Wilson's, Wallington County Grammar & Sutton Grammar 11+ guide is usually best approached as a competitive academic process rather than a general confidence test. Parents who do well here tend to combine steady skill-building with a realistic understanding of timing and standard.
The aim is not to chase every rumour about the format. It is to make sure your child can cope with the level of reading, mathematics and exam pressure that schools in this group commonly expect.
What this route typically focuses on
These three boys' schools sit within the wider Sutton consortium and share the same Stage 1 Selective Eligibility Test (SET) used across the group, typically with only around the top quarter to third of candidates progressing beyond it. Where they differ from some other Sutton schools is Stage 2: Wilson's, Wallington County Grammar and Sutton Grammar School share a common second-stage test that is written rather than multiple-choice, covering a maths paper and an English writing task, each around 45 minutes to an hour. Each school then sets its own threshold on top of that shared test, based on its own applicant numbers and places available.
The shift from Stage 1 to Stage 2 catches some families out, because the SET is entirely multiple-choice while Stage 2 for this trio is full written response — a genuinely different skill. Wilson's adds a further layer on top: an additional Aptitude Test Day for boys who have been shortlisted after the SET and Stage 2, which is unique to Wilson's among the three. Wilson's also reserves a small number of places for boys resident in specific Sutton postcodes, with ties broken first by Sutton residence and then by distance, while Wallington County Grammar does not use a catchment area at all.
How to prepare well
Treat the two stages as genuinely different tasks rather than more of the same. For Stage 1, standard mixed SET-style multiple-choice practice across English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning is right. Once through to Stage 2, practice should pivot toward full written maths workings (not just picking an option) and a timed writing task, since neither of those skills is built by more multiple-choice drilling.
A sensible plan usually blends untimed skill-building, short bursts of timed work, and regular review of errors. Parents often get better results from a steady weekly routine than from sudden cramming close to the test.
See exactly where your child stands
The free diagnostic pinpoints the weakest areas in minutes, so the advice on this page turns into a concrete plan rather than guesswork.
Common mistakes parents make
Most avoidable problems come from preparing the wrong things at the wrong time, or from assuming a bright child will automatically adapt under pressure.
- Continuing to drill multiple-choice questions for Stage 2, when it is a written maths and writing test
- Not practising a timed, planned piece of writing under exam conditions before Stage 2
- Applying to Wilson's without separately preparing for its additional Aptitude Test Day
- Assuming a strong SET score guarantees a place, when each school still applies its own Stage 2 threshold
Suggested next steps
If you want a realistic starting point, begin with a baseline rather than with a full timetable. That gives you a clearer picture of whether reading, arithmetic, vocabulary or reasoning needs the most attention first.
- Prepare broadly for the Sutton SET first, since it is the shared gateway for all three schools
- Once comfortable with SET-style questions, add regular timed writing practice and full-working maths questions ahead of Stage 2
- If applying to Wilson's specifically, check its Aptitude Test Day format separately rather than assuming it mirrors Stage 2
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the questions parents usually ask first.
Is Stage 2 for Wilson's, Wallington and Sutton Grammar multiple-choice like the SET?
No. Stage 1 (the SET) is multiple-choice, but the shared Stage 2 for these three schools is written: a maths paper requiring full working and an English writing task, each roughly 45 minutes to an hour.
Does Wilson's School have any extra requirements beyond Stage 2?
Yes. Wilson's holds an additional Aptitude Test Day for boys shortlisted after the SET and Stage 2, which is unique to Wilson's among this group of schools. It also reserves a small number of places for boys living in specific Sutton postcodes.