St Olave's Grammar School
state_grammar · Est. 1571
Highly disciplined, traditional, and fast-paced. A STEM-heavy, fiercely academic culture with exceptional facilities for a state school. Suits a naturally gifted, resilient, and driven boy who embraces hard work and a robust academic and sporting culture.
One of England's most academically selective state grammar schools. St Olave's routinely outperforms the UK's most expensive private schools — for free. It sends 25–35 boys to Oxford or Cambridge every year and has a near-100% Russell Group progression rate.
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Year 7 Places
124
strictly by rank score
Tuition Fees
£0
state-funded, completely free
A* at A-Level
39.4%
latest results
A*/A at A-Level
78.2%
latest results
Oxbridge
25–35
boys per year
Founded
1571
by royal charter
Best For
Highly academic, self-motivated boys who want an elite Oxbridge-pipeline education at zero cost — and who are ready for a fast-paced, high-attaining, traditionally structured school culture.
Watch Out For
The two-stage process has a critical structural trap: Stage 2 takes place after the October 31 LA Common Application Form deadline. Parents must name St Olave's on the CAF before knowing their son's Stage 2 result. No percentage pass marks are ever published — any figures circulating on tutoring sites are invalid for this process.
Entry Points
- 11+ (main intake
- 124 places); 16+ Sixth Form entry
The Complete Admissions Timeline
Every key date, deadline and decision point — with insider intelligence you won't find on the school website. Click any item to reveal verified insider knowledge.
The critical window:
Key Dates At-a-Glance — St Olave's 11+ Entry
- 1
SIF Registration deadline
June / July, Year 5
- 2
Stage 1: SET (multiple choice)
Mid-September, Year 6
- 3
Stage 1 results sent
October, Year 6
- 4
CAF (LA) deadline
October 31st, Year 6
- 5
Stage 2: Written Maths & English
Mid-November, Year 6
- 6
National Offer Day
March 1st
Inside the St Olave's Two-Stage 11+ Assessment
St Olave's runs its own two-stage assessment — not GL Assessment, not ISEB, not CEM. Stage 1 (SET) is a multiple-choice qualifying filter covering Logic, Maths, and English (mid-September Year 6). The top approximately 400 boys are invited to Stage 2: traditional handwritten papers in Maths and English (mid-November Year 6). Stage 1 and Stage 2 scores are equally weighted in the final combined score. The 124 places go strictly to the highest-ranked boys. No percentage pass mark is ever published.
English (SET + Written Paper)
Stage 1 SET: combined paper, approximate duration not published. Stage 2 English paper: duration not published. · Stage 1: multiple choice (SET). Stage 2: traditional handwritten comprehension and creative writing
Candidates who prepare only for multiple-choice English and under-develop their extended writing arrive at Stage 2 with a real gap. The creative writing task cannot be crammed in the final weeks — it reflects months of reading and writing practice.
Maths (SET + Written Paper)
Stage 1 SET: combined paper, approximate duration not published. Stage 2 Maths paper: duration not published. · Stage 1: multiple choice (SET). Stage 2: traditional handwritten multi-step problem-solving
Candidates who drill only multiple-choice Maths for Stage 1 and treat Stage 2 as an extension of the same preparation underperform significantly. Stage 2 multi-step written problems require a different set of skills — structured working, method clarity, and logical persistence — that need specific preparation from Year 5 onwards.
Topic Difficulty & Weight
Difficulty (%) and exam weight by topic area
Key takeaway: St Olave's English is a two-layer challenge. Stage 1 (SET) tests English multiple-choice under time pressure — pace and accuracy matter. Stage 2 is a full traditional paper covering reading comprehension and creative or discursive writing. The creative writing task is the highest-stakes and most differentiated element — examiners at this level reward genuine voice, analytical precision, and structural maturity, not formula-applied responses.
Topic Breakdown
Known Exam Traps — English (SET + Written Paper)
From Year 5, allocate one full session per week to extended writing practice: a reading comprehension with analytical questions, and a creative or discursive writing task. Focus on building genuine authorial voice — not applying a memorised formula. Read widely and analytically across fiction, non-fiction, and broadsheet journalism.
Practise asking 'Why did the author choose this word/structure/technique?' after every comprehension passage. Always support observations with direct quotation and explanation. Avoid summarising — every answer should be analytical.
Build a reading habit that exposes your son to a variety of prose styles and voices from Year 4 onwards. Encourage risk-taking in writing — an unusual structure, a surprising voice, an unexpected angle. Genuine originality outscores technical correctness every time.
