GCSE rank #24 In-site school
Nonsuch High School for Girls
Sutton
Ofsted: Good Girls only
Consortium guide
Selective Eligibility Test Sutton 11 Plus
Understand how the Selective Eligibility Test (SET) works, which schools share it, what the assessment usually looks like, and the practical checks to make before building a shortlist.
5 schools Sutton SET / Individual 8 key dates
Last checked 29 Mar 2026
Applies To
5 grammar schools and 1 bilateral school
Test Format
English and maths (multiple-choice format), sat in-person only at a Sutton school test centre. Set by the Sutton Grammar Schools Consortium
Places Available
951 selective places
Applications
Around 6,000 children
01 / Route overview
What this route covers
The Sutton 11 Plus, or Selective Eligibility Test (SET), is an entrance exam used by the Sutton Grammar Schools Consortium to assess a child’s academic ability.
In this section
- What the route covers
- Which schools use it
- What to compare next
Selective Eligibility Test Sutton 11 Plus is a shared route used by 6 schools, so it helps to get clear on the test, timeline, and school list before narrowing further.
Once the Sutton SET route itself is clear, the shortlist usually improves when you compare travel, admissions rules, and school fit instead of treating every school on the route as interchangeable.
Schools using this route
These are the schools currently linked to the Sutton SET route.
GCSE rank #21 In-site school
Sutton Grammar School
Sutton
Ofsted: Good Boys only
GCSE rank #33 In-site school
Wallington County Grammar School
Wallington, Sutton
Ofsted: Outstanding Boys only
GCSE rank #19 In-site school
Wallington High School for Girls
Wallington, Sutton
Ofsted: Good Girls only
GCSE rank #2 In-site school
Wilson's School
Wallington, Sutton
Ofsted: Outstanding Boys only
What to compare next
- Travel time and how realistic the school day looks from home
- Oversubscription and admissions rules applied after the test result
- School type, setting, and whether the environment suits your child
- Any route-specific deadlines, forms, or extra steps to keep alongside the shared test
02 / Selection test
Exam format and structure
Maths Paper: The maths paper is created by the schools in the consortium and lasts between 40 and 50 minutes. All questions are multiple choice and answers are recorded on a separate sheet.
In this section
- Paper structure
- Subjects covered
- Stages or provider
Paper structure
Stage 1: Maths and English Papers (SET)
See the papers and topics below.
Stage 2: Maths and English Papers (School Set)
See the papers and topics below.
What the test covers
Boys’ schools (Sutton Grammar, Wilson’s, Wallington County Grammar): Shared Stage 2 test on Saturday 4 October 2025. The same papers are used, but eligibility criteria may vary.
Girls’ schools (Nonsuch and Wallington High)
Shared Stage 2 test on Saturday 27 September 2025. Both the test and eligibility threshold are the same for both schools.
English Paper
The English paper follows the same structure as the maths paper. It also lasts 40 to 50 minutes and includes multiple-choice questions. Children record their answers on a separate answer sheet.
If your child is applying to Greenshaw High School, they will only need to sit the Stage 1 SET. Greenshaw uses the SET results to determine which pupils are eligible for one of its 60 selective places.
The five fully selective grammar schools have a second stage of testing. Children who pass the SET will be invited to sit two additional papers, one in English (1 hour in length, which tests extended writing ability) and one in maths (45 minutes long). These papers are not multiple choice.
03 / Scoring
Pass mark and score guidance
SET scores are standardised to account for differences in age, ensuring a fair comparison between pupils. There is no fixed pass mark for each paper. The overall score determines whether your child has passed. This means that a stronger score in one paper can compensate for a weaker score in the other.
In this section
- Score mix
- Threshold notes
- How marks are described
If your child does not pass the SET, you will be informed of their scores. For children who progress to Stage 2, total scores from both rounds are combined. Age standardisation is also applied at this stage before calculating the final result. There is no fixed pass mark for Stage 2 papers.
04 / Applications
Key dates and how to apply
You only need to register once for the SET, regardless of how many schools you are applying to. Registration opens on Thursday 1 May 2025 and closes at midnight on Friday 1 August 2025. If your child requires access arrangements due to special educational needs, the deadline to submit documentation is Friday 13 June 2025.
In this section
- Registration timing
- Test day
- Application steps
Key dates
Registration Opens
Thursday 1st May 2025
Access Arrangement Deadline
Friday 13th June 2025
Registration Closes
Friday 1st August 2025
Stage 1 Selective Eligibility Test
Tuesday 16th September
Stage 2 Testing - Girls
Saturday 27th September 2025
Stage 2 Testing - Boys
Saturday 4th October 2025
Common Application Form Deadline
Friday 31st October 2025
National Allocation Day
Monday 2nd March 2026
About a week before the test, you will receive an email with details of your child’s allocated test centre. You cannot choose the test centre. The school where your child takes the SET has no impact on your application.
On the day of the test, your child must bring a printout of the invitation email that includes their candidate number. Mobile versions will not be accepted.
07 / Shortlisting
Admissions points to compare school by school
Once the route itself is clear, treat the linked schools as separate choices. This is usually where travel, oversubscription rules, and school fit start to matter most.
In this section
- Travel and realism
- Oversubscription rules
- School-by-school fit
The shared route keeps the testing process simpler, but the final shortlist usually depends on how each linked school applies its admissions rules and how practical each option still looks once travel is taken seriously.
Check these before you rank schools
- Travel time and how realistic the school day looks from home
- Oversubscription and admissions rules applied after the test result
- School type, setting, and whether the environment suits your child
- Any route-specific deadlines, forms, or extra steps to keep alongside the shared test
08 / Preparation
How to prepare for this route
Here are some suggestions to help your child prepare:
In this section
- What to practise
- How to plan
- How to stay grounded
Start early
Begin preparation in Year 4 or at the start of Year 5 to avoid last-minute pressure.
Use practice papers
Work through 11 Plus-style papers under timed conditions to build familiarity and confidence.
Focus on weaker areas
Track your child’s performance and spend more time on the topics they find most difficult.
Encourage regular reading
Reading supports vocabulary growth, comprehension and reasoning, which are essential for the English paper.
Try online tools
Digital platforms can help tailor study plans and offer feedback to keep your child engaged.
A consistent and supportive routine can help your child approach the exam with confidence and readiness.
09 / FAQs
Questions families often ask
Use these answers as a planning guide, then confirm the live admissions details for your application year.
In this section
- Common questions
- Decision checks
- Application-year details
Does one Selective Eligibility Test (SET) result cover every school on this page? +
The shared Selective Eligibility Test (SET) result can open several school options, but some schools then add their own second-stage paper or school-specific step. Parents should treat the first test as the start of the route, not the whole route.
Does a qualifying score guarantee a place? +
No. A strong or qualifying result may keep a school in play, but final offers still depend on the admissions policy, oversubscription rules, and how competitive that year is.
What should parents compare once the route itself is clear? +
Parents usually make better decisions when they compare which schools use the SET only as an initial filter, which add later papers, and whether your child suits a route that keeps changing shape after the first result. That turns a broad route into a realistic shortlist instead of a wish list.
Who usually manages registration or applications for Sutton SET? +
The live process usually sits with the Sutton selective schools and their linked admissions processes. This page helps you understand the route, but the final registration and admissions instructions should always be checked on the live official pages for the relevant year.