Nonsuch High School for Girls 11 Plus: Exam & Preparation Guide
Nonsuch High School for Girls uses the two-stage Sutton 11 Plus selection process. Stage 1 is the Selective Eligibility Test (SET), with separate Maths and English papers. Children who progress are then invited to Stage 2, where Learning Street’s current information identifies a free-response Maths paper and a separate writing paper. This guide explains both stages, what they mean for preparation, and how Learning Street’s dedicated Sutton courses and mock exams can help your child prepare effectively.
Nonsuch High School for Girls 11 Plus at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| School | Nonsuch High School for Girls |
| Area | London – Sutton |
| Entrance test | Two-stage Sutton 11 Plus selection process |
| Stage 1 | Selective Eligibility Test (SET) |
| Stage 1 Paper 1 | Maths – 45 minutes, 50 questions |
| Stage 1 Paper 2 | English – 50 minutes, 34 questions, including two comprehension texts |
| Stage 2 Paper 1 | Maths – all questions are free response |
| Stage 2 Paper 2 | Writing |
| Learning Street mocks | Separate Sutton Stage 1 and Sutton Stage 2 Mock Exam series |
Information and Mock Exam review: The information on this page and Learning Street’s Nonsuch High School for Girls mock exams are reviewed against the latest reliable information available about the Nonsuch High School for Girls entrance test.
Learning Street provides separate mock-paper series for Stage 1 and Stage 2, alongside dedicated Sutton SET preparation courses covering Vocabulary, English and Maths.
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Exam Format | Mock Exams | Pass Marks | Preparation | Courses
Nonsuch High School for Girls 11 Plus Exam Format
The Nonsuch High School for Girls selection process has two stages: Stage 1 consists of a 45-minute Maths paper with 50 questions and a 50-minute English paper with 34 questions, including two comprehension texts. Children who progress to Stage 2 then face a Maths paper in which all questions are free response and a separate writing paper.
Stage 1 – Sutton Selective Eligibility Test (SET)
Paper 1 – Maths contains 50 questions to be completed in 45 minutes. Children therefore need secure mathematical knowledge together with sufficient accuracy and pace to work efficiently throughout the paper.
Paper 2 – English contains 34 questions to be completed in 50 minutes. Learning Street’s current Sutton information states that the paper contains two comprehension texts.
The Sutton English test places particular importance on comprehension, vocabulary and technical English. Children therefore need much more than simple familiarity with standard English questions; they need secure underlying literacy skills and the ability to read unfamiliar material accurately and efficiently.
Stage 2 – Maths and Writing
Children who are successful in Stage 1 move on to Stage 2.
Stage 2 Paper 1 – Maths focuses on Maths and uses free-response questions. Children therefore need to generate their own answers independently rather than relying on answer options.
Stage 2 Paper 2 – Writing requires children to produce a written response.
Learning Street’s current Stage 2 mock information does not state exact timings for these two papers, so timings should not be inferred from Stage 1 or from other school-written examinations.
What Does the Nonsuch High School for Girls Exam Format Mean for Preparation?
The Nonsuch High School for Girls process requires children to prepare for two different stages with different demands.
Stage 1 preparation should focus heavily on secure English and Maths skills. The 50-question Maths paper requires children to work accurately at a sustained pace, while the English paper requires strong reading ability, vocabulary and technical English alongside the stamina needed to handle two comprehension texts.
Stage 2 changes the nature of the preparation. The Maths paper requires children to produce answers independently, so preparation should not become dependent on recognising or eliminating answer choices. Children need to understand methods securely enough to solve a problem and supply the answer themselves.
The separate writing paper introduces another demand. Children need to plan effectively, organise their ideas, use varied vocabulary and sentence structures, and maintain accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar while producing a sustained piece of writing.
A sensible progression is therefore core literacy and numeracy → vocabulary and technical English → mathematical accuracy → flexible application → Stage 1 timed work → Stage 1 mocks → free-response Maths and writing development → Stage 2 mocks.
