St. Olave's Grammar School

St. Olave's Grammar School in Orpington, Kent uses SET (Selective Eligibility Test) & School's Own. The assessment tests students under strict standardized timed conditions using multiple-choice optical answer sheets or written papers.

St. Olave's Grammar School offers approximately 124 Year 7 places, with competition historically rated as 9:1. Admissions criteria: Admission requires passing the Selective Eligibility Test and a subsequent stage 2 exam.

The school prioritizes children from the London Borough of Bromley. For state grammar applications, parents must ensure their permanent residence satisfies published local authority criteria before the 31st October Common Application Form (CAF) deadline.

Complete an online application with the school and the local authority's Common Application Form. Key dates: Registration Opens: June 2026; SET Exam: September 2026; Stage 2 Exam: November 2026; Local Authority Application Deadline: 31st October 2026. Always consult the official school website for any annual adjustments.

Focus on: The SET covers English and Mathematics; ensure a strong foundation in both., Stage 2 includes more challenging English and Maths papers; practice past papers if available., Develop creative writing skills for the English component of Stage 2.. Preparation should begin in early Year 5 with disciplined 15-minute daily micro-practice, timed mock exams matching the SET (Selective Eligibility Test) & School's Own format, and systematic mistake review using LuraPrep to eliminate repeat errors.