Common Entrance Exams

Common Entrance is the name for a set of examinations taken by boys and girls for entrance to senior independent schools at ages 11+ or 13+.

What are 11+ entrance exams?

The 11+ is a selective entrance examination for secondary school, used by both state-funded grammar schools and many private schools to identify the most academically-able children. The exam is taken towards the end of Year 5 or beginning of Year 6 of primary school.

What are 13+ entrance exams?

The 13+ Common Entrance exam consists of a set of rigorous tests set by selective independent secondary schools. It usually focuses on content taught at Key Stage 3. The 13+ tests are part of the standard ISEB assessment, although individual schools can devise their own Common Entrance (CE) papers. Pupils will sit the 13+ exam in either the Spring or, more commonly, the Summer term during Year 8.