Common Entrance

The Common Entrance is a nuanced and idiosyncratic admissions process enabling entry into independent secondary schools in the UK at either 11+ or 13+. The specifics of the process varies between the schools, and usually involves pre-tests, interviews and final examinations.

Pre-tests which are commonly utilised are those from ISEB, CEM, UKiset and the CAT4. These represent the initial firewalls that must be passed in order to proceed to later stage assessments.

Some schools will invite candidates for interviews, and the nature of these interviews can vary from being purely pastoral to having a significant academic bias. Some also utilise props and may provide materials to be looked at prior to going into the interview.

The ISEB Common Entrance exam is the most common end-stage test used by independent schools, however some utilise their own, custom admissions assessments.

These assessments can be demanding and stressful for children. Athena’s Common Entrance tutors understand the competitive atmosphere that surrounds 11+ and 13+ preparations across many prep and primary schools in London. Our tutors work with students to help reduce the stress involved in this process and attain the best results; we help students at many different levels to prepare as they approach this important exam.

Success in Common Entrance, for us, means more than just getting the school place – it also involves the child acquiring and developing real self-confidence in their ability, and viewing academic achievement in its proper perspective.

For more information:

Call 0208 133 6284 or contact us via email with our enquiry form below