How to Get into Tiffin School (11+ Guide)
Written by: Xuan
(Updated on 7 March 2026)
About Tiffin School
- Super-selective boys’ grammar school in Kingston upon Thames
- Approx. 1 in 9 chance
- 186 places each year
- 1654 applicants in 2024, 1666 applicants in 2023.
Offers are determined by score ranking and local priority areas, so location and performance both matter.
Tiffin’s Exam Format
Stage 1:
- English: paper, multiple-choice
- Maths: paper, multiple-choice + open answer
Answers are written on a separate answer sheet and then marked by a computer. As such, answers must be marked clearly and carefully on the sheet and if a mistake is made, it should be erased properly.
The exam tests knowledge, speed and reasoning in timed conditions.
The highest-scoring candidates in Stage 1 will be invited to take Stage 2.
Stage 2:
- English: (previously) paper, open answer
- comprehension and writing
- Maths: (previously) paper, open answer
Final Score:
- 50% from English Stage 2
- 20% from Maths Stage 1
- 30% from Maths Stage 2
Tiffin’s English Exam
11+ Tiffin English Stage 1
It is paper-based and multiple-choice.
It is similar to CEM-style reasoning and has a huge emphasis on vocabulary. It includes the following topics:
- Paragraph Ordering
- Missing First Line
- Least Suitable Word
- Sentence Meaning
- Prefixes and Suffixes
- Synonyms and Antonyms
- Spelling
- Odd One Out
- Language
- Homophones
- Cloze
- Comprehension
11+ Tiffin English Stage 2
It is paper-based, open answer.
Previously, students were given allocated reading time for the comprehension before being allowed to answer questions.
Previous comprehension extracts:
- a passage from Tom Brown’s School Days
- a poem called ‘The Moment’ by Margaret Attwood.
Previous comprehension questions (ranges from 1-8 marks):
- rewriting sections in first person
- explaining the meaning of words
- long-form questions which require quotes for evidence
Previous writing tasks:
- creative writing task
- from an image prompt
- given certain items/objects that need to be mentioned
- given specific ending to story
- given specific structure of story
Tiffin’s Mathematics Exam
Stage 1 is paper-based with multiple-choice and open answer.
The exam requires students to work quickly and efficiently, most students run out of time.
Stage 2 is paper-based, open answer.
Their Maths exam covers all KS2 knowledge including topics like simultaneous equations and speed, distance and time.
Stage 2 has a lot of multi-step problems, algebraic thinking and requires careful reading.
How to Prepare
How to Prepare: Timeline
Preparation should ideally begin in Year 4:
- Read more classics + poetry
- Practice vocabulary, build a word bank
- Focus on mental arithmetic and ensure all maths foundations are covered.
- By the time you’re in March of Year 5, you should be comfortable with KS2 Maths.
In Easter of Year 5:
- Start doing practice papers.
- Start writing 20-30 minute pieces based upon prompts.
In August of Year 5 to the exam:
- Complete practice papers in timed conditions to build stamina.
How to Prepare: Resources
The best books are (starting from 8-9 and build up to 10-11):
- Bond 11+ Assessment Paper (£22.86 for 4 books)
- CGP CEM Practice Books (£8.08 per book)
- Schofield and Sims Mental Arithmetic series (£4.70 per book)
- Prep Ed Tiffin-specific style questions (labelled: suitable for Tiffin School) (£15 per month)
Even though the exams are titled “English” and “Maths”, they contain a lot of elements from Verbal Reasoning so make sure you practice the entire set.
The English exam requires strong comprehension skills, particularly in idioms, inference and vocabulary so you definitely want to start reading early and learning/memorising vocabulary.
Good resources for this include:
- Our Vocabulary by Age page (free)
- We’ve accumulated all necessary vocabulary.
You definitely want to reach age 10-11 vocabulary by the time the exam comes around.
This saves you having to buy flashcards.
- We’ve accumulated all necessary vocabulary.
- 11 Plus Vocabulary by Rose McGowan (£7)
- Prep Ed Vocabulary worksheets (£15 per month)
- start from 8-9 and work up to 10-11.
Start practice papers around April in Year 5.
Tiffin publish samples of their test questions here.
In preparation for Stage One, some good resources are:
- Bond Multiple-choice Papers (£9.99 per pack)
- CGP CEM Practice Papers (£10.58 per pack)
- Prep Ed Tiffin Worksheets and Practice Papers (£15 per month)
- Primary School Maths Challenge Past Papers (free)
In preparation for Stage Two, you can complete independent school exam papers for both subjects. There are an abundance of papers available and they are all free. There is no need to buy specific packs. If you cannot find any, feel free to get in touch and we can direct you.