Compare the names
| Name | What it is | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| GL Assessment | An organisation supplying assessment materials used by different schools and routes. | The local organiser, subjects, registration and scoring rules. |
| CSSE | The Consortium of Selective Schools in Essex, with a shared examination for its participating schools. | The current member list, English and maths arrangements, and each school’s policy. |
| Sutton SET | The shared Selective Eligibility Test for participating Sutton schools. | Registration, the first-stage result and any relevant second stage. |
A test can use a provider’s materials and still have a local route name. Knowing the provider does not tell you every subject, timing or school covered.
Why preparation materials are not interchangeable
English and maths skills may overlap, but question presentation and answer methods can differ. GL’s familiarisation page itself warns that local timings and question counts may vary from its samples.
CSSE publishes its own English and maths guidance and practice material. Sutton publishes SET guidance and examples, with further assessment for grammar candidates who progress. Use material matching the actual stage rather than a broad “11+” label.
Before buying anything, check the official samples, the entry year and whether the child must select an answer, write a response or complete a longer composition.
Registration follows the route
List your target schools, then write the organiser beside each one. Schools using the same provider may still require separate registrations. Conversely, several schools in a shared group may use one registration.
Confirm whether score sharing needs an explicit request. If there is a further test, add its possible date to the calendar before an invitation arrives.
The consortium directory groups the main routes. It is a starting point for checking which official registration and school policy apply.
Results stay within their own system
A CSSE score cannot simply be read against a GL-based route’s threshold. A SET pass can mean eligibility for the next stage rather than completion of the whole assessment. Even schools sharing a result may allocate places differently.
Read the official result alongside the school policy, then list individual schools on your home council’s CAF. The provider, consortium or test name is not itself a school preference.
A FEW MORE ANSWERS
Still wondering?
If a school uses GL, can we apply through GL Assessment?
Test entry is arranged through the relevant school, council or consortium. A GL practice-material account does not register a child for a school entrance test.
Does SET always mean the Sutton test?
No. Other schools use similar initials for their own tests. Check the full test name and participating schools before relying on a registration.
Can CSSE results be used by every Essex grammar school?
Use the official CSSE member list for the entry year. Being located in Essex does not by itself mean a school accepts the CSSE result.
Official sources
Checked 28 Sept 2026