Our Common Entrance (CE) at 11+ assessments are taken by pupils in Year 6, mainly for entrance into independent senior girls’ schools.
Pupils are usually entered for the examinations by their prep school. To register candidates, log in to our registration site using your ISEB school account details. For more information about how to register candidates, download our guide to entering candidates for CE assessments.
Our CE at 11+ assessments consist of three papers: English, mathematics and science.
English CE at 11+ Specification Mathematics CE at 11+ Specification Science CE at 11+ Specification
There are two CE at 11+ examination sessions each year, in November and January, however most pupils sit the examination in January.
CE at 11+ examination dates for 2021-2024 CE at 11+ examination timetable for spring 2022 CE at 11+ examination timetable for autumn 2022
ISEB keeps examination fees as low as possible – fees cover the costs of the setting, printing and despatch of papers, and associated administration.
CE at 11+ fee for candidates taking the examination in the UK: £130 CE at 11+ fee for candidates moving from a prep to parent senior school: £50
Late entries
ISEB does its best to accommodate late entries for its examinations and assessments. However, the costs involved in processing late registrations are high. Therefore, all late entries are subject to a fee of £50 per school if received after the published closing date (1 October for the autumn examination, 1 December for the spring examination, 1 March for the summer examination).
Changes to individual candidate details (e.g. change of school, subject or level) are likely to incur an administrative fee of £5 per candidate if received after the published closing date. For summer CE examinations, in the unlikely event that a change of candidate’s subject or level is required after 30 April, the change will be processed and charged as a single subject CE registration.
If changes to individual candidate details result in additional papers being despatched to schools or other sitting centres, courier and packing charges will be added to the standard administration fee.
Certificate reprints
An administrative fee of £10 per certificate will be charged if a reprint is required.
Pupils are usually entered for CE at 11+ examinations by their prep school – this section provides important information and documentation relating to the administration of these examinations. Schools should read the Regulations and Instructions to Invigilators document carefully and ensure that they are followed.
Registration for CE at 11+ is done through our registration site. Each school registered with ISEB will have an account number and a password which provides access to the registration site. Please ensure that these details are stored safely.
The registration periods for entering candidates are:
Autumn session (November)
Opening date: 2 July Closing date: 1 October
Spring session (January)
Opening date: 2 October Closing date: 1 December
Candidates should be registered by their full name, which will then appear on their final certificate. The name of the candidate’s chosen senior school is selected from a drop-down list; candidates should be entered as ‘undecided’ until the first choice senior school is known. The list also includes an option to enter a candidate for an ‘internal marking’ examination to enable a pupil to sit the CE examination even if it is not required by his or her chosen senior school.
Schools can register candidates, delete them and amend any details. This can be done at any time before the examination closing date.
Registration lists can be viewed at any time by both prep and senior schools. Schools are advised to check regularly in order to ensure that their lists are correct and up to date. If schools require changes after the closing date, these should be sent by email to enquiries@iseb.co.uk.
Please note that all late entries will incur a late fee if received after the published closing date.
For full information about how to register candidates, download our guide to entering candidates for CE assessments.
Schools with SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) candidates should contact the relevant senior school to discuss each candidate’s needs. ISEB is aware of JCQ regulations and recommends that they are followed. Prep schools are asked to send senior schools the ISEB SEND report. Computers may be used by candidates who have specific learning difficulties. In particular cases, schools may provide a reader or an amanuensis. For visually-impaired candidates ISEB can arrange for copies of the examination papers to be enlarged to A3. If other print amendments are required, please contact ISEB at least one year in advance of the examination session to obtain a quotation.
Candidates whose first language is not English are allowed to use English to first language dictionaries. They are also allowed up to 10% extra time if they have studied in the medium of English for fewer than three years. This must be agreed in advance with the candidate’s first-choice senior school.
SEND report
A Head’s report is required for each candidate. It should be sent to the senior school at least two weeks before the first day of the relevant examination session. The ISEB Head’s Report Form is below. Some schools may prefer to use the ICAS Common Transfer Form.
ISEB Head’s report form ICAS common transfer form
Examination centres are reminded that all scripts should be sent to senior schools for marking on the day of the examination. They should be dispatched by a secure method to ensure that they arrive the following morning, by special delivery if necessary. It is essential that senior schools start marking as soon as possible in order to meet the tight deadlines for the publication of results.
