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Surrey school entry • 2027
Surrey 11 Plus 2027:
Selective Schools, Private Schools & Practice
There is no single county-wide “Surrey 11 plus” exam.
Families living in Surrey can face very different selection routes:
Surrey independent schools may set their own English, Maths and reasoning
assessments, while nearby Sutton and Kingston grammar schools operate
separate state-selective testing systems.
The first step is therefore not to buy a generic Surrey 11+ paper.
It is to identify which school and which assessment route
your child will actually face.
This Surrey 11+ guide will help you:
Surrey county 11+ test
main admissions routes
Sutton / Tiffin selection common
independent-school exams
On this page:
Three routes
2027 timeline
Independent schools
Sutton
Tiffin
Preparation
Papers
FAQs
interviews or multi-stage assessments depending on the target school.
Image: Alison Wood / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
The key Surrey distinction
There are three different 11+ routes around Surrey
The old regional-content model blurred these systems together under
phrases such as “Surrey grammar-school exam”.
That is not a useful description for parents because the tests,
registration systems and admissions decisions are different.
Route 1
Surrey independent schools
Schools such as Royal Grammar School Guildford and Reigate Grammar
School manage their own applications and assessments.
English, Maths, reasoning, writing, interviews and school references
can all form part of the process depending on the school.
Route 2
Sutton selective schools
Sutton’s grammar schools are in the
London Borough of Sutton, not Surrey County Council.
They operate a shared first-stage eligibility test followed by
second-stage assessment arrangements.
Route 3
Kingston / Tiffin
Tiffin School and The Tiffin Girls’ School are in the
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.
Both use selective multi-stage admissions rather than a Surrey
County Council entrance test.
Surrey preparation rule:
identify the school first. The school’s actual assessment determines
the right practice.
Geography versus admissions
Why are Sutton and Tiffin often called “Surrey grammar schools”?
Historic county boundaries and postal addresses create understandable
confusion.
Kingston and Sutton are now London boroughs. Their selective schools are
therefore not part of a Surrey County Council grammar-school system.
This matters because families living only a few miles apart can face
completely different registration forms, entrance tests and admissions
criteria.
Do not search for one “Surrey grammar-school pass mark”.
Sutton, Tiffin and individual independent schools do not share one
score scale or one admissions threshold.
For the national distinction between grammar-school systems, see the
RWA Grammar Schools in England guide
.
2027 entry
A Surrey 11 plus 2027 planning timeline
Because the schools do not share one admissions process, the safest
timeline is based on decisions rather than one supposed Surrey exam date.
| Stage | What to do |
|---|---|
| Early Year 5 | Decide whether the target is a Surrey independent school, Sutton grammar school, Tiffin school or a combination. |
| Year 5 | Create a separate admissions checklist for every target school. |
| Year 5 | Confirm the actual assessment: English, Maths, reasoning, Pre-Test, interview or multi-stage test. |
| Spring–summer Year 5 | Complete diagnostic practice and repair major English, mathematical and reasoning gaps. |
| Autumn Year 6 | Complete required state-selective first-stage testing or independent-school registration processes. |
| Autumn–spring Year 6 | Complete second-stage tests, independent-school exams and interviews according to each school’s timetable. |
| State-school application | Families living in Surrey apply through Surrey County Council for state schools, including schools outside Surrey where relevant. |
| Independent schools | Apply directly to the individual independent school. |
Route 1
Surrey independent-school 11 plus entry
Surrey has a strong independent-school market, particularly around
Guildford, Reigate, Epsom, Woking and surrounding areas.
The important point is that
independent schools control their own admissions.
Two neighbouring schools may assess completely different things.
Royal Grammar School Guildford
RGS Guildford’s main senior entry point is 11+.
For 2027 entry the school publishes its own registration,
entrance-assessment and interview timetable.
Its process therefore needs school-specific preparation rather than
Sutton or Tiffin grammar-school materials.
Reigate Grammar School
Reigate Grammar School’s 11+ applicants currently sit entrance
assessments in:
- English;
- Mathematics; and
- verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Shortlisted candidates are then invited to interview.
own 11+ admissions process. Image: SuzanneKn / Wikimedia Commons,
public domain.
Independent-school assessment
Do not assume every Surrey private school uses the same 11+ papers
Independent-school admissions can include different combinations of:
English + Maths
Traditional school-written entrance papers remain common.
Reasoning
Schools may add verbal, non-verbal or broader cognitive reasoning.
ISEB / Pre-Test
Some independent schools use computerised pre-testing or common
assessment routes.
Writing
Creative or discursive writing can be assessed separately from
comprehension.
