When deciding on a school for your child, you need to make sure that your child meets the eligibility criteria for that school. Grammar schools select students by ability. They are usually tested in the final year of their primary school by giving a test known as the 11 plus.
Note that not all primary schools will arrange for your child to give the 11 plus, so if you think you want to send your child to a grammar school, you will have to make the arrangement yourself to register your child to give the 11 plus test in this case.
However, some primary schools might automatically register your child for the test so stay informed on the 11 plus test dates as it is important to get into a grammar school.
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Sutton Grammar Schools
There are five highly competitive Grammar Schools in Sutton. Every year the schools are noted for their fierce competition. The application process and eligibility of the sutton grammar schools differ from other schools under local authority.
Every Sutton grammar school is extremely selective and has a limited number of seats; you need to stay informed on all the information on the eligibility criteria and admission process if you want to send your child to the Sutton Grammar School.
You also need to plan for the admission test (the 11 plus) if you want your child to get a position at these schools.
The Admission Test
The Sutton grammar schools are known for their competition and thousands of kids that apply and even more that take the 11 plus exam. The 11 plus exam is a selective eligibility test to determine the students that are going to get a place at the school.
The test is run by the London Borough of Sutton and is age-adjusted, which means that the younger children given the test are not disadvantaged that are in grade 4 or 5 of primary school.
Entrance: Stage 1
For many grammar schools, the 11 plus test is the first round of testing or stage 1. You can register for this test by going onto the website of any Sutton grammar school and getting the link for the test registration from there.
The 11 plus test Is a standard test for most of the Sutton grammar schools, and by registering for it, you can apply to all 5 of the Sutton grammar schools. In the 11 plus, the students have tested on their English and Maths knowledge. Each portion consists of multiple choice questions, with English and Maths being on separate portions, each 45 minutes long.
To make sure that your child passes the test, there are resources and mock tests available that you can use to practice. Practicing some of the mock exams will help the students get a better idea of what to expect on the 11-plus exam, and they can attempt it better.
The practice also increases their chances of passing the test and getting accepted at grammar school. Moreover, some primary schools also help prepare your child for the test but some institutions specifically target the preparation of 11 plus tests, you can take your child there to make sure that they pass stage 1 for admission into the Sutton Grammar Schools.
However, even if the students pass the 11 plus, it does not guarantee a position at the school; they will still need to pass stage 2 to get accepted to a grammar school. You might not want to apply to just one Grammar School as it can be a risk; most parents apply to all the grammar schools just to be on the safer side.
Entrance: Stage 2
Only the students that have passed the 11 plus test are called to give the stage 2 exam, the additional School Admission Standard test, which is written by the school. This test also focuses on English and Maths, so your child needs to be well versed in the two subjects as it is more difficult than the stage 1, 11 plus test since it does not have multiple choice questions.
Instead, you need to prepare the standard format of KS2 for the Maths part. While for English, you get comprehension and writing tasks. The time that is given for the two portions is similar to that of the 11-plus exam, which is 45 minutes for each portion.
To prepare for the stage 2 exam, several online platforms offer creative writing courses that help you prepare for the English portion and improve your comprehension and English writing skills.
Free sample papers for both Math and English are available on many platforms that you can download and use. The more you practice, the more your chances of getting accepted to the Sutton grammar school will increase.
Competitiveness Of The School
The Sutton grammar schools mostly give the highest scorers of stage 2, entrance to the school. There are no eligibility criteria that determine who gets admission. It is mostly the highest scorers or the top 85 scorers that get a place at the school. There is no way of knowing beforehand if your child made it to school or not.
The schools usually inform you via Email about the decision regarding the admission of your child. The Sutton grammar school is highly competitive as there are about 2600 applicants that compete for a place at the school, but only 150 of them make it to the school by passing both stages.
Final Thoughts
Thus, to make sure that your child makes it to the Sutton Grammar Schools, make sure that you prepare in advance, make them familiar with the test beforehand, and collect helpful materials and resources from various platforms to help your child.
If you need, get extra help from institutes that help students prepare for the test. Lastly, help your child to stay consistent; this is most important so that they know all the course content of the test and make them practice timed papers. The more they practice, the chance of passing the test increases.
