Sir William Borlase's Grammar School
Sir William Borlase's Grammar School at a glance
Sir William Borlase's Grammar School is a co-educational grammar school in Marlow for students aged 11 to 18, with about 1220 pupils. It is part of Marlow Education Trust. Year 7 places are given through the Secondary Transfer Test, and the school has a sixth form.
For September 2026 entry it offered 146 places and was the first choice of 257 families — about 1.8 for every place. 39% of all applications came from families in other council areas.
In 2024/25, 97% of its GCSE students achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths, against 45% across England’s state schools. Its A-level students averaged B+ per entry, and 44% achieved AAB or better including at least two facilitating subjects. 77% of sixth-form leavers went on to university (destinations measured in 2022/23).
Getting in: the 11+ and how places are given
- Test
- Secondary Transfer Test
- Set by
- GL Assessment, for The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS)
- What it covers
- Verbal skills (comprehension, technical English, verbal reasoning) and non-verbal skills (maths, non-verbal and spatial reasoning)
How places are given
A standardised score of 121 or more qualifies a child for all 13 schools. Places then go by each school's oversubscription criteria, usually including distance or catchment. Children who score below 121 can be considered through a selection review.
How to register and apply
Register through The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools in the summer term of Year 5 (children at Buckinghamshire state primary schools are usually registered unless parents opt out). Name the schools on your secondary application by 31 October.
Admissions rules change each year. Check the school’s current admissions policy — area details last checked October 2026.
Scores needed for a place
| Entry | Measure | Applies to | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2027 | Qualifying score | All applicantsQualifying makes a child eligible; places then go by each school’s oversubscription criteria (catchment, siblings, distance), not by score. A small number of places can go to Pupil Premium children scoring slightly below 121. | 121 |
Scale: Secondary Transfer Test Score (STTS). Source: The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools: FAQs. Scores change every year and depend on how many children apply — treat them as a guide, not a target.
How many families apply
| Entry | Places | 1st choices | 1st choices per place | All applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sept 2026 | 146 | 257 | 1.8 | 714 |
| Sept 2025 | 147 | 220 | 1.5 | 620 |
| Sept 2024 | 147 | 220 | 1.5 | 657 |
| Sept 2023 | 150 | 213 | 1.4 | 595 |
| Sept 2022 | 150 | 240 | 1.6 | 649 |
| Sept 2021 | 149 | 384 | 2.6 | 855 |
Source: DfE, secondary school applications and offers. Places offered on National Offer Day; first preferences are families who put the school first on their council application.
Exam results
GCSE, 2024/25 · 151 pupils
Grade 5 or above in English and maths
Grade 4 or above in English and maths
Attainment 8 (average across 8 subjects)
| Year | Grade 5+ Eng & maths | Attainment 8 | Progress 8 | EBacc points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/25 | 96.7% | 72.4 | — | 6.87 |
| 2023/24 | 97.9% | 73.8 | +0.56 | 7.1 |
| 2022/23 | 100.0% | 76.4 | +0.71 | 7.32 |
A level, 2024/25 · 226 students
- Average grade
- B+
- England: B-
- AAB or better*
- 44%
- England: 18%
- Value added
- +0.08
*AAB or better, with at least two in facilitating subjects. Value added compares students’ results with others who started from similar GCSEs; above 0 is better than expected.
Source: DfE school and college performance tables. England figures are for all state-funded schools. Progress 8 was not published for 2024/25.
Where students go next
- University
- 77%
- Apprenticeship
- 2%
- Employment
- 14%
- Any sustained destination
- 93%
Source: DfE 16–18 destination measures, students who left after A levels or equivalent, destinations measured in 2022/23 (206 students). Categories overlap slightly and do not sum to 100%.
Key facts
- Admits at 11
- Co-educational
- Ages
- 11–18
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Pupils
- 1,222 (capacity 1,085)
- Free school meals
- 3.4% of pupils eligible
- School type
- Academy converter
- Trust
- Marlow Education Trust
- Local authority
- Buckinghamshire
- Constituency
- Beaconsfield
From the Department for Education’s register (URN 136781), October 2026.
Thinking about Sir William Borlase's Grammar School?
See where your child stands with our free 15-minute 11+ readiness check — a score for Maths, English, Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning, judged against their year.