Key information for Nonsuch High School for Girls
Nonsuch High School for Girls is a state grammar school in Cheam, Sutton. If your child is sitting for Year 7 entry, here's what the admissions process involves, when the key dates fall, and how places are allocated.
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | grammar (state) |
| Year groups | Years 7-13 |
| Location | Cheam, Sutton |
| Headteacher | Mrs Alexis Williamson |
| Address | Ewell Road, Cheam, Surrey, SM3 8AB |
| Phone | 020 8394 3400 |
| office@nonsuchschool.org | |
| Places at 11+ | 210 |
| Entrance assessment | Sutton consortium SET (Selective Eligibility Test); bespoke multiple-choice papers set by the consortium, not GL Assessment |
| Exam format | Two-stage (SET sift + school-specific second stage) |
| Subjects tested | English, Maths (multiple-choice; no VR or NVR) |
| Catchment | 5.25 km catchment area circle around the school. 85 places allocated by score irrespective of address; up to 35 Pupil Premium places irrespective of address; up to 125 places linked to the catchment area; then... |
Important dates for 2027 entry
| Stage | Date | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Registration opens | 1 May 2026 | You can submit your application to the school from this date. |
| Registration deadline | 31 July 2026 | Late applications are not accepted, so put this in the calendar. |
| Entrance exam | SET: 15 September 2026; Stage 2 (NWSSEE): 26 September 2026 | Sat at the school or at a designated test centre. |
| Results | Mid-October 2026 | Score (or qualifying status) released to parents. |
| National Offer Day | 1 March 2027 | Place offers issued to families via your council's allocation system. |
Dates above are the latest the school has published. They can shift by a week or two between cycles, so check the school's admissions page once a term in the run-up.
How to apply to Nonsuch High School for Girls
Applying to Nonsuch High School for Girls is a two-step process. You register your child for the entrance test directly with the school (or, for some authorities, via the local authority's grammar-test registration system). Then, separately, you submit your council's common application form (CAF) by 31 October of Year 6 listing Nonsuch High School for Girls as one of your secondary preferences.
Registering for the test alone does not get you a place. You need both the test registration and a CAF entry naming the school as a preference, or you won't be in the allocation.
Full and current details are on the school's admissions page: https://www.nonsuchschool.org/page/?title=Admissions&pid=19.
What will my child be tested on?
Nonsuch High School for Girls uses the Sutton consortium SET (Selective Eligibility Test); bespoke multiple-choice papers set by the consortium, not GL Assessment. The assessment is two-stage (set sift + school-specific second stage). Subjects covered: English, Maths (multiple-choice; no VR or NVR). Question style follows the pattern set by the test provider, so good past-paper practice in the right format matters more than raw academic ability at this stage.
A quick view of the papers your child will sit. Format and timings change year to year, so confirm against the school's published arrangements.
- English
- Maths (multiple-choice; no VR or NVR)
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How are places allocated at Nonsuch High School for Girls?
Nonsuch High School for Girls typically receives more applications than it has places, so there's a published oversubscription policy that decides who gets an offer. Here are the headlines.
Order in which places are allocated at Nonsuch High School for Girls. Always confirm against the school's current admissions arrangements.
- Looked-after and previously looked-after qualifying children
- 85 places by Entrance Test score irrespective of home address
- Up to 35 places for qualifying girls eligible for Free School Meals or Pupil Premium, irrespective of address (eligible scores can be up to 20% below the standard pass mark)
- Up to 125 places within the catchment area circle by score
- Remaining places by Entrance Test score
- Distance tie-break for ties
Pass mark: Qualifying score set annually after testing; no fixed published threshold.
Does Nonsuch High School for Girls have a catchment area?
5.25 km catchment area circle around the school. 85 places allocated by score irrespective of address; up to 35 Pupil Premium places irrespective of address; up to 125 places linked to the catchment area; then remaining places by score. Catchment boundaries can be redrawn between admission rounds, so check the school's admissions arrangements for the year your child is applying.
How to prepare for the Nonsuch High School for Girls 11+
Preparation for Nonsuch High School for Girls works best when it's matched to the actual test format, not generic 11+ practice.
The consortium SET is a bespoke multiple-choice test (not GL Assessment), with papers across English and maths. Practise using consortium-style or school-published materials rather than standard GL past papers. Short, frequent sessions (15-20 minutes a day) work better than long weekend blocks, and full timed papers help in the final 6-8 weeks.
Two further habits are worth building in: doing at least one timed full paper a week from January of Year 5 onwards, and reviewing wrong answers carefully (rather than just doing more papers). The reviewing is where the real learning happens.