The 11-Plus exams in Bucks have been branded a "shambles" by angry parents - after two errors were found in the questions being put to thousands of children across the county. 

The exam – which determines whether a pupil can be allocated a grammar school place – took place today, September 12, but for the second year in a row there were issues with the process. 

In a letter seen by the Bucks Free Press, The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools - a company set up by the 13 grammar schools in Buckinghamshire to manage and administer secondary transfer testing - apologised after the errors were spotted in two questions. 

The letter says: "During the first sitting of the Secondary Transfer Tests this morning (12 September), it became apparent that two questions in the Verbal Skills paper could not be answered correctly as the options on the answer sheet did not reflect those in the question paper.

"There was also an inconstitency in one of the practice questions on the English section of the same paper. 

"As soon as the issue was identified, instructions were given to all test centres to tell candidates not to attempt to answer the two questions. 

"The Buckinghamshire Grammar School and GL Assessment were immediately informed and an urgent investigation is already underway.

"At this stage, we can, however, confirm that the rest of the examination papers are unaffected and that these two questions will be omitted from the final marks. 

"We are meeting urgently with GL Assessment and Buckinghamshire County Council tomorrow morning.

"We recognise that this will cause anxiety for yourselves and we hope that this matter can be addressed as swiftly as possible.

"We sincerely apologise for any anxiety this may have caused you."

Furious parents got in touch with the Bucks Free Press to share their frustration with the situation after their children spent months and weeks preparing for the exams. 

One parent branded the situation a mess, saying: "Kids across the county took their 11+ exam today, only to be stopped part way through and informed that there were two errors on the test.

"The test is notorious for requiring 10/11 year olds to answer questions quickly and accurately. Shame the countless adults who vetted the paper didn't work so accurately!

"Some kids may have wasted time trying to backtrack and check they hadn't answered the previous question(s) in the wrong box and may have been flummoxed by the episode, disrupting their concentration for the rest of the test.

"Some families spend thousands of pounds tutoring their kids for the exam, which if passed, qualifies the child for a grammar school place."

Another parent added: "Heads should roll for this total shambles. Children have been studying for over a year and some parents have spent a fortune on tutors."

A spokesman for Buckinghamshire County Council said: “During the Secondary Transfer Testing process today (September 12), it became apparent that there were inconsistencies between the question and answer sheets for two verbal reasoning questions on paper 2A and two practice questions on the English section of the same paper.

“The County Council administers the test on behalf of The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools (TBGS). The test is commissioned from GL Assessment by TBGS. We will be seeking an urgent meeting with both parties to establish a resolution to this issue.

“We recognise that this will cause anxiety for parents and we hope that this matter can be addressed as swiftly as possible. The County Council will be working closely with The Buckinghamshire Grammar Schools and GL Assessment and, as soon as we have a resolution for this issue, it will be communicated directly to parents.”

It is the second year in a row that there has been an issue with 11-plus exams in the county. 

In 2018, a technical blunder saw some Bucks pupils allocated more time to answer their exam questions. 

GL Assessment have been contacted for comment.