Wilson's School
State Selective Grammar (Boys) · Est. 1615
Loading map…
Mollison Drive, Wallington, Surrey, SM6 9JW
Year 7 Places
186
11+ intake
Annual Fees
£0
state-funded
Total Pupils
~1,290
Years 7–13
GCSE grades 9–7
94.6%
2024 results
A-Level A/A*
~80%
2024 results
Oxbridge per year
20–30
average annual
Best For
Academically ambitious boys in South London or Surrey seeking Oxbridge-quality education entirely for free. Wilson's is the state grammar equivalent of a top-tier independent school — the results speak for themselves. Ideal for boys who will thrive in a highly academic, co-curricular-rich environment with strong music and sport.
Watch Out For
The two-stage process is easy to misunderstand: a SET pass is not an offer — it only qualifies a boy for Wilson's own second-stage exam. There is no published pass mark. The school is boys-only until the sixth form. Registration closes in early August of Year 5 — unusually early — and late registrations are strictly refused.
Entry Points
- 11+ (Year 7, main entry)
- 16+ (Sixth Form, external places available if capacity permits)
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: Wilson's two-stage process is front-loaded earlier than almost any other selective school in London. Registration closes in August of Year 5 — a full year before the exam. The SET in September is a qualifying filter; the genuinely competitive stage is Wilson's own written exam in October.
SET registration portal opens
SET registration deadline — strictly enforced
Stage 1: Sutton SET (shared consortium exam)
SET results emailed; Stage 2 invitations issued
Stage 2: Wilson's own entrance examination
CAF (Common Application Form) deadline to local authority
National Offer Day — final allocation
Key Dates At-a-Glance — Wilson's 2026/2027 Entry
- 1
SET registration closes
Early August Year 5
- 2
Stage 1: SET
Mid-September Year 6
- 3
Stage 2: Wilson's Exam
Early October Year 6
- 4
CAF deadline
Late October Year 6
- 5
National Offer Day
1 March Year 6
Academic Results
Selected academic results for Wilson's School. Figures relate to the reporting years shown; check the school for its latest published results.
A-Level A* Rate
35%
Reporting year not specified.
A-Level A*/A Rate
80%
Reporting year not specified.
GCSE Grade 9-7
94.6%
National rank #5.
A-Level A*-B Rate
96%
Reporting year not specified.
A-Level Results vs National Average
undefined vs England average (%)
What this means: Wilson's A-Level results are extraordinary for a state school: approximately 80% A/A* grades in 2024, placing it ahead of most independent schools nationally. Wilson's consistently appears in the top 5–10 of all schools (state and independent) in national league tables.
GCSE Grade Distribution
undefined vs National distribution (%)
What this means: In 2024, 94.6% of Wilson's GCSE grades were 9–7 — among the highest of any state school in England. This is not a one-off result; it reflects consistent top-tier GCSE performance year after year, achieved at zero cost to families.
University Destinations
Where undefined leavers go: % of cohort
Notable Academic Achievements
94.6% grades 9–7 at GCSE
One of the highest GCSE attainment rates of any state school in England
~80% A/A* at A-Level
Consistently outperforms the vast majority of independent schools despite being free
20–30 Oxbridge places per year
Oxbridge success rate comparable to leading independent schools
Founded 1615
One of England's oldest schools; over 400 years of academic tradition
Entirely free to attend
No fees, no registration costs — selection purely by academic merit
186 Year 7 places
One of the larger grammar intakes; still highly competitive with hundreds competing
League Table Position: Wilson's regularly ranks in the top 3–5 state schools and top 10–15 nationally across all school types on raw GCSE and A-Level performance. It frequently outperforms schools charging over £20,000 per year in fees.
No Interview at 11+
Wilson's does not use an interview as part of the 11+ admissions process. Selection is entirely exam-based across both stages. There is no taster day, no assessment visit, and no informal interview for Year 7 entry. Any sources suggesting otherwise are generic and not applicable to the Sutton grammar state school process.
Format
N/A — no interview at 11+
Duration
N/A
Role in Admissions
Part of a holistic assessment, not a pass/fail gate
Purely Exam-Based Selection
Wilson's 11+ is one of the most academically transparent selective processes in London: two exams, rank order, no interviews, no catchment. The lack of an interview is a genuine feature of the state grammar model — selection is entirely on academic merit. Focus all preparation time on exam performance, not interview technique.
What Makes a Strong Impression
There is no interview to prepare for at 11+. All preparation should be directed to Stage 1 (SET) and Stage 2 (Wilson's own written exams). Sixth Form (16+) entry is based on GCSE results ranking, not interview.
