Boarding School, Exam Preparation

Preparing the ISEB Pre-test

What is the ISEB Common Pre-Test?

The ISEB Common Pre-Test is taken when a pupil is in Year 6 or Year 7. The online assessment forms part of the selection process at a number of independent schools in the UK. It is an adaptive and age-standardised test used to measure ability and attainment. Created by GL Assessment, the test includes:

Verbal Reasoning – 36 mins
- thinking and problem solving with words
Non-Verbal Reasoning -32 mins
- shapes, space, diagrams and pictures
English – 25 mins
- comprehension, sentence completion, spelling and punctuation
Mathematics – 50 mins
- mathematical ability

What is the format & duration?

It is in a multiple-choice format and takes about 2.5 hours to complete.

Where to take the test?

The test can be taken at separate times at Ampla Education’s centre (9/F, Honest Building, 9 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong).

How to register?

Students are registered by the senior school(s) for which they are entered. The results are available to all senior schools, so the candidate only has to sit one test.

Can the test be taken over a few days?

The different sections can be taken together or at separate times/ days.

What score is needed?

Each school decides on how they use a candidate’s Pre-Test results and the results will not be shared with parents.

How will the results be used?

For students doing well on the ISEB Pre-Test, they will usually be given an offer conditional on them passing the 13+ Common Entrance taken at the end of Year 8.

Are there retakes?

The test can only be taken once per candidate in an academic year and all schools using the Pre-Test can access your child’s results.

How to prepare for the ISEB Pre-Test?

Following our initial assessment, students will receive a customised plan based on the following curriculum which is designed to imitate UK school assessments. Our course highlights include:

24/7 on-demand tutoring with our experienced team of UK boarding school specialists
Flexible scheduling: online/ face-to-face lessons available
Tailor-made lesson plan complemented by weekly timed quizzes and progress reports
Adaptive mock test platform that allows our tutors to track students’ learning progress at home [Receive 20% off]

Schools that use the ISEB Common Pre-Test

Abbot’s Hill School
Alleyn’s School
Ampleforth College Ardingly College
Bedford School
Benenden School
Berkhamsted Senior School
Bloxham School
Bradfield College
Brentwood School
Brighton College
Bryanston School
Canford School
Caterham School
Channing School
Charterhouse
City of London School
Cranleigh School
Culford School
Dauntsey’s School
Downe House School
Downside School
Dulwich College
Eaton Square Upper School
Epsom College
Eton College
Felsted School
Francis Holland School
Freemen’s School
Fulham Senior School
Gateways School
Godolphin and Latymer School
Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools
Hampton School
Haileybury School
Harrodian Senior School
Harrow School
Headington School
Holmwood House Senior School
Hull Collegiate School
Hurstpierpoint College
James Allen’s Girls’ School
Kew House School
King Edward’s School
Witley King’s College
King’s College School
King’s School Rochester
Knightsbridge Senior School
Lancing College
Latymer Upper School
Leeds Grammar School
Leys School
Lord Wandsworth College
Maida Vale School
Marlborough College
Mayfield School
Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School
Mill Hill School
More House School
New Hall School
Northwood College
Northwood Senior School
Notting Hill and Ealing School
Oratory School
Pangbourne College
Putney High School
Queen’s College
Queen’s Gate School
Radley College
Reed’s School
Royal Grammar School
Royal Hospital School
Royal Russell School
Seaford College
Sherborne School
South Hampstead High School
St Albans High School
St Augustine’s Priory School
St Benedict’s School
St Dunstan’s College
St Edward’s School
St Helen’s School
St James Senior Girls’ School
St Margaret’s School
St Paul’s School
St Swithun’s School
Stowe School
Streatham & Clapham High School
Sutton Valence School
Thomas’s Battersea Square
Tonbridge School
Tormead School
Trinity School
Uppingham School
Wellington College
Westminster School
Wetherby Senior School
Whitgift School
Wimbledon High School
Winchester College
Woldingham School
Worth School