A joint Second Stage Entrance Examination will be held by Nonsuch High School for Girls and Wallington High School for Girls on Saturday 28 September 2024. Both the test and the criteria applied to be of selective ability will be common to both schools. All girls who meet or exceed the pass mark in the Selective Eligibility Test (SET) will be invited to sit the Nonsuch and Wallington Second Stage Entrance Examination (hereafter NWSSEE).

There are two elements: an English paper and a Maths paper. They will not be multiple-choice. Each paper will last between 40 and 50 minutes. The tests will not include verbal reasoning or non-verbal reasoning. There is no comprehension paper for English in the NWSSEE.

Candidates sometimes come to the NWSSEE with an English composition that they have learned by heart. However, they must write about the subject as shown on the question paper. Answers which are obviously prepared beforehand and do not address the form or task will not be rewarded any marks.

We do not provide specimen papers. The content of the English and Maths papers broadly matches what is commonly covered at Key Stage 2 at Primary School. Candidates will need to adapt their learning to tackle some of the questions. Sample questions can be found below.

NWSSEE Maths Sample Questions & Answers
NWSSEE English Sample Questions
NWSSEE English Notes

No. Rough paper will not be provided. It is fine for candidates to use any additional space on the Question Papers for their workings out.

There are no marks for working out, only the final answer is marked.

Candidates are expected to use pencil for the Maths paper and either black or blue pen or pencil for the English paper. If using pencil, mistakes must not be rubbed out. Mistakes should be neatly crossed through.

Yes. Candidates must pass both parts (Maths and English) of the NWSSEE to be eligible for a place.

It is not possible to state the pass marks for the English and Maths papers in advance of the examination. The pass marks will be decided after the papers have been marked.

Yes. The final total score is the sum of the SET score (re-standardised and divided by 2), the standardised Maths NWSSEE score and the standardised English NWSSEE score.

Yes. Age standardisation is applied to the results of the SET and each of the English and Maths tests which make up the NWSSEE.

No. It is a requirement that all candidates pass the SET in order to be invited to sit the NWSSEE.

If your child is unwell or unfit to sit the NWSSEE on Saturday 28 September, you MUST email  admissions@girlslearningtrust.org BEFORE the test is due to start. The email must contain your child’s full name and candidate number as well as a brief explanation of the reason they are unfit to sit the test. You will need to provide a medical certificate/evidence confirming that your child was unfit to sit the test on the day. If you do not follow the instructions provided, your child will not be able to sit the test at a later date.

If there is another significant reason a candidate cannot attend e.g. hospital appointment, parents/carers are advised to email admissions@girlslearningtrust.org in advance of the test with further information. Evidence will be required.

You will have already provided details of these when completing the online registration for your child to sit the SET. You will have been informed of the arrangements that will be put in place for your child at the NWSSEE.

You will be notified by email whether or not your child has passed the NWSSEE prior to the CAF deadline. Please note that because of oversubscription, many candidates who pass the entrance test will not be made an offer on National Offer Day. The outcome of the NWSSEE is valid for applications to Nonsuch High School for Girls and Wallington High School for Girls.

If your daughter passes both the Maths and English NWSSEE papers and is therefore deemed to be selective ability, you will not be given her scores but you will be told that she is eligible for a place.

If your daughter does not meet the required standard for one or more of the papers in the NWSSEE, you will be given her standardised score in that paper and the standardised pass mark for that paper.

If your daughter does not pass the NWSSEE it means that she is not eligible for a place at either Nonsuch or Wallington Girls as she will not have met the admissions criteria. You should not name these schools on your CAF. However, if you think you might want to lodge an appeal, you will need to name the relevant school(s) on the CAF. This will give you the opportunity to lodge any appeal(s) after National Offer Day. 

If you are no longer interested in a place at either school, then your daughter does not need to sit the NWSSEE. If this is the case, it would be appreciated if you could email admissions@girlslearningtrust.org to let us know.