Sutton Grammar School 11+ guide

Applying to Sutton Grammar School for September 2028? This guide covers the two-stage Sutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET) and second-stage exams, the qualifying score, how the 150 Year 7 places are allocated and the key dates for September 2028 entry.

Sutton Grammar School 11+ at a glance

• School type: boys' grammar school
• Location: Sutton, London Borough of Sutton
• Admissions contact: admissions@suttongrammar.school
• Number of places in Year 7: 150 (2027-entry figure — Sutton Grammar School confirms each year's admission number in its determined arrangements, published the spring before entry.)
• Qualifying score: No pass mark is published in advance. Boys who pass the SET sit the second stage, and the school sets its required standard from the combined scores.
• 11+ test: Sutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET) and second stage (two multiple-choice SET papers, then two written second-stage papers in English and maths)
• Catchment or priority area: priority postcodes (see below)

Source: Sutton Grammar School Admissions Policy, Year 7 entry 2027 (determined). Last checked October 2026.

Key dates for September 2028 entry

Sutton Grammar School confirms its exact dates in the spring before each cycle. The windows below follow the 2027-entry timetable: registration ran from Friday 1 May 2026 to Friday 31 July 2026, the test took place on Tuesday 15 September 2026 (SET), with the boys' shared second stage on Saturday 3 October 2026 and results were due before the October half-term 2026. We'll update this page as soon as the school publishes its 2028-entry dates.

The 1 May 2027 opening date for the shared SET registration comes from Wallington High School for Girls. Sutton Grammar School hasn't published its own 2028-entry dates yet, so the other windows follow the 2027-entry timetable.

How to apply to Sutton Grammar School

Sutton Grammar School is selective, so your child needs to sit the 11+ test to be considered for a place.

You register once for the SET through the shared online Sutton SET registration system (Applicaa), linked from each participating school's website. One registration covers all six schools that use the test.

Once you have your child's result, you apply by naming Sutton Grammar School on your common application form, which goes to your home local authority. For September 2028 entry the deadline is Sunday 31 October 2027. As it falls on a Sunday, you may find it easier to submit your form in the days before.

Reaching the qualifying score makes your child eligible, but it doesn't guarantee a place. If more qualifying children apply than there are places, the school uses its oversubscription criteria, set out further down this page.

What will my child be tested on?

The Sutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET) is the first stage for all five Sutton grammar schools. It is two multiple-choice papers, English and maths, each lasting 40 to 50 minutes with a break in between. Both are broadly based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum and there is no verbal or non-verbal reasoning. Answers go on a separate answer sheet.

There is no pass mark published in advance: the schools decide it after marking, and scores are standardised for age. You'll receive an outcome email during the week after the SET.

Boys who reach the school's SET pass mark are invited to the shared second stage, sat by Sutton Grammar School, Wallington County Grammar School and Wilson's School on the same day. It has an English paper and a maths paper, each around 45 minutes to 1 hour, written rather than multiple choice and with no verbal or non-verbal reasoning. Each school then combines these scores with the SET in its own way.

At Sutton Grammar School, the four standardised scores (SET English and maths, then second-stage English and maths) are weighted 2:2:3:3, so the second stage counts for more. An age allowance is added, and SET marks are also adjusted for income deprivation using the government's IDACI index. Outcomes are emailed before October half-term.

The table below shows what each paper covers.

How are places allocated at Sutton Grammar School?

If more children reach the qualifying standard than there are 150 Year 7 places, Sutton Grammar School offers places in the order below. This order comes from the school's admissions policy for 2027 entry. The school sets its 2028-entry policy separately, and we'll update this table if anything changes.

All applicants must reach the required standard. Within criteria 3 to 5, places go in rank order of the combined SET and second-stage scores.

Does Sutton Grammar School have a catchment area?

There is no catchment circle. Criteria 3 and 4 give priority to boys whose home is in the SM1 to SM7, KT4, KT17, CR0 4 and CR4 postcode areas. Remaining places are open to boys from any postcode.

Where boys have equal scores and there aren't enough places for all of them, the boy living closest to the school's front door in Manor Lane, measured in a straight line, is offered the place first.

If you don't live close to the school, it's worth thinking about how your child will get there every day. How long will the journey take? What transport options are available? Will they be travelling independently or with support?

A longer or more complex journey can affect your child's daily routine, including how much time they have for homework, rest and after-school activities. It's a good idea to think about how manageable the school run will be and whether it will work for your family day to day.

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 built to match the format, timing and question styles 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.