Our online and adaptive Common Pre-Tests are taken when a pupil is in Years 6 or 7 and include four tests in a multiple-choice format; English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning and Non-Verbal Reasoning.
Our Common Pre-Tests (2022-23):
See which senior schools use our Common Pre-Tests.
Download list of senior schools
This walkthrough will help you to become familiar with the ISEB Common Pre-tests.
You will be able to:
– Find out more about the test on the instructions page. – Explore the best setup for your page with the accessibility features. – See the style of questions that might be asked. – Familiarise yourself with how to select the correct answer.
Assessment fee per applicant (non-refundable) £24
Parents/guardians can register their child for the Common Pre-Tests between 5th September 2022 and 16th June 2023. The Common Pre-Tests can be taken any time between 3rd October 2022 and 30th June 2023.
Parents should register their child on the ISEB Guardian Portal.
We recommend that applicants take the tests in their own school, to reduce anxiety and save applicants from having to take days out of school.
Applicants can only sit the Common Pre-Tests once in any Common Pre-Tests session (ie 3rd October 2022 and 30th June 2023).
To improve the administration of the Common Pre-Tests, three admin portals will be launched in September 2022.
Guardian Portal: For parents and guardians to register their child for the Common Pre-Tests. Parent registration means each child is only registered once.
Senior School Portal: For senior schools to be able to view the pupil records and results of the Common Pre-Tests.
Invigilation Centre Portal: For invigilation centres (which include prep schools, senior schools and non-school venues such as the British Council Offices overseas) to be able to view the pupil records and schedule the tests (including downloading the access codes).
The ISEB Common Pre-Tests are designed to identify attainment and potential.
Attainment: The English and mathematics tests are designed in line with topics and knowledge that pupils will be taught in class. They therefore assess a child’s ability to recall what they have been taught and apply this knowledge to solve problems in core areas of the curriculum.
Potential: The Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning tests enable pupils to demonstrate their academic potential through a range of question types that may be unfamiliar to them. It is the pupils’ ability to analyse, think critically, find patterns and problem solve that is assessed. These abilities are important indicators of potential as they indicate a pupils’ ability to acquire new information and apply this to situations they have not previously come across.
ISEB recommends pupils use the ISEB Test Walkthrough to familiarise themselves with the test platform, explore the accessibility features and see the styles of questions that might be asked during the test.
For further information about the content of the tests, you can download the ISEB Common Pre-Tests Framework below.
ISEB cannot guarantee the accuracy of any third-party Common Pre-Tests practice resources that are not endorsed by ISEB. They may not accurately reflect the presentation, difficulty, test content and scoring of the live Common Pre-Tests.
What do the tests include:
For more details about the structure and content of the test, download the ISEB Common Pre-Test Framework.
How do the tests work?
The four tests are all online, adaptive, multiple-choice tests. An adaptive test is one where the questions are chosen to be the most suitable for each pupil. The system assesses the pupil’s ability after each response and selects the next question to have the most appropriate level of difficulty. This means that a test-taker does not need to spend time answering questions that are too hard or too easy for them and the whole test can be shorter while still providing an accurate score.
In an adaptive test, pupils may be presented with differing numbers of questions and the system does not allow them to go back and change previous answers, eg if they think they have made a mistake. We ensure that the length of the test is optimised to provide an accurate score for every pupil and allows for any errors uncharacteristic of the general level of ability shown in a pupils’ responses.
Textbooks, calculators, mobile devices, and other materials which might assist an applicant must not be accessible during the Common Pre-Tests.
Applicants should have access to pen/pencil and paper for their rough work during the tests. It is the responsibility of the invigilation centre to provide pen/pencil and paper.
The ISEB Test Walkthrough demonstrates the look and feel of the tests. Schools can share the link to it with applicants’ parents/guardians.
Access the ISEB Test Walkthrough
Applicants with SEND
Where appropriate, and in agreement with senior schools, applicants with SEND can be given additional time of 25% to complete each test element. Applicants requiring extra time should have extra time requested for them by the parents/guardians as part of their registration in the ISEB Guardian Portal.
Evidence of SEND status
Parents/guardians should check with the senior school what documentation is needed as evidence for this request before registering. It is usually an Educational Psychologist’s report (or other suitably-qualified professional). Some schools require proof that the applicant’s reading speed or cognitive processing is less than average a standardised score below 89). As different senior schools have different SEND policies, ISEB recommends speaking with the SEND departments of the relevant senior schools. The parent/guardian will need to upload this evidence as part of the registration process in order to request extra time. A senior school will be able to view the applicant’s record and evidence. If the information does not meet their requirements for extra time, they will appeal the request for extra time. This process will be detailed in the ISEB Guidance for Applicants with SEND. Senior schools should take into account the potential impact of any specific needs in their overall assessment of an applicant’s application.
Parents/guardians can still register without this information as they will create an account meaning their child’s record can be amended.