Interview
Academic interview, individual conversation or group assessment may
follow the written test.
School reference
Current-school evidence can contribute to the overall admissions
decision.
Use the school’s current admissions page as the specification.
Do not choose practice materials simply because they say “Surrey 11+”.
Route 2
Sutton grammar schools: nearby, but not a Surrey County test
Sutton’s state-selective schools are among the most relevant grammar-school
choices for families living in north-east Surrey.
The London Borough of Sutton operates an eligibility-testing stage for
selective schools including:
Sutton selective route
Boys
Boys
Girls
Boys
Partially selective route
For the grammar schools, the initial Selective Eligibility Test functions
as a first-stage screen. Schools then apply their own second-stage testing
and admissions processes.
The old SET Sutton page incorrectly describes this as the
“Surrey 11 plus exam”. That wording should disappear when Sutton is folded
into the new consolidated London flagship.
Route 3
Tiffin School and Tiffin Girls: Kingston selective entry
Tiffin School and The Tiffin Girls’ School are another important route for
families living close to the Surrey–Kingston boundary.
They are in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames and operate their
own selective admissions processes.
Tiffin School
Tiffin School works with Quest to set its Year 7 entrance tests and
publishes school-specific illustrative English and Maths questions.
Its 2027 admissions process is therefore
not a generic GL Surrey test.
The Tiffin Girls’ School
Tiffin Girls uses a Stage One test followed by a Stage Two test for
candidates who progress.
Its admissions policy also gives priority within defined geographic
areas and specified admissions categories.
Match practice to the school
Surrey 11 plus practice should be school-specific
Compare these examples:
| Target | Likely preparation focus |
|---|---|
| RGS Guildford | School-specific independent-school entrance assessment, followed by the school’s wider admissions process. |
| Reigate Grammar School | English, Maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and interview preparation. |
| Sutton grammar schools | Selective Eligibility Test plus school-specific second-stage preparation. |
| Tiffin School | Tiffin-specific English and Maths entrance-test material. |
| Tiffin Girls | Stage One familiarisation followed by Stage Two preparation where invited. |
| Other Surrey independent schools | Check whether the school uses written English/Maths, reasoning, ISEB/Common Pre-Test, interview or its own assessment day. |
Common mistakes
Six Surrey 11 plus preparation mistakes
Searching for “the Surrey 11+ test”
There is no single assessment shared by Surrey independent schools,
Sutton and Tiffin.
Calling Sutton a Surrey grammar system
Sutton’s selective schools are administered within a London borough
and have their own testing arrangements.
Buying papers before choosing schools
The correct resource depends on the actual entrance assessment.
Ignoring interviews
Independent-school entry can assess more than written-paper
performance.
Using one pass mark
Sutton, Tiffin and Surrey independent schools do not share one score
scale.
Practising only strengths
Preparation should be driven by diagnosed errors rather than the
question types the child already enjoys.
Surrey independent-school context
Independent schools can combine written testing with interview
Reigate Grammar School illustrates why Surrey independent-school
preparation cannot be reduced to one generic paper: its current 11+
process includes English, Mathematics and reasoning assessments followed
by interviews for shortlisted candidates.
schools. Image: Ian Capper / Geograph via Wikimedia Commons.
See the Wikimedia file page for reuse licence details.
Core preparation framework
The six-stage Surrey 11 plus preparation model
Choose the schools
Start with realistic target schools rather than generic 11+ practice.
Map every admissions route
Record registration, test type, stages, interviews and school
application requirements separately.
Diagnose the required skills
Sample English, Maths, verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and
writing only where they match the target assessments.
Teach weak skills
Repair curriculum, vocabulary and reasoning gaps before simply
increasing paper volume.
Add school-specific formats
Introduce Tiffin, Sutton, ISEB or school-written formats only where
they match a real application.
Rehearse the complete process
Practise realistic timing, answer recording and interview discussion
without turning the final weeks into continuous testing.
Targeted practice
Build the skills your actual Surrey-area schools require
English
Reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar and writing are common
across many independent-school and selective routes.
Mathematics
Develop secure arithmetic and mathematical reasoning before adding
high test-speed demands.
Verbal reasoning
Relevant for schools using reasoning tests, but should not be
automatically added to every Surrey application.
Non-verbal reasoning
Particularly relevant where schools explicitly assess visual or
non-verbal reasoning.
Surrey 11 plus papers
Use the closest available paper to your real school exam
School-specific replica papers
Search by the actual target school instead of searching only for
“Surrey 11+”.
