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Dr Challoner's Grammar School

School typeGrammar

Also known asChalloners

AddressChesham Road, Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England, HP6 5HA

Dr Challoner's Grammar School is a selective boys' grammar school in Amersham. It uses the GL exam board for its 11+ entry and does not include an interview stage. Admission priorities include a defined catchment area, and the school has a co-educational sixth form.

For an able, independent boy who comes alive when expectations are high, Dr Challoner's in Amersham is a sought-after grammar that asks a great deal and trusts him to rise to it. The Good Schools Guide describes high standards in everything academic and beyond, with almost all boys meeting the challenge, and reserves warm praise for teachers it calls fantastic, approachable and accommodating. The school is selective and state-funded, with a co-educational sixth form that has admitted girls since 2016. Worth noting for parents: this is the boys' school, distinct from Dr Challoner's High School, the girls' school in nearby Little Chalfont.

The school traces its origins to 1624 and the will of Dr Robert Chaloner, then Rector of Amersham, making it one of the older grammars in Buckinghamshire, and it has stood on its present site in Amersham-on-the-Hill since 1905. Its ethos is summed up as excellence with integrity, resting on three values the boys know well: aspiration, kindness and resilience. Parents single out the wider programme too, with one telling the Guide the arts here are phenomenal, and where the value is.

Everything is on offer here, and it is largely left to each boy to make a success of his time, which is part of what draws families who want their son trusted to take charge of his own school life. Led since 2016 by headteacher David Atkinson, Challoner's suits a boy who will reach for opportunities rather than wait to be offered them, who enjoys being asked to give his best, and who wants to be surrounded by others just as keen.

Key facts

Gender

Boys

Year 7 places

180

Annual fees

None

Website

Visit school website

Admissions

Open day

July, Sept, Oct, Nov

Registration opens

May

Registration closes

June

CAF deadline

Oct

Admissions contact

admin@challoners.org

Admissions phone

0149 478 7500

Registration form

View registration details

Sibling policy

Yes

What this school tests

Buckinghamshire Secondary Transfer Test

English16 question types

PunctuationReading Comprehension - ComparisonReading Comprehension - EvaluationReading Comprehension - Grammar and punctuationReading Comprehension - Inference and DeductionReading Comprehension - Information RetrievalReading Comprehension - Language Techniques and ImageryReading Comprehension - Sentence-level ComprehensionReading Comprehension - SequencingReading Comprehension - Structure, Form, Voice and ToneReading Comprehension - SummarisingReading Comprehension - Text Classification and PurposeReading Comprehension - Types of Words and PhrasesReading Comprehension - Word Meaning / ChoiceSentence CompletionSpelling

Maths23 question types

AlgebraAngles and DegreesBIDMASCoordinate GridsEstimation and RoundingFactors and MultiplesFractions, Decimals and PercentagesMagic squaresMeasurementMoneyNumber and Place ValueNumber WallsOperationsPerimeter, Area and VolumePosition and DirectionProperties of ShapesRatio and ProportionReflection, Rotation and SymmetrySequencesSpecial NumbersSpeed, Distance and TimeStatisticsTime

Non-verbal Reasoning14 question types

Extended Figure SeriesFigure AnalogiesFigure MatricesFigure OperationsFigure SeriesGrid MatricesHorizontal CodesMost Like Three FiguresMost Like Two FiguresOdd Figure OutStar MatricesTriangle MatricesTriangle SeriesVertical Codes

Verbal Reasoning26 question types

AnagramsCompound WordsEmbedded WordsForm a WordInsert a LetterLetter AnalogiesLetter CalculationsLetter CodesLetter GridsLetter SequencesMove 1 / 2 LettersNumber AnalogiesNumber CalculationsNumber SequencesRelated WordsRhyming SynonymsShuffled SentencesSynonymsWord / Logic PuzzlesWord AnalogiesWord CompletionWord MatchWord OppositesWord PairsWord RelationshipsWords and Codes

Spatial Reasoning8 question types

2D RotationsBlock CountingCombining ShapesFold and PunchFolding CubesHidden ShapesMissing Face of CubeShape Completion

Catchment area

Does Dr Challoner's Grammar School have a catchment area?

Yes, the school has a defined catchment area, and several of its admission priorities depend on living within it. Families applying under those rules complete the school's own Supplementary Information Form to confirm they live in catchment.

Previous exam results

GCSE results

In 2025 students achieved an average Attainment 8 score of 73.9 across their GCSEs. 96.2% gained a grade 5 or better in both English and Maths. 68.7% achieved the English Baccalaureate at grade 5 or above. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

A-level results

In 2025 students achieved an A- average grade per A-Level entry. 57.8% gained AAB or better including two facilitating subjects. Reference: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

Frequently asked questions

What exam board does Dr Challoner's Grammar School use for the 11+?

Dr Challoner's Grammar School uses the GL exam board for its 11+ entrance exam.

Does Dr Challoner's Grammar School interview as part of the 11+ process?

No, there is no interview stage as part of the 11+ admissions process for Dr Challoner's Grammar School.

Is Dr Challoner's Grammar School a single-sex or co-educational school?

Dr Challoner's Grammar School is a single-sex school for boys up to Year 11. It has a co-educational sixth form.

Does Dr Challoner's Grammar School have a catchment area for 11+ admissions?

Yes, Dr Challoner's Grammar School has a defined catchment area. Living within this area is an admission priority, requiring a Supplementary Information Form.

What is the official website for Dr Challoner's Grammar School?

The official website for Dr Challoner's Grammar School is https://www.challoners.com/.

Are there annual fees for Dr Challoner's Grammar School?

No, as a state-funded grammar school, there are no annual fees for Dr Challoner's Grammar School.

How do you get a place at Dr Challoner's Grammar School?

To be considered, a child first needs to reach the required standard in the Buckinghamshire secondary transfer test. If the school has more qualified boys than places, places go in this order: looked-after and previously looked-after children; boys in the catchment area eligible for Pupil Premium; brothers of current pupils in the catchment; a set number of reserved catchment places for Pupil Premium or looked-after boys reaching a lower standard; sons of staff; other catchment boys by distance; brothers living outside catchment; then all other boys, ranked by distance from the school.

What happens if my child is ill on 11+ test day at Dr Challoner's Grammar School?

The test is run by Buckinghamshire Council, so this is handled by them, not the school. If your son attends a Buckinghamshire state primary, he sits the test in school once he is well. If he tests at a grammar school or central venue and cannot attend, the council offers one alternative date. You need to send evidence from an independent source, such as a GP or hospital letter, within three working days of the test. Extra time or a separate room can be arranged in advance through your child's headteacher.

Location

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