Grammar Schools in Sutton

Sutton has a range of grammar schools which operate a selection test for 11 Plus. The schools operate a co-ordinated Admission Scheme which is administered nominally by the London Borough of Sutton. In practice, the test is co-ordinated by Sutton Grammar School for all the schools. The following schools take the test:

• Greenshaw High School
• Sutton Grammar School
• Wallington County Grammar School
• Wilson’s School
• Nonsuch High School for Girls
• Wallington High School for Girls

Sutton Selective Eligibility Test

The Selective Eligibility Test is made up of two papers; a multiple-choice Maths paper and a multiple-choice English paper. Candidates record their answers on a separate answer sheet by filling in a lozenge-shape for answer A, B, C, D or E. If candidates change their mind about the answer, they need to rub out the wrong answer as fully as possible and replace it with the new answer. The exam papers take between 40 and 50 minutes each and there is a rest and toilet break between the two.

It is important to realise that this Selective Eligibility test is the sole academic assessment test for Greenshaw High School and Wallington County Grammar School. For the other schools, Nonsuch High School for Girls, Sutton Grammar School for Boys, Wallington High School for Girls and Wilson’s School there is a second stage assessment. You can find more details about this on our school specific pages.

The Selective Eligibility test acts as a gateway to that second stage but also contributes to the final score at that second stage. The specific ratio of the Selective Eligibility Test and the second stage entrance exam varies by each one of the Sutton Grammar schools.

What is in the Sutton Selective Eligibility Test?

The Sutton Schools set their own test – it is not based upon the spine of one of the providers such as GL Assessments. This means that typically those students who do well have been tutored by a tutor with specific experience of the Sutton test. We have many such tutors working with us and have an excellent track record with the Selective Eligibility Test.

The Maths test is based upon the KS2 National curriculum. Passing the English test requires excellent grammatical knowledge including:

• Punctation
• Spelling
• Word Definitions
• Synonyms
• Parts of speech

The Sutton schools have made a point of not offering sample questions to parents or providing past papers as their intention is to create a level playing field for all children taking part. However, there are familiarisation papers which are available:

What is the pass mark for the Sutton Grammar Schools Selective Eligibility Test?

There are two papers, English and Maths. The intent is that each has an equal weighting and that no student is disadvantaged because of their age in the school years. Two standardisations are applied to students’ raw score to achieve this.

The first is designed to make sure that the two tests have the same weighting even though students might have found one test on average easier than the other test. In general, this means that the English test tends to be given greater weight in the final result than would have been the case from the raw scores.

The test scores are further age-standardised to ensure that older pupils do not have an unfair advantage. Typically, there is a greater age adjustment made for English results than for Maths results.

Unlike with the Kent Test there is no minimum score for any part of the test. It is the total score that determines whether your child has passed the test. For example, a very good performance in English can compensate for one that is a little weaker in Maths.  

Sutton Grammar Schools determine their own pass mark for the Selective Eligibility Test. However, we have the scores for previous years pass marks for the first stage. For 2020 they were:

• Greenshaw High School – 198
• Sutton Grammar School – 213
• Wallington County Grammar School – 213.9
• Wilson’s School – 213
• Nonsuch High School for Girls – 205
• Wallington High School for Girls – 205

If your child passes the exam for at least one school you do not get a score at all. So you do not know how far you might have been off a school which was higher choice option for you. However, if you get not offer at all then you do get a score.

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