Independent-school past papers
Use SET’s school-specific library to identify English, Maths,
reasoning and Pre-Test routes.
Free practice
Start with free diagnostic material before buying large bundles.
ISEB / Pre-Test preparation
Where a target independent school uses computerised pre-testing,
use the dedicated SET Pre-Test material rather than written
grammar-school mocks.
Independent-school admissions
Prepare for the interview without scripting the child
Surrey independent-school selection can continue beyond the entrance
paper.
A useful interview preparation approach develops the child’s ability to:
- talk naturally about books and interests;
- explain how they approached an unfamiliar problem;
- reflect on school activities;
- ask and answer questions conversationally;
- show curiosity; and
- recover when they do not immediately know an answer.
Do not teach a memorised “perfect interview”.
Over-rehearsed answers can reduce rather than increase the evidence of
genuine thinking and communication.
Application process
State and independent applications are separate
If you live in Surrey and want a state selective school
Complete the relevant Sutton, Kingston or school-specific selection
registration.
Then name the school on the secondary-school application submitted
through Surrey County Council as your home local authority.
If you want a Surrey independent school
Apply directly to the independent school using its own admissions
process.
Independent schools are not listed on the Surrey state-school common
application.
SET + Rob Williams Assessment
Use SET for school-specific preparation — RWA for interpretation
School Entrance Tests
Use SET for:
- school-specific papers;
- English practice;
- Maths practice;
- reasoning;
- ISEB / Pre-Test guidance;
- interview preparation; and
- regional school routing.
Rob Williams Assessment
Use RWA for:
- what entrance tests measure;
- standardised-score interpretation;
- grammar-school selection systems;
- assessment validity;
- regional test differences; and
- psychometric guidance.
Related flagship guides
Continue your Surrey 11 plus preparation
Independent School 11+
Find school-specific papers and assessment routes.
Free 11 Plus Practice
Start with free diagnostic practice.
11 Plus English
Comprehension, vocabulary, grammar and writing.
11 Plus Maths
Arithmetic, reasoning and problem-solving practice.
ISEB Pre-Tests
Computer-based independent-school pre-test preparation.
Selective Schools Guide
Compare Surrey-area routes with selective systems across England.
Expert guidance
Frequently asked questions
Surrey 11 plus 2027 FAQs
Does Surrey have an 11 plus exam?
There is no single Surrey County Council 11+ examination. Families may
apply to Surrey independent schools with their own assessments or to
selective state schools in neighbouring London boroughs such as Sutton
and Kingston.
Are Sutton grammar schools in Surrey?
Sutton’s grammar schools are in the London Borough of Sutton. They are
frequently considered by Surrey families but are not part of a Surrey
County Council grammar-school testing system.
Are Tiffin School and Tiffin Girls in Surrey?
They are in Kingston upon Thames, which is a London borough. Postal
geography can make this confusing, but their selection processes are
separate from Surrey County Council admissions.
What does Reigate Grammar School test at 11+?
Its current 11+ process includes entrance assessments in English,
Mathematics and reasoning, including verbal and non-verbal reasoning,
followed by interviews for shortlisted candidates.
Does RGS Guildford use the Surrey grammar-school test?
No. RGS Guildford is an independent school and operates its own
registration and entrance-assessment process.
What is the Surrey 11 plus pass mark?
There is no universal Surrey pass mark because there is no single Surrey
test. Sutton schools, Tiffin schools and independent schools use different
scores and admissions processes.
Should I use GL 11 plus papers for Surrey?
Only where they match the actual target school’s assessment.
Surrey-area schools use several different test formats, so the school’s
published specification should determine the practice.
Do Surrey independent schools use ISEB Pre-Tests?
Some independent schools use computer-based or common pre-testing routes,
while others set their own English, Maths and reasoning papers. Check
each school individually.
How should Surrey 11+ preparation start?
Shortlist the schools, map their exact assessment routes and then
diagnose the relevant English, Maths and reasoning skills before buying
school-specific practice.
Where do Surrey residents apply for a Sutton or Tiffin school?
Families must complete the relevant school’s selective-test registration.
Surrey residents then name the state school on their secondary-school
application through Surrey County Council as their home local authority.
Your next step
Choose the Surrey-area schools first — then choose the test practice
Decide whether your child is targeting Surrey independent schools,
Sutton grammar schools, Tiffin or a combination. Check each actual
admissions route, identify the skills tested and then use the closest
school-specific papers available.
Updated for families researching Surrey-area Year 7 entry for the 2027
admissions cycle. Assessment formats, registration processes and individual
school admissions policies can change. Always check the current admissions
information of every target school before choosing practice materials.