--- type: "Article" title: "Sutton SET 11+ Explained: Two Stages and How to Prepare" description: "The Sutton SET explained: the two-stage 11+ for Sutton's selective grammars, why Stage One is English and maths only, the written second stage and prep." resource: https://pip11plus.com/sutton-set-11-plus-explained tags: ["11+", "pip"] timestamp: 2026-10-13T19:50:09Z image: https://pip11plus.com/info-hub-cards/regional-tests-pip.jpg --- 馃摑 Exam Types # Sutton SET 11+ Explained ![Pip](https://pip11plus.com/media/pip-mark.png) **By the Pip team** Updated June 2026 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. **TL;DR** - 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. Format Two-stage, consortium-run Stage 1 English & Maths, multiple choice Stage 2 Written, plus extended writing Sat in September of Year 6 ## 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. **Free Sutton SET style practice papers.** We have written a full Stage One style paper set to the published format, including the "select two" and "select all correct" question types. [Download the free Sutton SET practice papers](https://pip11plus.com/sutton-set-11-plus-practice-papers). ## The two stages Understanding the Sutton SET means understanding how its two stages fit together: _The Sutton SET is a two-stage selection: a multiple-choice English and maths screen, then a written second-stage exam for those who pass. Exact timings can vary by year._ [Pip 11+ Mock Tests: seven real exam formats including Kent, Buckinghamshire, CSSE, Medway, Sutton, ISEB and GL, with unlimited timed papers](https://apps.apple.com/app/pip-11-practice/id6775690698) Pip Mock Tests includes the **Sutton SET** format, alongside the other six. Real timings, the real subject mix, and a fresh paper every single sitting. [Download Pip on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/pip-11-practice/id6775690698) [Get Pip on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pip11plus.app) [Available at Amazon Appstore](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0HKGJ4HTP) ## Stage 1: the Selective Eligibility Test The SET is two multiple-choice papers, **[English](https://pip11plus.com/english-questions)** and **[maths](https://pip11plus.com/maths-questions)**, 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](https://pip11plus.com/top-10-grammar-schools-in-london), and you can see how the SET fits the bigger picture in our [guide to every 11+ exam type](https://pip11plus.com/11-plus-exam-types-explained). ## 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](https://pip11plus.com/ks2-games-arcade/11-plus-vocabulary-games/)** 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. English Maths Comprehension Vocabulary [Download Pip on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/pip-11-practice/id6775690698) [Get Pip on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pip11plus.app) [Available at Amazon Appstore](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0HKGJ4HTP) [Try free Sutton SET questions and papers](https://pip11plus.com/sutton-set-practice-papers-and-questions) iPhone & iPad 路 No ads 路 No sign-up 路 Free forever ## 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. ![Pip](https://pip11plus.com/media/pip-mark.png) Written by **The Pip team** The Pip team builds Pip, the 11+ and KS2 practice app for children in years three to six. We write these guides from real exam formats and past papers. ## Keep reading [11+ Exam Types & Boards Explained](https://pip11plus.com/11-plus-exam-types-explained): Exam Types Every 11+ test type, mapped. 10 min read 路 Exam Types [Best grammar schools in Sutton](https://pip11plus.com/best-grammar-schools-in-sutton): School Choice Wilson's, Nonsuch and the SET, compared. 8 min read 路 School Choice [What is an 11+ consortium test?](https://pip11plus.com/11-plus-grammar-school-consortiums-explained): Exam Types Sutton, Trafford, CSSE and more, explained. 8 min read 路 Exam Types [Top 10 Grammar Schools in London](https://pip11plus.com/top-10-grammar-schools-in-london): School Choice London's leading grammars, including Sutton's. 12 min read 路 School Choice [CSSE Essex 11+ Explained](https://pip11plus.com/csse-essex-11-plus-explained): Exam Types Another written, English-and-maths test, in full. 7 min read 路 Exam Types ## Sitting the Sutton SET? Pip turns SET practice into five calm minutes a day of English and maths, with comprehension and vocabulary built in. [Download Pip on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/pip-11-practice/id6775690698) [Get Pip on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pip11plus.app) [Available at Amazon Appstore](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0HKGJ4HTP) [Free practice papers](https://pip11plus.com/11-plus-printables) Free forever 路 no sign-up