During registration on the Guardian Portal, parents/guardians can include any other adjustments for access arrangements. The Common Pre-Tests have been designed to be accessible to applicants with a range of special educational needs or disabilities. Reasonable adjustments may be applied, the nature of which will depend on the applicant’s specific needs. In individual cases, schools may decide that not all test elements are a suitable form of assessment for a particular applicant.
Test features
There are three features built into the online testing platform, specifically to support applicants with SEND.
Further information
To support applicants with SEND, the ISEB SEND Guidance has been created for parents/guardians, senior schools and invigilation centres. This document explains in detail how the tests are constructed and how the questions have been designed to reduce the load on working memory to be more inclusive for applicants with SEND. It also contains further guidance on the registration process and where to go for support. Applicants with English as Additional Language (EAL)
The Common Pre-Tests are accessible to applicants for whom English is an additional language. Reasonable adjustments may be applied, the nature of which will depend on the applicant’s specific needs. For applicants with EAL, this may include the use of a standard bilingual paper dictionary. In individual cases, schools may decide that not all test elements are a suitable form of assessment for an applicant whose first language is not English.
Parents/guardians should include what reasonable adjustments are required for their child when they register for the tests. There is no extra time element for applicants with EAL. A senior school will be able to view the applicants record and evidence. If they have any issues with the reasonable adjustments they will contact the parents/guardians and/or the current school directly.
Once the Common Pre-Tests have been taken, senior schools can access the results in their Senior School Portal. The applicant can only take the tests once in each academic year. Each applicants’ results will include:
Percentile rank (PR) and stanin are based on the SAS. The only variance is that they use different numeric ranges.
Senior schools can view the results in the Senior School Portal and can download these at any time to a .csv file.
Common Pre-Tests Test Framework
Common Pre-Tests SEND Guidance
Common Pre-Tests Admin Portals and Processes
A Senior School Guide 2022-23 and Invigilation Centre Guide 2022-23 are both coming soon.
An Invigilation Centre (or test centre) is the place where pupils sit the ISEB Common Pre-tests.
An Invigilation Centre could be:
How do I register my school to be an Invigilation Centre?
To register as an Invigilation Centre you will need to complete the form below to create an account.
Register for an Invigilation Centre account
Please ensure that all of the information is completed as you wish it to be viewed by parents (please check spelling and capital letters).
The main email address supplied as the Invigilation Centre email address will be used to create your login. We suggest using a generic email such as admissions@schoolname.
Parents can suggest Invigilation Centres (there will be an online form), but it will go through a thorough check from ISEB.
The Invigilation Centre registration form is a proactive form, any one not wishing to host will simply not complete the form.
Yes, you will need an account for your Senior School Portal (where you will view the applicant records and results) and one your Invigilation Centre Portal (so that you can manage the administration of the tests for those wishing to sit the exam at the senior school).
You will need two separate Invigilation Centre Portal accounts if you are expecting internal students to sit at the prep school, and another one for the Senior School for external students. ISEB recommends that the name of your two Invigilation Centres be made as clear as possible for parents when you register for an account, eg XXXXX SENIOR School XXXXX PREP School This field will appear as written by you to parents in the drop down list.
Parents/guardians can continue to complete other sections of in the Guardian Portal, save their progress and return to their account when they have the information they need.
In the first instance, parents/guardians will be advised that the current school is the best place for their child to sit their tests. If they cannot be accommodated at their current school ISEB will recommend parents/guardians contact the senior schools to which they are applying to see if the tests can be sat with them or if other arrangements need to be made.
If you make arrangements for an applicant to sit the tests at a non-school venue Invigilation Centre that needs to be added to the drop down list of Invigilation Centres, you will be able to make this request directly to ISEB. As the request has come from you, rather than the parents, ISEB will not need to run as many checks and therefore the centre will be able to be added more quickly.
Parents/guardians will then be able to log back into their Guardian Portal and add the Invigilation Centre.
If they have already got an Invigilation Centre that is not on the list they can complete a form which will come to ISEB for investigation. We will also ask parents where they intend on applying to, and if necessary, contact you. We anticipate that in most cases the senior school is best placed to support parents who do not have an Invigilation Centre. It is likely that ISEB will recommend that parents contact the senior school to which they are applying in the first instance.
Yes, if you only want them to sit at the senior school then just create a Senior School Invigilation Centre account.
Do we need to ask Overseas Agents to register themselves with you to invigilate the ISEB?
Yes, the information on the webpage below explains what senior schools should do for your approved Invigilation Centres here:
Common Pre-Tests Information for Senior Schools
If the request to add an invigilation centre comes through you it will be quicker to add these on to the system, rather than through the parent/guardian as ISEB will need to run checks on the centre.
If you know of any overseas testing centres who are likely to host the tests for you, we suggest forwarding the link to register for an account now.
I have many pupils wanting to sit at their state schools, how do we get them on to the system. Do I have to contact them directly or is this something you would do?
If you have their contact details already, you would be best placed to do so. You can share the information regarding further information for Invigilation Centres and how to register as one here:
Common Pre-Tests Information for Prep Schools and Test Centres
ISEB welcomes feedback from schools at any time of the year; comments should be sent to pretests@iseb.co.uk.