A shared route, not a shared offer
Consortiums exist because several grammar schools can use one testing arrangement. That reduces duplicate testing and gives families one route to understand for a cluster of schools. Examples include CSSE in Essex, Buckinghamshire transfer testing, Kent, Slough and Sutton SET.
The important detail is that the test route and the offer decision are not the same thing. A shared test can decide eligibility for several schools, but the CAF, school preferences, places, distance, score ranking, priority areas, and school policies still matter.
Example
In a shared route, one registration may allow a child to sit a test used by several schools. After results, the family still has to decide which schools to name on the CAF. The local authority then coordinates offers using the preference order and the schools’ admissions rules.
What parents should check
- Which schools are covered by the shared route.
- Whether registration is through the consortium, local authority, or school.
- Whether the result is valid for all schools in the route or only some.
- Whether any school has a second stage, supplementary form, or extra criterion.
- The CAF deadline for the home local authority.
Why the word matters
When a page says “consortium”, read it as a testing and administration clue. It tells you where to look for route dates and test rules. It does not replace the admissions policy for each named school.