It might be difficult to find your way around the 11 Plus the first time as a parent. How do you aid your kid in getting ready for the Sutton Coldfield 11 Plus Exam? What kind of exam structure is it? What stores sell test papers? We’ve provided parents with a “Sutton Coldfield Girls 11 Plus Tips” in this article that seeks to address all of your concerns.

Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls, Birmingham

Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls is an all girls grammar school in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is an average sized secondary school with academy status and it consistently ranks in the top ten state schools in Birmingham and in 2020 it was named the fifth best state secondary school in the West Midlands by The Times. This page has everything you need to know about Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls and can help you get started with the admissions process. You can also find helpful information about the 11 plus exam, such as exam practice resources, information about exam boards and key dates in the calendar.

School details:

Address: Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls, Jockey Road, Sutton Coldfield, B73 5PT

County: Birmingham

Type of school: All girls’ grammar school

Age range: 11-18

Ofsted rating: Outstanding

Number of pupils: 1108 (approx)

Admissions to Year 7: 180

Open evening (2024 entry): There are currently no scheduled events

11+ exam date (2024 entry): September 2023

Exam board: CEM

Admissions phone number: 01213 541479

Admissions email address: enquiry@suttcold.bham.sch.uk

A Brief Overview of Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls and its Performance

The school was originally founded in 1929 as Sutton Coldfield High School. It was historically a Specialist Science college, Leadership Partner School and Beacon School and it converted to an academy in 2011. The school has expanded in recent years (the Year 7 intake used to be 150, but is now 180) and they have created more Houses to accommodate for greater pupil numbers. The school has several famous sports alumni, including Louise Latimer (former British number one tennis player) and Laura Unsworth (England hockey player who was part of the team that won gold at the 2016 Olympics).  In terms of student make up, approximately 23% of pupils speak English as a second language, 7% are on free school meals and 3% have some support for special educational needs.

The school’s results are generally very good; you can see a full breakdown of GCSE and A-Level results over the last five years here. In 2019, 51% of all results were the top grades of 9 or 8 (old style A*), and 100% of students achieved at least five grades 9-4 including English and Maths. 74% of the grades were also 7-9, which are the equivalent of an A or A*. At A-Level, the school maintained an 100% pass rate, with 77% of all entries graded A*-B and 46% awarded the top grades of A*/A. Overall 38 students achieved AAA or higher and around 65% of students were awarded places at prestigious Russell Group universities and Oxbridge. You can see a full breakdown of leavers’ destinations for 2020 here and 2019 here. In 2017, the school was also ranked as 23rd in the country by The Sunday Times’ Parent Power Survey, and their Progress 8 score is well above the national average, and is actually in the top 14% of schools in the country, meaning that pupils make well above the expected progress.

Sutton Coldfield Girls’ 11 Plus Admissions Process: 2024 Entry

Below you can find the key dates in the calendar for the 2024 entry. You can also find more information in their Admissions Policy for 2023 (as 2024 is not yet released) and on the school’s website.

Sutton Coldfield Girls’ 11 Plus Admissions Timeline: 2024 Entry

Preparing for Sutton Coldfield Girls’ 11 Plus Exam

The 11+ exam at Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls consists of two papers, each lasting for approximately 45 minutes. The exams will test Maths, Non-Verbal Reasoning, English and Verbal Reasoning. Each test will be divided into sections with an allocated amount of time and all of the questions on the test papers are multiple choice. The invigilators play an audio soundtrack with all of the instructions and it will also tell them how much time to spend on each section and when to move on. You can find a familiarisation booklet with detailed instructions and practice questions here.

While much of the test is like KS2 Maths and English questions that candidates are familiar with from school, Verbal and Non-Verbal reasoning may be new and this may be where your child should start with revision. This helpful 11 Plus Exam Guide to the Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Tests can help you to better understand how to prepare your child for these elements of the tests, and it’s also worth checking out the CEM Assessment page, which has lots of handy resources.