If St Olave's is a priority school, name it on the CAF by October 31st regardless of Stage 1 result. A pass at Stage 1 is the basis on which the decision should be made — Stage 2 performance will determine ranking, but CAF submission must precede it.
The pattern: Candidates who prepare only for multiple-choice English and under-develop their extended writing arrive at Stage 2 with a real gap. The creative writing task cannot be crammed in the final weeks — it reflects months of reading and writing practice.
If you can only improve in one area, make it
Extended Writing Voice & Comprehension Precision
What this means in practice:
Dedicate 60%+ of prep time to this area
Practice under timed conditions regularly
Review mistakes immediately after each session
Track progress weekly to spot patterns
All focus areas ranked by impact:
#1
Extended Writing Voice & Comprehension Precision
English (SET + Written Paper)
#2
Multi-Step Reasoning & Shown Working
Maths (SET + Written Paper)
Academic Results
Selected academic results for St Olave's. Figures relate to the reporting years shown; check the school for its latest published results.
A-Level A* Rate
Not published
Reporting year not specified.
A-Level A*/A Rate
65%
Reporting year not specified.
GCSE Grade 9-7
75%
Reporting year not specified.
A-Level A*-B Rate
Not published
Reporting year not specified.
A-Level Results
Selected reported results
A detailed A-Level grade distribution is not included in this guide. Check the school for its latest published results.
A*
Not published
A*/A
65%
A*-B
Not published
GCSE Results
Selected reported results
A detailed GCSE grade distribution is not included in this guide. Check the school for its latest published results.
Grade 9-7
75%
Attainment 8
Not published
University Destinations
University destination information
A detailed university destination split is not included in this guide. Check the school's latest published information.
Insider Intel: What Other Parents Don't Know
These are the insights you will not find on the school website, in Good Schools Guide, or from any single tutoring agency. Each insight is compiled from official documents, parent reports, and tutoring industry data.This is the intelligence that gives ClassAce families an edge.
You must name St Olave's before you know your Stage 2 result — this catches families every year
The Local Authority Common Application Form deadline is October 31st. Stage 2 written papers take place in mid-November. This is a structural feature of the St Olave's process that is not prominently communicated and is widely misunderstood. A family that waits for Stage 2 result confirmation before submitting the CAF has already missed the window. The only safe strategy if St Olave's is a priority school is to name it on the CAF at the point of Stage 1 pass notification in October.
Stage 1 and Stage 2 scores are equally weighted — confirmed by FOI request
A Freedom of Information request submitted to the school and published on ElevenPlusExams forum confirmed that Stage 1 (SET) and Stage 2 (written papers) scores are given equal weighting and summed to create the final ranking. This means a boy who passes Stage 1 but does not maximise it still carries a meaningful deficit into Stage 2. Stage 1 preparation is not a box-ticking exercise — it is worth 50% of the final score.
No catchment area — boys commute from Sutton, Southwark, and beyond
St Olave's draws from an extraordinarily wide geographical area. Forum discussions document successful pupils travelling daily from Sutton, Southwark, and other inner South London boroughs. The only tiebreaker — used only when two boys have an identical combined score for the final available place — is straight-line distance from the school. Distance never advantages a candidate who scores lower.
Brothers of current pupils must earn their place on merit — no guarantee
St Olave's operates no sibling priority in its admissions criteria. Brothers of current pupils must achieve the same top-rank standardised score as any other applicant. Families with older sons at the school who assume a place for a younger sibling are regularly surprised by this policy.
Extra time applications require evidence submitted well before the July registration deadline
Boys who may need access arrangements (extra time, rest breaks, reader/scribe) for the entrance tests must submit formal medical or educational psychologist evidence before the July SIF registration deadline. Late evidence submissions cannot be accommodated within the testing timetable. Families should begin this process in Year 4 if there is any possibility of requiring provision.
Common Mistakes Parents Make
The errors we see most often from families preparing for St Olave's Grammar School. Avoid these and you're already ahead of the majority of applicants.
Missing the June/July Year 5 SIF registration deadline
Fix: Add the SIF registration to your Year 5 calendar by May at the latest. The school's website publishes the exact date when it opens, typically in May or June.
Submitting the CAF without naming St Olave's because Stage 2 results are not yet known
Fix: If St Olave's is a realistic or priority school, name it on the CAF by October 31st based on Stage 1 pass status alone. Stage 2 performance will determine ranking — the CAF must already be submitted when results come out.
