information provided about the Slough Grammar School Consortium was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of future changes. We advise you to contact the schools directly if you are unsure of anything. Contact details are provided within individual school posts 12 Plus ; 13 Plus Material:
How we can help
You will naturally want your child to have the best chance of 12+ or 13+ success, but normally, tutoring is needed to get them through the test. This depends in part on their current schooling, says Susan (parent). ‘If a child is coming from an independent school where they have had lots of exam practice, you might not feel tutoring is not necessary . However, many families, and especially those coming from state schools, do like to bolt on tutoring to give their child some practice in the skills they need and the actual process of completing the papers.’ In this case, Slough Tuition is there to support your child for 12+ or 13+. To find out about that how STC can support you for a late transfer procedure and what is involved, contact us.
Slough Grammar Schools
There are currently four grammar schools in the Slough Grammar School Consortium. For 12 Plus and 13 Plus admissions information about each specific school, please visit the pages below:
