Sutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET) specifics

How does the SET work?

The Sutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET) is an entrance assessment for specific schools in Sutton. It is taken by students in Year 6 who are looking for entry into Year 7. The test has two stages and both stages are divided into two sections: Maths and English. Both stages of the test assess both academic ability and problem-solving skills. The Maths sections include questions on areas such as arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, while the English section assesses areas such as comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary.

What is the pass mark for the SET?

As the SET is used by a number of different schools, the pass mark for the stage one test is not fixed and varies not only from year to year but also from school to school. Each school will set their own threshold above which a student can gain access to the stage two test. The stage two test operates within the same boundaries and the pass mark, upon which children are offered a place, varies from school to school.

How hard is the SET?

The SET is, by its name and nature, selective. This means it is challenging and designed to select pupils based on academic ability in Maths and English. With careful preparation, children who are already in the top 25% of their cohort at their current primary school should be able to access the test.

What is a good SET score?

The stage one test is designed to select the brightest pupils to continue through to stage two. There is not necessarily such a thing as a “good” score, but it might be wise to aim for a success rate of around 75-80% in any mock tests completed. The standardised score for the stage one tests consists of the Maths and English marks added together and then divided by two. For the second stage, the pass mark is based on the combined standardised scores of all four tests (stage one and stage two); the four standardised scores are then weighted in the ratio 2:2:3:3, an age allowance is added, and the total is then rounded to the nearest four marks to give the final score

Does the SET pass mark differ between schools?

Yes, the pass mark for the SET does differ between schools within the Sutton consortium. Schools set their own threshold score depending on two things: the number of candidates and the number of available places.

Which school needs the highest or lowest SET score?

This will, by the very nature of changing populations, academic ability and numbers of applicants, vary from year to year. If students pass the stage one test their results are not released to parents, but if they do not pass, parents can request their standardised score.

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