The Independent Schools Examinations Board is probably best known for producing the Common Entrance examinations which boys and girls sit to gain entry to some of the best independent schools in the UK and overseas. The examinations are set by highly qualified and experienced teachers from the country’s leading schools and are widely regarded as the gold standard for assessment at 11+ and 13+.
In recent years, the Board has added considerably to the range of assessments it offers. In particular, the online and adaptive Common Pre-Tests have transformed the selection process for many pupils. Tiered papers and scholarship examinations are also available in a wide range of subjects, together with new online, auto-marked assessments in Mandarin Chinese, which can be taken at any age.
T he Independent Schools Examinations Board is probably best known for producing the Common Entrance examinations which boys and girls sit to gain entry to some of the best independent schools in the UK and overseas. The examinations are set by highly qualified and experienced teachers from the country’s leading schools and are widely regarded as the gold standard for assessment at 11+ and 13+.
The Independent Schools Examinations Board is probably best known for producing the Common Entrance examinations which boys and girls sit to gain entry to some of the best independent schools in the UK and overseas. The examinations are set by highly qualified and experienced teachers from the country’s leading schools and are widely regarded as the gold standard for assessment at 11+ and 13+
Please find below guidance and advice for schools and teachers to support preparation for 13+ CE and CASE this summer 2022. We recommend that all schools and sitting centres read guidance thoroughly and implement any changes in consultation with senior schools. Implementation of any guidance is optional. We do hope it offers support to teachers to relieve some pressure in preparing for the summer examinations.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
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P upils sit the Common Entrance examination at 11+ when they are in Year 6, mainly for entrance to senior independent girls' schools. There are two examination sessions each year, in November and January. Most girls sit the examination in January. They take papers in English, Mathematics and Science.
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Are you a parent or guardian of a child taking the ISEB Pre-Tests in the 2025-26 academic year? Join our free webinar to gain essential insights into the testing process
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Access a set of premium resources prepared by the exam board behind the Pre-Tests, so you can be sure you’re supporting your child’s preparation in the most responsible and effective
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I absolutely loved my Radcliffe experience! I really, truly can't explain how life-changing it was for me. There were so many interactions with others that fed my work in myriad ways–many of which (I'm sure) are not even apparent to me at the moment but will be gradually revealed over time. I'm so incredibly grateful for my time here at Radcliffe. Leslie Alexander Marketing Coordinator
I absolutely loved my Radcliffe experience! I really, truly can't explain how life-changing it was for me. There were so many interactions with others that fed my work in myriad ways–many of which (I'm sure) are not even apparent to me at the moment but will be gradually revealed over time. I'm so incredibly grateful for my time here at Radcliffe.
Marketing Coordinator
I absolutely loved my Radcliffe experience! I really, truly can't explain how life-changing it was for me. There were so many interactions with others that fed my work in myriad ways–many of which (I'm sure) are not even apparent to me at the moment but will be gradually revealed over time. Leslie Alexander Marketing Coordinator
I absolutely loved my Radcliffe experience! I really, truly can't explain how life-changing it was for me. There were so many interactions with others that fed my work in myriad ways–many of which (I'm sure) are not even apparent to me at the moment but will be gradually revealed over time.
I absolutely loved my Radcliffe experience! I really, truly can't explain how life-changing it was for me. There were so many interactions with others that fed my work in myriad. Leslie Alexander Marketing Coordinator
I absolutely loved my Radcliffe experience! I really, truly can't explain how life-changing it was for me. There were so many interactions with others that fed my work in myriad.
The Common Entrance examinations are usually taken in the candidate's current school. Most candidates are entered by their prep schools, but candidates in the maintained sector and many of those overseas are entered by their parents or tutors. 11+ candidates sit examinations in English, Mathematics and Science when they are in Year 6. 13+ candidates also sit examinations in these core subjects, alongside papers selected from a wide range of humanities, languages and classical subjects. 13+ candidates take their examinations in Year 8, most of them in the summer term for entry in September.
The Common Entrance examinations are usually taken in the candidate's current school.
The Common Entrance examinations are usually taken in the candidate’s current school. Most candidates are entered by their prep schools, but candidates in the maintained sector and many of those overseas are entered by their parents or tutors. 11+ candidates sit examinations in English, Mathematics and Science when they are in Year 6. 13+ candidates also sit examinations in these core subjects, alongside papers selected from a wide range of humanities, languages and classical subjects. 13+ candidates take their examinations in Year 8, most of them in the summer term for entry in September.
Many independent senior schools use Common Entrance, but not all of them. Some schools set their own entrance examinations. Prep schools, or a candidate’s parent, should check with the relevant senior school to see whether Common Entrance is required and, if so, which papers need to be taken and at which level.
The papers are set by teams of highly qualified and experienced teachers drawn from some of the best independent senior and prep schools in the UK. They all have specialist subject knowledge and a thorough understanding of the age group.
The papers are marked by teaching staff in the senior school for which a pupil is entered. Detailed mark schemes are provided by the Board but senior schools are free to allocate marks according to their own criteria.
Senior schools award candidates a grade for each subject, from A to E. Each senior school decides the range of marks represented by each grade, and this may vary from school to school.
Yes, a significant number from overseas sit Common Entrance examinations, mainly for senior schools in the UK but also for independent schools in their own countries. The examinations can often be taken in candidates’ own schools and the Board regularly despatches papers to schools in Hong Kong, China, Kenya, Nigeria, the United States, Russia and a wide range of other countries.
The Common Pre-Tests are a set of online tests used by a number of senior independent schools to assess candidates’ suitability for entry, even though many will still be required to sit Common Entrance in Year 8. The tests, commissioned from GL Assessment, are taken when a candidate is in Year 6 or 7 and are designed to provide a universal and standardised assessment measure for the independent sector. They cover Mathematics, English, verbal and non-verbal reasoning and are often taken in the candidate’s prep school. For further details, see the Common Pre-Tests section of the website.
Yes, the Board provides Common Academic Scholarship Examination papers in English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, TPR, French and Latin. The papers, based on the Common Entrance syllabuses, are both rigorous and challenging and are designed to identify potential scholars. Senior schools enter candidates for either the full range of papers or for selected subjects. Candidates usually sit Common Academic Scholarship papers in the senior school to which they are applying.
Wendy Griffiths brings a wealth of experience in the independent school sector to ISEB, having served on five prep school governing bodies and most recently, as Head of Tudor Hall School in Oxfordshire. Wendy has been a member of the Executive of the Girls Schools Association, a team inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate and was for many years on the Executive Committee of the Boarding Schools Association (BSA). As BSA Chair Wendy oversaw the appointment of the first CEO from outside of education, and a period of considerable development, diversification, and expansion. Wendy’s experience, particularly in education innovation, makes her uniquely placed to support ISEB’s vision to support schools, teachers, parents and pupils through impactful, equitable assessments, services, and resources, from the heart of the sector.
Senior schools which use Common Entrance at 11+
Senior schools which use Common Entrance at 13+
Senior schools which use the Common Pre-Tests
