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Whitgift School

Founded in 1596 on a charitable ideal that education should stretch minds, Whitgift's unique Critical Thinking paper makes it one of south London's most reasoning-led 11+ processes. Singapore Maths builds exactly the foundations it tests.
Exam board
Bespoke-SET
Entry
Year 7
Founded
1596
Year 7 places
120
Whitgift School logo

Whitgift School

SMA Difficulty
Expert
Location: South Croydon, London
School type: Independent
Admissions test: Bespoke-SET
Free 11+ Baseline Assessment
LOCATION & GETTING THERE

Where Whitgift School sits — and how to reach it

● Schools● Trains● Buses● School coaches
LOCATION
Whitgift School
Haling Park Road, South Croydon, Surrey CR2 6YT
Other selective schools nearby, closest first — useful if you are considering more than one.
Wilson's School
Wallington, London · 1.8 km away
View guide →
Wallington County Grammar School
Wallington, South London · 3.4 km away
View guide →
Trinity School
Croydon, London · 3.4 km away
View guide →
Wallington High School for Girls
Wallington, South London · 3.6 km away
View guide →
Nearest railway and Underground stations, with the lines that serve them. Distances are straight-line from the school.
South Croydon
0.7 km from the school — Southern and Thameslink: services between London, East Croydon, Caterham and the south coast
Waddon
1.3 km from the school — Southern: London Bridge/Victoria to Sutton and Epsom
Sanderstead
1.4 km from the school — Southern: London Bridge to East Grinstead; Thameslink peak services
Upland Road Croydon (Stop GF)
0.3 km from the school — routes 60, N68, 312, 407, 466
Croydon Bowling Club (->W)
0.3 km from the school — routes 119, 166, 405, 645
Heath Close (Stop GY)
0.3 km from the school — routes 166, 405, 645, 663
Upland Road Croydon (Stop GH)
0.3 km from the school — routes 60, N68, 312, 407, 466
Whitgift School Bus network (2026/27)
School-operated, Mon-Fri, term time. Enquiries: +44 20 8688 9222 / office@whitgift.co.uk.
Bus stops closest to the school, with the routes that serve them. Distances are straight-line from the school.
South Croydon
0.7 km from the school — Southern and Thameslink: services between London, East Croydon, Caterham and the south coast
Waddon
1.3 km from the school — Southern: London Bridge/Victoria to Sutton and Epsom
Sanderstead
1.4 km from the school — Southern: London Bridge to East Grinstead; Thameslink peak services
Upland Road Croydon (Stop GF)
0.3 km from the school — routes 60, N68, 312, 407, 466
Croydon Bowling Club (->W)
0.3 km from the school — routes 119, 166, 405, 645
Heath Close (Stop GY)
0.3 km from the school — routes 166, 405, 645, 663
Upland Road Croydon (Stop GH)
0.3 km from the school — routes 60, N68, 312, 407, 466
Whitgift School Bus network (2026/27)
School-operated, Mon-Fri, term time. Enquiries: +44 20 8688 9222 / office@whitgift.co.uk.
Coach services run by the school itself, where they exist.
South Croydon
0.7 km from the school — Southern and Thameslink: services between London, East Croydon, Caterham and the south coast
Waddon
1.3 km from the school — Southern: London Bridge/Victoria to Sutton and Epsom
Sanderstead
1.4 km from the school — Southern: London Bridge to East Grinstead; Thameslink peak services
Upland Road Croydon (Stop GF)
0.3 km from the school — routes 60, N68, 312, 407, 466
Croydon Bowling Club (->W)
0.3 km from the school — routes 119, 166, 405, 645
Heath Close (Stop GY)
0.3 km from the school — routes 166, 405, 645, 663
Upland Road Croydon (Stop GH)
0.3 km from the school — routes 60, N68, 312, 407, 466
Whitgift School Bus network (2026/27)
School-operated, Mon-Fri, term time. Enquiries: +44 20 8688 9222 / office@whitgift.co.uk.
Private coach services are run by local operators — confirm routes and seats directly each September.
ON THIS PAGE
OVERVIEW

How the test is structured

Whitgift's 11+ comprises three bespoke papers sat in January of Year 6. The Mathematics paper (60 minutes) is written-answer format, requiring boys to show full working across a range of KS2 and extended problem-solving questions. The English assessment is split across two papers: a creative writing paper (45 minutes) and a reading comprehension paper (30 minutes), both written-answer. Crucially, Whitgift adds a distinctive Critical Thinking Skills paper — an age-related, bespoke assessment of logical reasoning and multi-step problem-solving that goes beyond standard verbal reasoning and is not covered by mainstream practice materials.

Boys who reach the required threshold are recalled for an interview, and a school reference is also requested from the current school. No past papers are released for any component, and critically, no sample papers exist for the Critical Thinking element. The overall process rewards boys who can think rigorously across unfamiliar contexts, not merely those who have drilled standard 11+ formats.