As the school does not have an official catchment area students come from a very wide radius and therefore the school is very over-subscribed and admission is competitive. As the exam is scheduled for mid-September, your child should already be getting prepared. However, if they have not started revising yet, it is not too late. Discover Help your Child Become 11 Plus-Ready in the Six-Month Countdown to the exam for support in approaching exam readiness and preparation, and for parents who are unsure where to begin, you might like to check out this Top 10 Tips to Pass the 11+ Exam guide.

You may also want to invest in some CGP resources which are specifically designed for the CEM paper – they have everything from exercise books, flashcards, 10 minute tests and practice exams to choose from.

Sutton Coldfield Girls’ 11 Plus Sample Test Papers and Resources

There are past papers available online, but it’s important to remember that it does vary slightly from year to year in order to make it harder for students to prepare. As the school uses the CEM exam board there are some resources and past papers available online; you can find a selection of these below.

English and Verbal Reasoning

11+ English and Verbal Reasoning Book 1 | Answer 1

Maths

11+ Maths Test Book 1 | Answer Sheet 1

Non-Verbal Reasoning

11+ Non Verbal Reasoning Book 1 | Answer Sheet 1

11+ Non Verbal Reasoning Book 2 | Answer Sheet 2

There are lots of overlaps in question types between the CEM and GL exam boards, and so it may be worth checking out this page which offers lots more links to CEM and GL resources.

Additional Information about Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls

The latest Ofsted report is extremely positive about the school, saying that “the students are buzzing with enthusiasm” and that the school offers “a harmonious community where different faiths and cultures are respected.” Pastoral support and guidance was seen to be strong throughout and Ofsted said that “students are prepared well for their future: they are mature, confident, articulate and develop excellent leadership skills.” The school has a House system which means that every form group is affiliated with a House and there are various inter-House competitions (for example, inter-House sport) throughout the year. There are lots of extra-curricular and enrichment activities on offer (you can find more information here) but particular highlights include the school’s Literacy Festival, Year 9 Robotics Club, an annual Wellbeing Week, the Year 9 Fashion Show, the Duke of Edinburgh Award and annual musicals and drama performances.

You can also find out more information about the everyday life of the school in their online prospectus and more about the school’s vision in the Headteacher’s welcome.

Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls FAQs

What is Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls’s Ofsted rating?

Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls’s Ofsted rating is ‘Outstanding’. You can find all the previous reports and ratings here.

Does Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls have a catchment area?

No. According to the Admissions Policy, the school does not have a residence requirement and entry to the school is solely as a result of scores gained in the Entrance Test, whether or not candidates live in Birmingham.

What is the pass mark for Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls?

This varies each year depending on the individual tests taken. For example, a score of 221 or above was required for an offer of a place at Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls for the 2019 intake, but this was 218 for 2018 and 217 for the 2017 intake.

What happens if Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls is oversubscribed?

In the likely event that more students pass the entrance exams than there are places, then priority will be given to looked after children, children in receipt of Pupil Premium, and then children who receive the highest scores on the entrance tests. You can find more information in their Admissions Policy.

Does Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls have a uniform?

Yes, the school does have a uniform – you can find out details, and contact details of the suppliers, here.

Does Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls have a uniform?

Yes – according to their Admissions Policy, there is “a Waiting List of those girls who sat the test for admission in September 2024, and who did not receive an offer from the School, or a preferred school, will be held in strict oversubscription criteria order, as detailed above (including obtaining the qualifying score of 205), until the end of the first term of the academic year.”

You can also access further 11 plus exam resources below:

Our Free 11+ Mock Exams!

A Guide to Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning Tests

Best Private Schools in the UK: Top 100 in 2022 

11+ Maths Exam: Helping Your Child to Prepare and Pass in 2023

Meet the 11+ Online Tutors Delivering Results

When Should you Start to Prepare Your Child for the 11 Plus Exam

Cranbrook School 11 Plus Exam

King Edward Five Ways 11 Plus Exam