Tiffin School
Bespoke-SET
Year 7
1638
140
Tiffin School
Where Tiffin School sits — and how to reach it
Queen Elizabeth Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 6RL
How the test is structured
Tiffin's 11+ is a two-stage process, run with Kingston's local authority and Quest Assessment, with a fresh bespoke test each year. Stage 1 (early autumn) is English and Maths, both multiple-choice and computer-marked — speed and accuracy both matter. There is no Verbal or Non-Verbal Reasoning: Maths and English only.
Stage 2 (around six weeks later, for invited boys) is written-answer Maths and English marked by Tiffin's own teachers, reaching well beyond standard KS2 — speed/distance/time, algebra and simultaneous equations among them. The final Maths mark weights Stage 1 and Stage 2 in a 2:3 ratio, so Stage 2 carries more — but you cannot reach it without a clean Stage 1.
The school's story
Why the maths is genuinely hard
Tiffin's two-stage structure is demanding in a way single-paper tests aren't: boys must perform cold in an unfamiliar multiple-choice environment first, under real selection pressure, then return weeks later for a harder written paper. The Stage 2 maths reaches well beyond standard KS2.
Our honest take on the difficulty
The SMA Verdict
4.5
/5
Master
Tiffin sits in a unique position. It isn't the hardest paper on raw question difficulty — that, in our view, remains Manchester Grammar — but it is one of the most demanding processes, requiring sustained performance across two very different exam styles.
Stage 1 punishes boys who rely on written working; multiple-choice maths rewards rapid mental calculation and confident estimation. Stage 2 demands the opposite: slow, methodical written reasoning on harder content. In London and the South East, Tiffin is, in our opinion, the most complete maths challenge at 11+.
Where families come from
The 11+ admissions calendar
Parents' most common questions
What's the difference between Stage 1 and Stage 2, and which matters more?
Is there any Verbal or Non-Verbal Reasoning in the Tiffin test?
How selective is Tiffin?
My son is strong at maths but not at multiple-choice tests — is that a problem?
Can girls apply to Tiffin School at 11+?
Past and sample papers
We're gathering the sample and familiarisation papers Tiffin School publishes, so you can see the real thing before you prepare. If you'd like them sooner, just ask.
Other selective schools in the area
Preparing for Tiffin School?
We teach the reasoning these papers actually reward — not test tricks. Small online groups, qualified teachers, and a Singapore Maths method built on genuine understanding.