HISTORY & ETHOS

The school's story

Whitgift School was founded in 1596 by John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury under Elizabeth I, who laid the foundation stones of his charitable hospital and grammar school at North End, Croydon in March of that year. The school opened formally in 1600, part of Whitgift's broader Foundation aimed at providing education and care for the poor of Croydon and Lambeth — a mission of public benefit that predated the concept of a charitable trust by centuries. For over three hundred years the school occupied its original North End site before making its defining move in 1931 to Haling Park, a grand 45-acre estate in South Croydon once owned by Lord Howard of Effingham, the Lord High Admiral who commanded the fleet against the Spanish Armada.In the modern era Whitgift has established a formidable reputation for both academic and co-curricular excellence — its pupils have won over 300 national sporting titles in a single decade, while alumni include Marshal of the RAF Sir Arthur Tedder, author Neil Gaiman, illusionist Derren Brown and international footballers Jamal Musiala and Callum Hudson-Odoi. The school's ethos of rigorous reasoning across all disciplines mirrors the Singapore mastery philosophy: both demand that boys understand the structure behind a problem, not just the answer — a principle Whitgift tests explicitly through its unique Critical Thinking paper.

Why the maths is genuinely hard

The bespoke Critical Thinking Skills paper is Whitgift's signature challenge — no practice materials exist, it tests age-related logical and multi-step reasoning in an unfamiliar format, and it cannot be drilled. Only boys with deep reasoning foundations can navigate it under exam conditions.

SMA DIFFICULTY VERDICT

Our honest take on the difficulty

The SMA Verdict

4.5

/5

Expert

Whitgift's three-paper 11+ — including a bespoke Critical Thinking component for which no preparation materials exist — makes it one of the most genuinely reasoning-led selective processes in south London. The maths paper is 60 minutes of written-answer work demanding clear method and extended problem-solving, closely aligned with the structured, worked approach Singapore Maths trains. The Critical Thinking paper specifically rewards the kind of logical, step-by-step reasoning that bar-modelling and CPA progression embed over months of mastery work — there is no shortcut available through exam-drilling alone. Whitgift sits alongside Trinity and Old Palace within the Whitgift Foundation and draws exceptionally strong competition from across Surrey, south London and beyond.

CATCHMENT & TOWNS

Where families come from

South Croydon
Bromley
Sutton
Wimbledon
Epsom
Dulwich
Beckenham
Caterham
Reigate
New Malden
KEY DATES

The 11+ admissions calendar

November 2026Application deadline
January 2027Entrance examinations
February 2027Interviews and offers
FAQ

Parents' most common questions

What papers does Whitgift set at 11+?

Boys sit three bespoke papers: Maths (60 minutes, written-answer), English (two papers — 45-minute creative writing and 30-minute reading comprehension), and a Critical Thinking Skills paper that tests logical and multi-step reasoning. All papers are written-answer format; no multiple choice.

When is the Whitgift 11+ exam held?

The entrance examinations take place in January of Year 6. The application deadline falls in November of Year 6. Boys who meet the required standard are called back for interview, and the current school's reference is also sought before offers are made.

Are there past papers or practice materials for the Critical Thinking test?

No past papers are released for any component, and the school itself confirms there are no sample papers for the Critical Thinking Skills paper. This makes depth of reasoning — built through sustained study, not paper-drilling — the only reliable preparation strategy.

Why is Singapore Maths particularly relevant for Whitgift preparation?

The Whitgift maths paper rewards clear working and multi-step problem-solving, while the Critical Thinking paper tests logical structure without a crib sheet. Singapore Maths — centred on bar-modelling and CPA progression — builds both: boys learn to decompose complex problems visually and justify every step, which is precisely what Whitgift examiners are looking for.

How do boys travel to Whitgift School?

South Croydon station is approximately 12 minutes on foot; East Croydon is two stops by train or tram and offers fast links to London Bridge, Victoria and Gatwick. Whitgift runs an extensive private coach network serving Wimbledon, Sutton, Bromley, Dulwich, Epsom, Leatherhead and many other areas across Surrey and south London.
EXAM PAPERS

Past and sample papers

COMING SOON

We're gathering the sample and familiarisation papers Whitgift School publishes, so you can see the real thing before you prepare. If you'd like them sooner, just ask.

NEARBY SCHOOLS

Other selective schools in the area

Wilson's School
Wallington, London · 1.8 km
View guide →
Wallington County Grammar School
Wallington, South London · 3.4 km
View guide →
Trinity School
Croydon, London · 3.4 km
View guide →
Wallington High School for Girls
Wallington, South London · 3.6 km
View guide →

Preparing for Whitgift 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.