Heads are asked to complete a declaration form to confirm that all the examination procedures have been followed. A signed copy of this form is to be sent to the relevant senior school(s) at the end of the examination period.
Centre declaration form
Senior schools should assess examination scripts by grades. In English, separate grades should be given for each of the two papers. Senior schools are asked to let prep schools know the percentage range represented by the grades in each subject.
Results of the CE at 11+ examinations should be available to prep schools by the Friday of the week following the examinations, and before parents are informed on the Saturday. Heads of prep schools appreciate it if heads of senior schools contact them by telephone about any concerns by the Tuesday of the week following the examination.
Senior schools are asked to send to prep school heads an overall report on their candidates’ performance. Prep school heads appreciate general comments on each subject. Senior schools are also invited to send copies of their reports to the Chief Executive Officer at the ISEB offices because the setters always appreciate feedback on how candidates tackled questions in the papers.
A set of important information and documentation relating to the administration of the CE 11+ examinations is provided on this page. Schools should read the Regulations and Instructions to Invigilators document carefully and ensure that they are followed.
Examination regulation
Registration guide for prep schools
ISEB Head's report form
ICAS common transfer form
Notification of access arrangements
Subject codes
Schools can place orders for practice papers in advance of the next set of examinations. This will ensure that they receive the papers immediately after the live examinations have taken place.
The papers can be purchased in either CD, online digital or paper format using the advance order section of the ISEB registration website. Papers are despatched and invoiced by Galore Park, at prices approved by ISEB. If schools decide not to use the advance order system, papers can still be purchased from Galore Park at a later date.
Note: From 1 August 2022, all past CE examination papers will be sold by ISEB directly, from our new online shop. To be notified when this change happens, and to find out how to purchase past papers after 1 August 2022, please join our email list.
Dates for Advance Orders are:
Autumn:
Opening date: 2 July 2021 Closing date: 17 September 2021
Spring:
Opening date: 2 October 2021 Closing date: 26 November 2021
Summer:
Opening date: 2 February 2022 Closing date: 18 March 2022
Parents and tutors are not able to order papers until one year after the examinations have taken place, so schools which purchase the most recent papers for practice purposes can be sure that pupils will not have seen them.
Candidates can be registered as 'Undecided' by selecting this option from the drop down list on the ISEB registration site. However, please remember to let us know as soon as the candidate's school is known and at least three weeks before the examinations take place.
Yes, these candidates should be registered as 'internal marking' from the drop-down list. Mark schemes will then be sent to prep schools for use after the examinations have taken place. Prep schools will need to decide their own grade boundaries.
As far as possible, candidates' details should be correct at the time of registration. Schools can access the details and change them right up until the closing date. Once the closing date has passed, any changes should be sent by email to enquiries@iseb.co.uk. Schools are likely to be charged an administration fee for each change. If changes result in the despatch of additional papers to schools, a charge will be made for packing and despatch.
Please see the SEND information included within the relevant assessment sections of the website.
Prep schools should make these decisions internally, taking into account senior school requirements. If it is felt that it would be in a pupil's best interests to sit a lower tier paper, prep schools should discuss this with the pupil's chosen senior school.
It is up to senior schools to set their own criteria for establishing grade boundaries, both within subjects and between levels. Senior schools are asked to let prep schools know what percentages their grades represent and how they distinguish between levels.
Senior schools are asked to report candidates' results to prep schools using grades. They are also asked to adhere strictly to the results deadline given in the information for schools about the administration of both the 11+ and 13+ CE examinations. Prep schools find it extremely helpful to receive as much information as possible about how their pupils performed in the examinations. Heads of Department welcome written reports or verbal feedback from their senior school colleagues.
The return of individual examination scripts by senior schools is entirely at their discretion.
ISEB always welcomes constructive feedback. This can be provided by completing the surveys which are sent out after the spring and summer examinations, by emailing enquiries@iseb.co.uk. All feedback is passed on to the relevant setting teams and to ISEB's academic committees.
Schools are invited to give feedback on the examination papers by completing ISEB’s online surveys, which are sent out after the spring examination session. It is hoped that as many schools as possible will complete the surveys for each subject. ISEB welcomes feedback from schools at any time of the year; comments should be sent to enquiries@iseb.co.uk.