Independent school 13+ Common Entrance

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What are Common Entrance exams?

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If you’re considering an independent senior school for your child, they may need to take Common Entrance exams. These exams assess whether a child who has been offered a senior school place reaches the school’s required academic standard.

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如果你的孩子在私校，需要参加13+考试进入公学。这考试将评估孩子是否达到了学校要求的学术标准，而进入英国最好的私校。

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Common Entrance exams are set by the ISEB in a variety of different subjects. There is a common set of papers for all schools – hence the name – and the tests are all taken on the same dates nationwide.

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英国私校考试11+ Pre-test 和 13+ Common Entrance Exam，由独立学校考试委员会出题的考试。

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Who takes Common Entrance exams?

 

Common Entrance exams are taken by children in Year 6 (the 11+ Common Entrance exams, mainly for entry to girls’ schools) or Year 8 (the 13+, for entrance to boys’ and mixed schools)

Not all schools use Common Entrance exams. Most of the major public schools do, but a number of independent schools, particularly London girls’ day schools, set their own exams。

 

Common Entrance at 11+

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Common Entrance exams for senior school entry at 11+ are taken in the autumn or spring term of Year 6.

Some school English comprehension (45 minutes) and maths (one hour); English creative writing (45 minutes) and science (one hour).

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Common Entrance at 13+

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For children who are looking to transfer to senior school at 13+, Common Entrance exams are taken in the autumn, spring or – most usually – summer term of Year 8. As well as the English, maths and science papers, children are usually required to take Common Entrance exams in a range of other subjects selected from:Latin, Classical Greek, French, German, Geography, History, Religious studies.

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At this level, children can also sit scholarship papers.

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What are the Common Pre-Tests?

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In some prep schools, children sit the ISEB’s Common Pre-Tests in Year 6 .  These are used to assess their attainment and potential for a senior school education. The online tests are commissioned  with assessments in English, maths, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.

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It’s up to the prospective senior school to decide how to use a child’s Common Pre-Tests results. Senior school places may be offered on the strength of these tests, but usually, children still have to sit Common Entrance exams in Year 8.

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Registering your child for Common Entrance

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If your child currently attends a prep school that is a regular user of Common Entrance exams, they are likely to be registered for the exams by their school. They will also sit the papers at their own school.

Children who attend a state school or an independent school that doesn’t use Common Entrance exams will need to be registered online  by their parent or guardian. They will have to arrange for their child to take the test at a sitting centre; again, this could be their own school.

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For both the 11+ and 13+ Common Entrance exams, there is a registration fee of £110.

 

How are Common Entrance exams marked?

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Completed Common Entrance exams are sent to the child’s prospective senior school for marking. Although ISEB provides a marking scheme, schools are free to mark the papers in the way they see fit, depending on their entrance criteria and required pass mark. If the first-choice school decides not to admit the pupil, their papers can be sent on to their second choice school, and they can assess them for entry.

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return to part 1 of this guide

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