Know where to start with the Sutton SET

From a free check to a clear plan

Three steps. The first two are free.

1. 1

   The free check

   15 questions in 16 minutes: English and maths. Your child works alone with paper and a pencil.

   Start the free check →
2. 2

   Your report

   What they got right in each paper, where to start, a free task to open now and three short sessions for this week. Print it or keep it on screen.

   Practice evidence from a short check. It is not a school score or a prediction of a place.

3. 3

   Sutton SET Pro£349 once

   The SET in English and maths, timed papers, the second-stage writing lessons and a parent view.

   75 lessons · 1,395 questions · 10 timed practice papers

   One payment, no subscription. Access until 31 December 2029.

   See exactly what is included →Or carry on free with lesson 1

Your child's entry year

About the Sutton SET

Choose the right route

Schools near each other can use different tests. Pick the one your child will sit.

• Sutton SETThis page
• QE BoysTwo multiple-choice papers: English and maths.
• Tiffin SchoolStage One: English and maths on a computer-marked sheet.
• Tiffin Girls'Stage One: English and maths, multiple choice or numerical.
• Henrietta BarnettRound One: English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, multiple choice.

Dates

What the test covers

• The SET is one shared first stage in English and maths.

• One registration covers five fully selective schools and Greenshaw's ability places.

• Greenshaw has no second stage. The other schools have shared second stages, with written answers.

Start free

• A free 15-question check

  15 questions in 16 minutes: English and maths. A report for you with where to start. No account or card.

  Start the free check →

• Our free first lesson

  Short, hands-on steps in the test's own subjects. No card needed.

  Start the free lesson →

• Official free material

  Published by the school, council or test provider. We link to their copy.

  Sutton SET: the SET FAQ →

• Every free official paper

  What each test's own publisher releases, and whether it comes with answers.

  Open the papers shelf →

Four weeks, one clear next step

An hour a week: two 15-minute skill sessions, two 10-minute reading sessions and a 10-minute review. Change the time to 30 or 90 minutes in the planner.

• Skill, 15 min
• Reading and words, 10 min
• Parent review
• Written answer, 10 min

1. Week 160 min

   1. Skill · 15 minStarting check and first teaching stepTry a short set of questions together, then learn the first step of reading comprehension.Sutton SET: free first lesson →
   2. Skill · 15 minPractise the first stepA few more reading comprehension questions on the step you just learned.This week's reading session →
   3. Reading and words · 10 minRead togetherRead a short passage together and record unfamiliar words.Reading session 1 →
   4. Reading and words · 10 minRead together, second goRead a short passage together and record unfamiliar words.Reading session 2 →
   5. Parent review · 10 minPick one topicChoose the one topic to work on for the next three weeks.

2. Week 260 min

   1. Skill · 15 minWorked practice on that topicWork through reading comprehension examples together. Say each step out loud.This week's reading session →
   2. Skill · 15 minMore worked practiceAnother worked example, then one your child leads.This week's reading session →
   3. Reading and words · 10 minUse five words in contextPut five new words into sentences of your child's own.Reading session 3 →
   4. Reading and words · 10 minUse five words in context, second goPut five new words into sentences of your child's own.Reading session 4 →
   5. Parent review · 10 minIdentify the method still needing helpFind the one step that still goes wrong.

3. Week 360 min

   1. Skill · 15 minFresh questions on the skillNew reading comprehension questions your child has not seen. Let them try first.This week's reading session →
   2. Skill · 15 minA second fresh setMore new reading comprehension questions. Note any that still go wrong.This week's reading session →
   3. Reading and words · 10 minPassage and evidence questionAnswer a question, then point to the evidence in the passage.Reading session 5 →
   4. Written answer · 10 minModel answer and checklistWrite one short answer, then compare it with a model. Check three things: it answers the question, uses evidence and explains the point.See what a stronger written answer does →
   5. Parent review · 10 minReview the explanationAsk your child to explain the method back to you.

4. Week 460 min

   1. Skill · 15 minShort mixed check and next lessonA short mixed set in English and maths, then the next lesson.This week's reading session →
   2. Skill · 15 minThe next lessonStart the next lesson, or revisit the step that went wrong.This week's reading session →
   3. Reading and words · 10 minRevisit words and passageRedo an earlier session. Which of its words does your child still remember?Reading session 1 again →
   4. Reading and words · 10 minRevisit words and passage, second goRedo an earlier session. Which of its words does your child still remember?Reading session 2 again →
   5. Parent review · 10 minChoose the next focusKeep the topic, or choose the next one.

The full course