Targeting '80%' as a pass mark
Fix: Focus preparation on producing the highest-quality, most consistent work possible across both subjects. Use standardised mock test scores for benchmarking — not raw percentages against an unpublished threshold.
Preparing only for Stage 1 and underestimating Stage 2
Fix: Treat Stage 2 preparation as the primary focus from Year 5 onwards. Stage 2 requires distinct skills — extended written Maths with full working, and analytical/creative English writing — that cannot be developed through multiple-choice drill alone.
Underestimating the daily commute
Fix: Do a practice commute run during a school day before making St Olave's a firm preference. Factor in the full door-to-door time including school bus or coach connection from Orpington station.
St Olave's vs Competitor Schools
How does St Olave's Grammar School compare to the schools your child is most likely also applying to? This analysis covers the key factors that actually matter to families.
Important context: St Olave's is the only school at this level that offers genuinely elite Oxbridge outcomes at zero cost. The comparison group below represents the closest comparable schools — academically selective, no-catchment or near-no-catchment, with outstanding university destinations.
| Factor | FeaturedSt Olave's Grammar | Wilson's School | Whitgift School | Trinity School Croydon | Dulwich College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School Type | State Grammar (Boys, co-ed 6th) | State Grammar (Boys) | Independent (Boys) | Independent (Boys) | Independent (Boys) |
| Co-educational | |||||
| VR in Exam | |||||
| Annual Fee | Free | Free | ~£24,000 | ~£23,000 | ~£30,000 |
| 11+ Difficulty | Extremely Hard | Very Hard | Hard | Hard | Very Hard |
| Interview Style | None | None | Individual | Individual | Individual |
Why Parents Choose St Olave's
- Oxbridge outcomes that match the country's most expensive schools — for free25–35 boys go to Oxford or Cambridge every year. A-Level results consistently place St Olave's in the national top 25. GCSE results consistently place it in the national top 50. All of this at zero tuition cost.
- No catchment area — any boy in the country can competeSt Olave's is genuinely open to every boy regardless of postcode. Places go to the highest-scoring candidates in rank order. Forum evidence documents successful pupils commuting from Sutton, Southwark, and beyond.
- STEM infrastructure that rivals fully funded independent schoolsThe school is described as having 'incredible facilities for a state school' across multiple parent accounts. The Arkwright Engineering Scholarship pipeline reflects genuine investment in STEM pathways beyond classroom teaching.
- A peer group defined by academic motivation and resilienceThe pure-score selection process means every boy in the year group cleared an extremely high qualifying bar. The culture this creates — where academic effort is normalised and valued — is cited as one of the school's most distinctive features.
Points to Consider
- The CAF deadline falls before Stage 2 — the most dangerous structural trap in the processParents must name St Olave's on the Local Authority Common Application Form by October 31st — before Stage 2 results are known. Waiting for Stage 2 confirmation means missing the LA deadline entirely. Any family treating St Olave's as a priority school must name it on the CAF based on Stage 1 pass status alone.
- Registration is in June/July of Year 5 — far earlier than most families expectThe SIF (Supplementary Information Form) must be completed online, typically by late July of Year 5. Many families in South London and Kent only become aware of St Olave's during Year 5 autumn term — too late to register for that year's process.
- No percentage pass mark exists — forum-circulated figures are unreliableThe dossier audit confirms that all percentage scores circulating on tutoring sites are multi-source pattern estimates with zero official source references. They are listed as unsupported candidate claims and are not used here. Aiming for '80%' against an age-standardised scoring system is meaningless and potentially harmful preparation framing.
- The commute is serious — Orpington is not centralGoddington Lane is in outer Orpington, not on a tube line. Boys travel by train (direct from London Bridge, Waterloo East, Charing Cross) then bus or coach — commonly 60–90 minutes each way from inner London. This is a significant daily commitment across five years.
Scholarships & Financial Support
As a state-funded school, St Olave's charges no tuition fees at any stage. The only external scholarship actively supported by the school is the Arkwright Engineering Scholarship for Sixth Form pupils with a strong STEM profile.
| Scholarship Type | Value | Available Places | Selection Method | Stackable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State School — No Tuition Fees | £0 — completely free education | 124 places per year | Entrance test rank order | No |
| Arkwright Engineering Scholarship (external) | £600 + mentoring (external award) | Competitive national application | Separate Smallpeice Trust application — school actively supports | No |
* Means-tested hardship support is available through school and local authority channels. Contact admissions@saintolaves.net for confidential guidance.
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