Greenshaw High School 11+ guide

Are you thinking about applying to Greenshaw High School? Find out everything you need to know about the entry process and how to prepare for the 11+ exam.

Key information for Greenshaw High School

• School type: co-educational, partially-selective school
• Location: Sutton, Surrey
• Admissions contact: [email protected]
• Number of places in Year 7: 314 (including 60 selective places)
• 11+ exam: Sutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET) 
• Catchment area: no

Important dates for 2027 entry

• Friday 1st May 2026: test registration opens
• Friday 31st July 2026: test registration closes
• Tuesday 15th September 2026: Sutton Selective Eligibility Test
• Mid-October 2026: parents receive test results
• Saturday 31st October 2026: deadline to apply for secondary school places
• Monday 1st March 2027: secondary school national offers day

How to apply to Greenshaw High School

Greenshaw High School is a partially-selective school. If you would like your child to be considered for a selective place, they will need to take the Sutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET). All selective state schools in Sutton use the Sutton SET.

You must register your child for the test during the registration window. A link to register will be available on the school’s website.

The Sutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET) will take place on Tuesday 15th September 2026. You will be emailed details about the test location, timings and what your child needs to bring before the exam.

There is no second stage exam for Greenshaw High School.

Some other selective schools require children to sit an additional stage 2 exam, but Greenshaw uses the SET only as part of its admissions process.

Your child’s results will be emailed to you in mid-October. If they meet the qualifying standard, you can apply for a selective or non-selective place by naming Greenshaw High School on your common application form. This must be submitted to your local authority by Saturday 31st October 2026.

Important note: meeting the qualifying standard does not guarantee that your child will be allocated a selective place. Places are allocated according to the school’s admissions criteria once applications close.

We’ve outlined the process for Greenshaw High School below.

What will my child be tested on?

The Sutton Selective Eligibility Test consists of two multiple-choice papers. Each paper lasts approximately 40–50 minutes.

• English: this paper is split into four sections. One assesses Key Stage 2 spelling, and the other three test reading comprehension skills.
• Maths: questions cover Key Stage 2 maths topics, including number and place value, the four operations, fractions, decimals and percentages, measurement, geometry and statistics.

How are places allocated at Greenshaw High School?

There are 314 places available at Greenshaw High School. The school allocates places in this order:

1. Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan which names Greenshaw High School
2. ‘Looked after’ and ‘previously looked after’ children
3. Children with an exceptional medical or social need to attend Greenshaw High School
4. Children of members of staff at Greenshaw High School
5. Up to 60 places are allocated to children based on the outcome of the Sutton SET. Places are allocated in rank order of scores
6. Children who have a sibling at the school at the time of admission
7. Remaining places are then offered based on the proximity of the child’s home to the school. This distance is measured in a straight line.

To be considered, you must name Greenshaw High School on your common application form. This must be submitted to your home local authority by 31st October.

Does Greenshaw High School have a catchment area?

Greenshaw High School does not have a catchment area. If your child meets the qualifying standard for a selective place, they are eligible to apply regardless of where they live.

If a tie-break is required (for example, where two children have the same score and only one place remains), priority is given to the child who lives closest to the school.

If you do not live close to the school, it is important to think about how your child will travel each day. Consider journey time, transport options and whether your child will be travelling independently or with support.

A longer or more complex journey can affect your child’s daily routine, including time for homework, rest and extracurricular activities.

It is a good idea to think about how manageable the school journey will be and whether it will work for your family on a day-to-day basis.

How can I help my child prepare for the test?

The Sutton Selective Eligibility Test can feel like a big milestone, but preparation doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here’s how you can help your child prepare for test day.

Stay on track with a clear plan

One of the hardest parts of 11+ preparation is knowing what to focus on, when, and how to make steady progress without it taking over family life.

A clear, structured plan helps your child feel less overwhelmed and more in control. It ensures they build skills in the right order, cover everything they need, and avoid last-minute cramming.

Atom’s exam plan makes this easier. Enter your child’s target schools and exam dates, and we’ll create a personalised weekly plan tailored to the topics they’ll be tested on. It shows them what to work on and when, adapts as they improve, and helps them build progress in a calm, manageable way — little and often.

That means less guesswork for you, less stress for them, and a clearer path all the way to exam day.

Build smart exam technique

As your child’s knowledge grows, practice tests can help them feel more comfortable with the real exam format.

Atom’s 11+ practice papers are exact replicas of real 11+ exams. They’re also unlimited – you can download the same paper again and again, and your child will get new questions each time. This helps them practise without repeating the same content.

We’ve made marking easy for you, too. Simply photograph your child’s answer sheets and upload them to Atom. The papers are marked instantly, showing your child’s standardised age score (SAS), where they’re doing well, and what they should focus on next. You’ll also learn how they compare to other children applying to the same school.

Encourage regular reading

Strong reading skills play a big role in 11+ preparation.

Encourage your child to read every day, even for just 10–15 minutes. The key is variety. Mix fiction and non-fiction, different genres, and a range of authors. This helps them become more confident in understanding tone, purpose, and meaning across different texts.

Over time, regular reading will:

• broaden their vocabulary
• improve comprehension and inference
• build confidence in tackling unseen texts

And just as importantly, it can help them enjoy reading — not just see it as exam preparation.

Looking for inspiration? Atom’s recommended reading lists have suggestions spanning fiction and non-fiction for Years 3–6.

Celebrate progress, not just scores

When you’re supporting your child through 11+ preparation, what really matters is knowing they’re moving in the right direction — not just how they scored on a single test.

Atom’s progress tracking gives you a clear, simple picture of how your child is doing in each topic and the direction they’re moving in. You can see where they’re on track, where they might need more practice, and spot progress as it happens.

That makes it easier to give meaningful encouragement, keep motivation steady, and focus on what matters most: consistent improvement, not just one-off results.