Kingston & Tiffin 11+: A Parent's Guide

In short

• Kingston upon Thames has two highly selective grammar schools: The Tiffin School (boys) and The Tiffin Girls' School.
• Both schools set their own tests focused on English and Mathematics, with no separate verbal or non-verbal reasoning papers — a key difference from GL grammar areas.
• The Tiffin schools typically use a staged process: a first-round test that shortlists candidates, followed by a second-round assessment that helps decide offers.
• Distance from the school can influence who receives an offer among qualified children, so both a strong score and a realistic look at where you live matter.
• Registration usually opens in the spring or summer before the September Year 6 tests; confirm each school's exact dates, as they are strict and differ.

The two Tiffin schools, briefly

Kingston upon Thames is best known in 11+ circles for two schools: The Tiffin School, which admits boys, and The Tiffin Girls' School. Both are long-established, academically selective state grammar schools with strong reputations and heavily oversubscribed admissions. They are separate institutions with their own governing arrangements and their own admissions details, so although parents often speak of 'the Tiffins' as a pair, applications and tests are handled school by school. Families across south-west London and the neighbouring parts of Surrey commonly consider them, and many apply alongside other selective options such as the Sutton super-selectives to widen the odds. The Kingston region page gathers the school-specific detail, and it is always worth reading each school's own admissions policy for the current year, since arrangements are reviewed from time to time.

What do the Tiffin tests cover?

A distinctive feature of the Tiffin schools is that they set their own tests concentrating on English and Mathematics, rather than using the four-subject GL model common in counties like Kent or Buckinghamshire. In practice this means there are typically no separate verbal reasoning or non-verbal reasoning papers to prepare for, and the preparation weight shifts firmly onto strong, secure English and Maths at a level well above standard Year 5 expectations. This matters because a family arriving from a GL-focused mindset can waste time drilling reasoning question types that the Tiffin tests do not examine. Our 11+ Maths topics list and English comprehension techniques map closely to what these tests reward. Always confirm the current format on each school's admissions page, as the precise content and structure can be adjusted between years.

How do the stages work?

The Tiffin schools typically operate a staged admissions process rather than a single test. In broad terms, a large field of applicants sits a first-round test, which shortlists the stronger candidates; those who progress are then invited to a second-round assessment, which is more demanding and helps determine who is ultimately offered a place. The practical implication for families is that a child needs to perform well more than once, and needs the stamina and composure to do so under pressure, sometimes with a gap of weeks between rounds. Because the exact stage structure and what each stage counts for are set by the schools and reviewed periodically, parents should check the current arrangements directly. Preparing for a second, harder round — not just the first hurdle — is a sensible default when targeting either Tiffin school.

Does where you live affect your chances?

Unlike a pure super-selective where offers go strictly to the highest scorers regardless of location, distance from the school can play a part in Tiffin admissions once children have qualified. In broad terms, among the pool of candidates who reach the required standard, proximity to the school can influence who receives an offer, which means both a strong test performance and a realistic look at where your family lives matter together. Precise catchment or priority-distance figures vary year to year with the strength and spread of applicants, so no fixed distance can be promised in advance. Our guide to grammar school catchment areas explained sets out how distance-based priority typically works and why 'qualified but not offered' is a real outcome. Read each school's oversubscription criteria carefully, and if you live further out, factor that into how many other options you keep on your list.

When should you register and start preparing?

For entry in September of Year 7, testing generally takes place in the September of Year 6, with registration opening in the spring or summer beforehand and deadlines that are firm and easy to miss. Because each school runs its own process, dates differ between the two Tiffins, so diarise them separately and early; our overview of registration deadlines and how to apply covers the mechanics. On preparation timing, most families benefit from building secure English and Maths foundations through Year 4 and Year 5, then sharpening exam technique and timed practice in the run-up to the tests — see when to start 11+ prep for scenario-by-scenario advice. Given the English-and-Maths focus, depth in those two subjects, wide reading and careful comprehension practice tend to pay off more than broad reasoning drills.

How do you prepare for an English-and-Maths-only test?

Preparing for the Tiffin schools looks different from preparing for a four-subject GL area, because the whole weight falls on English and Mathematics at a demanding level. On the English side, wide and varied reading is the foundation: it builds the vocabulary, comprehension and writing fluency that the tests reward, and it cannot be crammed in a few weeks, so start early. Careful comprehension practice, close attention to inference and evidence, and regular writing that is read and improved all pay off. On the Maths side, aim for secure fluency with number, fractions, proportion and problem-solving that goes beyond standard Year 5 expectations, with an emphasis on multi-step reasoning rather than rote calculation. Timed practice matters because pace under pressure is part of the challenge. Our 11+ Maths worked examples and reading list for comprehension are good starting points for depth in the two subjects that decide these tests.

How competitive are the Tiffins, realistically?

Both Tiffin schools are heavily oversubscribed and draw strong applicants from a wide area, so families should plan with a clear head rather than optimism alone. The standard needed to be competitive typically sits well above a bare pass, and because the schools set their own tests, familiarity with their particular style and pacing is valuable. No honest guide can quote a guaranteed qualifying mark, and figures that circulate informally shift from year to year with the cohort. What you can influence is the consistency of preparation, the balance of your school shortlist, and an accurate sense of your child's current level. Keeping at least one realistic alternative on the list — whether a nearer catchment grammar or an independent option — protects the family from an all-or-nothing outcome. To see where your child stands in English and Maths before committing to a Tiffin target, and to get an honest read on the gap to a competitive standard, begin with the free diagnostic; it takes only about fifteen minutes and needs no account to get started.