Nonsuch High School for Girls 11 Plus Mock Exams and Practice Papers
Learning Street researches the known Sutton format, paper length and timings when producing its Sutton mocks. We also provide realistic answer sheets, invigilation instructions and guidance on when time should be called so parents can reproduce the practical demands of the test at home as closely as possible.
Sutton Stage 1 Mock Exams
Learning Street’s Stage 1 Sutton mocks are designed around the Maths and English SET taken before children can progress to Stage 2.
Stage 1 Pack 1 | Stage 1 Pack 2 | Stage 1 Pack 3 | Stage 1 Pack 4
Save 20% – Buy all four Stage 1 mocks for £48.
Sutton Stage 1 11 Plus Mock Exam Bundle – Packs 1–4
The four Stage 1 mocks contain different questions, allowing families to use fresh tests at different points in preparation.
Sutton Stage 2 Mock Exams
Learning Street also provides a completely separate Stage 2 mock series for children preparing for the free-response Maths and Writing papers.
Stage 2 Pack 1 | Stage 2 Pack 2 | Stage 2 Pack 3 | Stage 2 Pack 4
Save 20% – Buy all four Stage 2 mocks for £48.
Sutton Stage 2 11 Plus Mock Exam Bundle – Packs 1–4
The four Stage 2 mocks also contain different questions. Stage 1 and Stage 2 should be treated as separate preparation phases rather than blending both mock series together from the beginning.
Nonsuch High School for Girls 11 Plus Pass Marks and Scores
Learning Street’s current Nonsuch High School for Girls preparation information does not provide one fixed raw practice-paper percentage that should be treated as a permanent Nonsuch High School for Girls 11 Plus pass mark.
A percentage achieved on a Learning Street Sutton mock should therefore be used primarily to measure preparation and progress rather than treated as equivalent to an official entrance-test result.
Stage 1 performance should also be considered by subject. An overall result can conceal a significant weakness in either Maths or English, particularly where comprehension, vocabulary, technical English or a specific mathematical area is repeatedly costing marks.
Stage 2 requires a different interpretation because the Maths paper is free response and the second paper is Writing. The detailed answers and guidance are therefore most useful when they help families identify knowledge gaps, accuracy, independent problem solving, writing quality, timing or exam technique.
Those weaknesses can then be addressed before another fresh mock is used.
How to Prepare for the Nonsuch High School for Girls 11 Plus
Effective Nonsuch High School for Girls preparation should begin with secure English and Maths skills rather than repeated full mock exams.
Learning Street’s dedicated Sutton programmes cover Vocabulary Development, English, including comprehension and technical English, and Maths. These are the core skills needed for Stage 1 and also provide important foundations for Stage 2.
English Preparation
English preparation should develop reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, grammar and technical English.
Learning Street places particular emphasis on technical English because this is an important feature of the Sutton test.
The current Stage 1 English paper also contains two comprehension texts. Children therefore need to read unfamiliar material efficiently, retain important details and compare or interpret information accurately without allowing reading speed to undermine understanding.
Vocabulary should be developed systematically because stronger word knowledge supports comprehension, technical English and accurate interpretation of unfamiliar passages.
Maths Preparation
Maths preparation should begin with secure KS2 knowledge. Times tables, mental Maths and the four operations should become accurate and reliable before substantial time pressure is introduced.
Children should then progress towards mixed problems where they must identify the required method independently.
For Stage 1, they eventually need the pace and stamina to tackle a 50-question paper in 45 minutes.
Stage 2 requires an additional adjustment because all Maths questions are free response. Children must therefore be able to solve problems independently and produce the answer themselves without relying on answer options.
Writing Preparation
Writing becomes particularly important for children who progress to Stage 2.
Children should learn to plan a response, organise ideas logically and produce sustained writing using effective vocabulary, varied sentence structures and accurate spelling and punctuation.
Writing development should begin before Stage 2 results are known if a child has realistic ambitions of progressing, rather than leaving all preparation until after Stage 1.