Process Clarification
Compiled from parent reports (2023-2025)
- No interview at 11+ entry — selection is entirely by examination
- No taster day or assessment visit as part of the formal admissions process
- Sixth Form (16+): external applicants are ranked by total GCSE points score — Maths, best English grade, and best six additional subjects
- For 16+ entry, external candidates are not accepted into Year 13 — only Year 12
- If two 16+ applicants have the same GCSE points total, a random ballot supervised by an independent person determines the offer
The pattern: N/A — no interview
What Actually Wins Offers
- 1Exceptional Stage 2 exam performance — this is the only admissions criterion for most candidates
- 2Having registered by the early August Year 5 deadline — missing this makes 11+ entry impossible
- 3Preparing specifically for the written Stage 2 format, not just the multiple-choice SET
- 4Showing full working in Maths Stage 2 — method marks are as important as correct answers
- 5Reading widely and writing fluently in English to perform on the Stage 2 extended writing task
“We were so relieved when the SET result came in — then our tutor told us that was just the start. The Wilson's own paper is a completely different beast. Our son needed another six weeks of intensive preparation specifically for the written format.”
“The registration deadline caught us completely off guard. August of Year 5 — we nearly missed it entirely. We only found out because another parent mentioned it at the school gate. This needs to be more widely known.”
“My son passed the SET by a comfortable margin but struggled on the Wilson's paper because he had practised exclusively multiple-choice. The two stages require completely different preparation and we had not planned for that.”
Contact Admissions
Wilson's School Admissions Team
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.
The SET registration portal closes in early August, approximately 13 months before a September Year 7 start. This is the earliest grammar school registration deadline in London. Families who miss it cannot sit the exam that year — there are no exceptions. Put a reminder in your calendar for May of Year 5 when the portal opens.
Approximately 500–600 boys pass the SET to Stage 2 but only 186 are offered places. The SET filters out the clearly unsuitable; Stage 2 determines who actually gets in. Preparation must address both stages but the majority of exam preparation effort should target Stage 2 written format.
This is confirmed in the official SET guidance document. The answer is never all five options. Boys who panic and tick everything will score zero on those questions regardless of how many correct options they included. Train them to eliminate confidently rather than hedge by selecting more.
The official SET Maths sample paper demonstrates that for multiplication questions, you can eliminate options with the wrong last digit before attempting the full calculation. For 42 × 18, the answer must end in 6 (because 2 × 8 = 16), eliminating three options immediately. This strategy alone can save several minutes across a paper.
Wilson's Stage 2 Maths is a written paper with method marks. An answer-only response — even a correct one — scores zero on multi-step questions. This is the opposite of Stage 1 where only the final answer matters. Every practice session for Stage 2 should enforce written working from the very first question.
Wilson's reserves up to 9 places for sport aptitude and up to 9 for music aptitude. These candidates still sit both stages and must pass, but they compete in a smaller pool. If your son has a genuine, demonstrable strength in either area, applying for aptitude assessment (done before the academic exams) is worth considering alongside standard preparation.
The official appeals guidance explicitly states that candidates may be rejected for 'not reaching the pass mark, or the required subject pass thresholds'. This confirms subject-level thresholds exist within the Stage 2 paper — a very strong Maths score cannot compensate for an English score below threshold. Balanced preparation across both subjects is essential.
Common Mistakes Parents Make
The errors we see most often from families preparing for Wilson's School. Avoid these and you're already ahead of the majority of applicants.
Relying entirely on tutoring instead of developing genuine interests
Fix: Focus on authentic hobbies, read widely, develop real interests alongside exam prep
Not visiting the school before interview
Fix: Visit the school during open day; familiarize yourself with campus and culture
Focusing only on exam scores, ignoring interview preparation
Fix: Practice conversations with family; develop communication skills alongside academic prep
Believing you must have perfect exam scores to get in
Fix: Aim for solid, consistent performance; one weaker area won't necessarily disqualify you
vs Competitor Schools
How does Wilson's School compare to the schools your child is most likely also applying to? This analysis covers the key factors that actually matter to families.
| Factor | Local grammar schools | Other independent schools |
|---|---|---|
| School Type | State | Independent |
| Co-educational | Co-ed | Co-ed |
| VR in Exam | ||
| Annual Fee | Free | £15,000-£25,000 |
| 11+ Difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Interview Style | Some | 1-on-1 |
Why Parents Choose
- Strong academic resultsConsistent A*/A performance at A-Level and top GCSE grades
- Excellent facilities and resourcesWell-funded campus with modern facilities and technology
- Strong pastoral careSupportive environment with focus on student wellbeing
- Diverse communityWelcoming environment for all students
Points to Consider
- Highly competitive entryMany applicants for limited places
- Substantial feesIndependent school tuition is significant
Scholarships & Financial Support
| Scholarship Type | Value | Available Places | Selection Method | Stackable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Scholarship | Fee reduction (typically 5-10%) | Limited | No |
Preparing for Wilson's School?
One-to-one tuition with qualified teacher Damian Fearon. Entrance exam preparation tailored to your child's target schools.
Discuss your child's preparation
Limited one-to-one support is available for families preparing for selective school entrance exams. Discuss your child's goals and current preparation.
Send an enquiryPersonal reply within 24 hours · No obligation
Keep researching
More from ClassAce
School Match quiz
Answer a few questions and get a shortlist matched to your child and your area.
11+ exam formats
How entrance exams differ between schools: boards, papers, and timings compared.
Daily 11+ challenge
One free exam-style question a day. Build the habit before the mocks begin.
Compare school options
Explore our published school admissions guides, organised by region, to compare entry routes and preparation priorities.
Browse school admissions guides