The Independent School’s Examination Board (ISEB) is best known as the body that operates the
Common Entrance – the exam that was traditionally the standard jumping-off point for pupils moving from prep schools to senior schools in the
UK independent sector. However, in recent years a number of new routes have opened up for families and schools, including schools setting their own exams or even
interviewing as standard.
The
ISEB has responded by placing more emphasis upon the
ISEB Pre-Test, which it offers as an early, less strenuous option for students to help them secure prospective places at senior schools. As such, many independent schools (and in particular those who continue to champion the CE) use the Pre-Test as a benchmark and early assessment. This guide is designed to run through the contents of the Pre-Test and help answer some common questions around it.
- The Pre-Test is taken in Years 6 or 7, or when children are between 10 and 12 years old. It is an online exam that lasts 2 hours and 15 minutes (giving SEND pupils 25%extra time), testing 4 components. On the standard test, pupils sit Maths (40minutes), English (40 minutes), non verbal reasoning (30 minutes) and verbal reasoning (25 minutes). Questions are multiple choice and the different sections can be taken in separate sittings but once begun must be completed in one go. There are no practice papers available for the test, however the ISEB offers a ‘familiarisation test’ on its website which introduces the look and feel of the
paper.
- Employing an age-standardised approach, pre-test results are benchmarked againsta representative sample of applicants across the entire academic year. Thisapproach eliminates any inherent advantage or disadvantage associated with achild's age or the specific testing window.
- The ISEB Pre-Test adaptive system ensures that difficulty is adjusted based on achild's real-time performance, resulting in a more accurate evaluation in less time.This allows children to showcase their true potential across a range of questions.
- The test can be taken anywhere, but most commonly takes place within a candidate’s current school. Parents do not need to enter their children for the Pre-Test – this is done by the senior school to which they are applying. Once these tests are taken, any senior school the child applies to will have access to the results of the tests and can use them when deciding whether to make a conditional offer.
- The Pre-Test does not replace the Common Entrance – offers made according to Pre-Test results are still subject to meeting the school’s criteria in the CE. However, as is often the case with the CE, the Pre-Test serves as an early method of filtering pupils into the schools that fit their CE performance.
- The ISEB makes provisions for pupils with SEND and EFL, including extra time where justified, as well as some provision for candidates with visual impairment. Beyond this, discussions about specific learning needs and their impact on a child’s performance are subject to discussion between the prep and senior school.
ISEB Maths Questions
Your child is allocated 40 minutes to work through the maths section of the exam with questions ranging from standard arithmetic to multi-step problem-solving. The topics tested on the maths section of the ISEB are:
- Number and place value
- Calculations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division)
- Fractions, decimals and percentages
- Measurement
- Geometry
- Statistics
ISEB English Questions
This English section covers 2 sections:
- Comprehension: The comprehension section assesses your child’s ability to analyse and interpret short passages of either fiction, non-fiction or poetry text.
- Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar: This section covers your child's knowledg eand understanding of English grammar, vocabulary, punctuation, and spelling.
ISEB Non-Verbal Reasoning Questions
The non-verbal reasoning section takes around 30 minutes to complete and assesses your child’s logic, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
ISEB Verbal Reasoning Questions
The verbal reasoning section takes 25 minutes, using language-based questions to assess the following:
Problem-solving techniques
Trial and error skills
Working logically
Solutions recognition
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