11 Plus Creative Writing Course
Building Exam Technique and Stamina
Once English and Maths skills are secure, Stage 1 timed work should become increasingly important.
Children need to handle a 45-minute Maths paper and a 50-minute English paper while maintaining concentration and accuracy. The two comprehension texts also make reading stamina particularly important.
If a child progresses to Stage 2, preparation should then shift more heavily towards independent free-response Maths and sustained writing rather than simply continuing to repeat Stage 1-style papers.
This staged approach helps preparation reflect the actual progression of the Nonsuch selection process.
View the Sutton Stage 1 11 Plus Mock Exam Bundle – Packs 1–4
View the Sutton Stage 2 11 Plus Mock Exam Bundle – Packs 1–4
Which Nonsuch High School for Girls 11 Plus Course Should You Choose?
Learning Street offers three dedicated Sutton SET preparation routes for children preparing for Nonsuch High School for Girls: Complete, Enhance and Boost.
The programmes focus on Vocabulary Development, English including comprehension and technical English, and Maths. They are designed specifically around preparation for Sutton rather than using a generic GL programme.
The most suitable programme depends mainly on how much preparation time remains.
| Preparation time | Learning Street course | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 30–40+ weeks | Complete – Sutton SET | Our most comprehensive Sutton preparation |
| 15–30 weeks | Enhance – Sutton SET | A shorter structured Sutton programme |
| 6–15 weeks | Boost – Sutton SET | Focused preparation when less time remains |
Complete – Sutton SET — 30–40+ Weeks
Learning Street’s Complete 11 Plus Programme – Sutton SET is its most comprehensive Sutton preparation route.
The programme contains 40 structured parts covering Vocabulary Development, English, including the technical English questions used in the Sutton test, and Maths.
It also contains over 50 timed papers and tests, full answers with detailed explanations and additional work designed to strengthen vocabulary and accuracy in English and Maths.
Complete is most suitable where there is enough time to build the underlying skills progressively before introducing substantial timed work and full mocks.
The Complete 11 Plus Programme – Sutton SET
Enhance – Sutton SET — 15–30 Weeks
Learning Street’s 11 Plus Programme – Enhance – Sutton SET provides a shorter 20-part preparation route.
Each part develops Vocabulary alongside Sutton-specific English, including comprehension, vocabulary and technical English, and Maths.
The programme contains over 35 timed papers and tests while retaining substantial core-skills development rather than relying on test practice alone.
Enhance is most suitable where there is still enough time for structured preparation but not enough time to work properly through the full Complete programme.
11 Plus Programme – Enhance – Sutton SET
Boost – Sutton SET — 6–15 Weeks
Learning Street’s 11 Plus Programme – Boost – Sutton SET is the shortest dedicated Sutton route.
It contains 10 intensive parts covering Vocabulary Development, English including comprehension and technical English, and Maths.
The programme includes over 25 timed papers and tests while concentrating learning, revision and testing into a shorter preparation period.
Boost is most suitable for families beginning focused Nonsuch High School for Girls preparation later, when there is insufficient time to work properly through Complete or Enhance.
11 Plus Programme – Boost – Sutton SET
Starting Earlier?
If your child is still developing the literacy and numeracy foundations needed before dedicated Nonsuch High School for Girls 11 Plus preparation begins, Learning Street’s primary-school course chooser can help you select an appropriate starting point.
Primary School – Course Chooser for Younger Children
Also Sitting Independent School Exams?
Children also sitting independent-school entrance tests may need additional preparation in subjects or formats beyond the Nonsuch High School for Girls Sutton tests.
The Creative Writing Course can also be particularly relevant to Nonsuch candidates because Stage 2 includes a writing paper.
11 Plus Creative Writing Course
11 Plus Maths Stretch and Revision
Current Nonsuch High School for Girls Admissions Information
Admissions arrangements can change from year to year. For general guidance on 11 Plus preparation and Learning Street courses, use the Learning Street FAQs below.
