Sutton is home to some of the most competitive grammar schools in the country, and they choose their pupils through the SET, the Selective Eligibility Test. What makes it different from most 11+ tests is that it comes in two stages. Stage 1, the SET itself, is a multiple-choice screen in English and maths with no reasoning at all. Children who do well enough are then invited to a harder, written stage 2. This guide explains both stages, which schools take part, the key dates, and how to prepare. The Sutton consortium runs its own test, and Pip is not affiliated with it.
- The Sutton SET is the shared first stage of the 11+ for a group of super-selective Sutton grammars.
- It is a two-stage process: a multiple-choice English and maths SET, then a written second stage.
- Stage 1 has no verbal or non-verbal reasoning; only those who pass are invited to stage 2.
- Stage 2 is a written English and maths exam, with an extended writing task.
What is the Sutton SET?
The Selective Eligibility Test (SET) is the shared first-stage exam for a consortium of selective schools in Sutton. The papers are written by the consortium rather than taken off the shelf, and the schools are super-selective, meaning places go to the highest scorers regardless of where they live. The defining feature is the two-stage design: a broad first-stage screen, then a sharper second-stage exam for the children who get through.
The two stages
Understanding the Sutton SET means understanding how its two stages fit together:
Stage 1: the Selective Eligibility Test
The SET is two multiple-choice papers, English and maths, each around 45 minutes and based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum (the maths paper offers five answer options per question). Crucially, it has no verbal or non-verbal reasoning. It works as an eligibility screen: children who reach the required standard are invited to the second stage, and those who do not go no further in this process.
Stage 2: the second-stage exam
The second stage is a tougher, written exam in English and maths, including an extended writing task, and it is not multiple choice. Only children who pass the SET are invited, and most schools use this stage to rank applicants for places. It is sat a couple of weeks after the SET, and the consortium runs it in two groups, so a child sitting more than one school's stage 2 may have two separate dates. Always check each school's arrangements.
Which schools and key dates
The consortium brings together six schools: Sutton Grammar School, Wilson's School, Wallington County Grammar School, Wallington High School for Girls, Nonsuch High School for Girls and the selective band at Greenshaw High School. The SET is sat in September at the start of Year 6, with the second stage following later in September or early October, and outcomes usually emailed by the end of October. Registration typically opens in the summer term before. Several of these schools also feature in our guide to the top grammar schools in London, and you can see how the SET fits the bigger picture in our guide to every 11+ exam type.
How to prepare for the Sutton SET
Because both stages rest on English and maths, depth in those two subjects matters more than reasoning drills here. Build a strong reading and vocabulary habit and keep maths fluent and accurate across the KS2 curriculum for the multiple-choice first stage. Then, for stage 2, practise writing clearly under time and showing full method in maths, since answers are written out rather than chosen. Given how competitive these schools are, steady, early preparation tends to pay off more than last-minute cramming.
Build the English and maths the SET rewards
Pip generates unlimited English and maths practice, with comprehension and vocabulary at the core, so both stages of the Sutton SET feel familiar long before September.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sutton SET?+
The Sutton SET, or Selective Eligibility Test, is the shared first stage of the 11+ for a consortium of super-selective grammar schools in Sutton. It is a two-stage process: a multiple-choice first stage in English and maths, followed by a harder, written second stage for the children who pass.
What is in the Sutton SET first stage?+
Stage 1 is two multiple-choice papers, English and maths, each around 45 minutes, based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum. It does not test verbal or non-verbal reasoning. It acts as a screen: only children who do well enough are invited to the second stage.
What is the Sutton second-stage exam?+
The second stage is a written exam in English and maths, including an extended writing task, and it is not multiple choice. Only children who pass the SET are invited to sit it, and most schools then rank applicants on this stage. It is sat a couple of weeks after the SET.
Which schools use the Sutton SET?+
The consortium includes Sutton Grammar School, Wilson's School, Wallington County Grammar School, Wallington High School for Girls, Nonsuch High School for Girls and the selective band at Greenshaw High School. They share the first-stage SET, then run second-stage exams in two groups.
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