About Ernest Bevin College
Ernest Bevin College is a non-selective state boys' school in Tooting, London Borough of Wandsworth. It is NOT a grammar school or academically selective school. Admission is via Wandsworth Council's standard secondary school application process. The school is co-educational in the Sixth Form. Boys who wish to apply for selective places in Wandsworth should look at Graveney School or Burntwood School instead.
Ernest Bevin College provides an excellent education with high academic standards and a broad curriculum.
About Admissions to Ernest Bevin
Ernest Bevin Academy is a non-selective state secondary school for boys (with a co-educational sixth form) in Tooting, Wandsworth, part of United Learning. There is no academic entrance test for Year 7 — admission is through Wandsworth’s coordinated secondary admissions process, applying via your home Local Authority’s Common Application Form.
As a non-selective school there is no 11+ selection. To help achieve a balanced intake, some Wandsworth schools use a short banding assessment that places applicants into ability bands (it does not determine eligibility); check the school’s current admissions arrangements for whether banding applies.
Apply through your Local Authority by the Common Application Form deadline (31 October); National Offers Day is in early March, when Local Authorities issue Year 7 places. Places are allocated by the published oversubscription criteria (looked-after children, siblings, distance), not by a test score.
Year 7 Admissions Guide for Ernest Bevin College
Ernest Bevin College Admissions Criteria
Ernest Bevin College is a non-selective state boys' school in Tooting, London Borough of Wandsworth. It is NOT a grammar school or academically selective school. Admission is via Wandsworth Council's standard secondary school application process. The school is co-educational in the Sixth Form. Boys who wish to apply for selective places in Wandsworth should look at Graveney School or Burntwood School instead.
- ✓Apply via Wandsworth Council's standard secondary school application process.
- ✓No 11+ entrance examination required for non-selective admission.
- ✓Places allocated by oversubscription criteria: looked-after → medical/social need → siblings → catchment → distance.
- ✓Apply via Wandsworth LA CAF by 31st October 2026.
Ernest Bevin College Oversubscription Criteria
If applications exceed the 180 Year 7 admission number, the Board of Governors / Trust applies the following criteria in priority order. Final ranking uses the standardised score achieved in the GL Assessment 11+ entrance test.
- Looked-after / previously looked-after children (highest priority by law)
- Children who achieve the qualifying mark in the entrance test (above the qualifying standard set by Ernest Bevin College)
- Children eligible for Pupil Premium / Free School Meals Entitlement (FSME)
- Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) naming the school
- Children with sibling(s) currently attending the school
- Children of staff (where staff member has worked at the school for 2+ years)
- Children ranked by total standardised score (highest first) up to the published admission number
- Tiebreak: distance from home to school (straight-line measurement) for children with equal scores
Key Dates & Deadlines — Ernest Bevin College 2026 Entry
| 📌 Registration opens | May 2025 via individual school portals |
| 📌 Registration closes | Mid-July 2025 (varies by consortium) |
| 📌 GL Assessment 11+ Entrance Test | Mid-September 2025 (varies — Sutton, Kingston, Wallington consortiums have different dates) |
| 📌 Test results released | Mid-October 2025 |
| 📌 CAF deadline (apply via Local Authority) | Friday 31 October 2025 |
| 📌 National Offers Day | Monday 2 March 2026 |
How to Apply to Ernest Bevin College via the Common Application Form
Step 1 — Register your child for the GL Assessment 11+ Test
Register through your regional 11+ portal (e.g. London) when registration opens. Closes Mid-July 2025 (varies by consortium). There is no fee to sit the GL Assessment test.
Step 2 — Attend an Open Day at Ernest Bevin College
Visit during Year 5 or early Year 6 to meet staff and pupils and decide whether to list this school on your CAF.
Step 3 — Sit the GL Assessment Entrance Test
Your child sits the GL Assessment in Mid-September 2025. The test typically covers English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning, with standardised scores age-adjusted.
Step 4 — Receive your standardised test results
Test results are released to parents on Mid-October 2025, BEFORE the Common Application Form deadline. You will receive a standardised score and an indication of whether your child has passed the qualifying mark.
Step 5 — Complete your Common Application Form (CAF)
List Ernest Bevin College as one of your preferences on the CAF submitted via your home Local Authority (not the school's LA, unless they are the same). You can usually list 3-6 preferences depending on your LA.
Step 6 — Submit the CAF by the deadline
Submit your CAF by Friday 31 October 2025. Late applications are processed only after all on-time applications have been allocated, dramatically reducing your chance of a place.
Step 7 — Receive your school offer on National Offers Day
Offers are issued via your Local Authority on Monday 2 March 2026. If unsuccessful, you can appeal or join Ernest Bevin College's waiting list — managed by the school itself.
GL Assessment Subjects Tested at Ernest Bevin College
11+ Practice Papers (general)
Ernest Bevin College uses the GL Assessment 11+ format. Our practice papers closely mirror the actual test structure — with full video explanations for every question.
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 31.5 hours of video content
- 3 × English, Maths, VR & NVR tests
- 600 video explanations
- 28.5 hours of video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 11.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 10 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9.5 hrs video content
- 4 high-quality practice tests
- 1 × English, Maths, VR, NVR
- 200 video explanations
- 9 hrs video content
Pastoral Care & Enrichment at Ernest Bevin
- ✓Pastoral: a structured house and form-tutor system supporting every boy.
- ✓Enrichment: a broad programme of sport, music and clubs.
- ✓Sixth form: co-educational, with a wide range of courses.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ernest Bevin
Is Ernest Bevin selective? Is there an 11+ entrance test?
No. Ernest Bevin is a non-selective state school - there is no 11+ entrance exam. Admission is through your local authority's coordinated secondary admissions.
How do I apply to Ernest Bevin for Year 7?
Apply through your home Local Authority's Common Application Form (CAF) by 31 October, listing Ernest Bevin as a preference. You do not apply to the school directly.
Is Ernest Bevin a boys' school?
Yes - it is a state school for boys aged 11-16, with a co-educational sixth form.
Does Ernest Bevin use banding?
Some Wandsworth schools use a short banding assessment to achieve a balanced intake; it does not determine eligibility. Check the school's current admissions arrangements.
Where can I find the official admissions criteria?
See Wandsworth Council's secondary admissions pages and the school's own admissions section for the current oversubscription criteria and dates.
How to Prepare for the Ernest Bevin College 11+ Exam
ExamTutor practice papers with tutor explanations for every question offers an affordable substitute for private tuition for a fraction of the cost.
📋 Take a Diagnostic Test
Start with a timed practice test to identify strengths and areas needing improvement.
📅 Build a Study Plan
Start at least 6–12 months before the exam. Focus extra time on weaker subjects.
🎥 Review with Video Explanations
Watch video solutions for incorrect answers. Rewatch difficult topics until confident.
⏱️ Develop Exam Technique
Practice under timed conditions to build stamina and learn to manage difficult questions.
📈 Track Progress
Monitor scores over time to see genuine improvement and identify remaining weak spots.
🚀 Build Confidence
Simulating real exam conditions means no surprises on the day — your child knows what to expect.