Breaking down the differences between the different 11+ exam types.
The world of entrance examinations can be frustratingly opaque and stressful for teachers and families. One of the more obvious challenges is the seemingly endless list of acronyms and terms used to categorise exam formats on school websites and other education sites.
To make life a little easier, we have put together a list of the most common entrance exams and how you can use Atom School to support your students. If you identify students who may benefit from additional preparation, you can advise them to try Atom Home. This is a tailored subscription platform which creates a personalised learning pathway for students preparing for exams. You can see more information here.
GL
GL or Granada Learning are an examination board responsible for writing and administering a high volume of 11+ entrance exams. They create the vast majority of grammar school 11+ exams, in addition to some independent senior school exams.
Schools using GL Assessment tests can choose which components they want to cover. This can and does change from year to year, so it is important to check the latest information with the senior schools your students are applying to if you are supporting their preparation.
The Maths and English components always stay rooted in the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum but cover topics across the entire syllabus. This means, being familiar with all of the possible Year 6 content at the top level which may not have been taught yet at school, is key. All of the content on Atom School covers Y6 learning objectives, with many stretching into early KS3 topics. Using homework and lessons regularly will allow your students to learn and revise the content at an optimal level for their needs, making sure they have covered everything they need to by the time of their exam.
CEM
CEM stands for the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring. CEM had been a leading examination board for grammar schools in the past, though moved away from providing paper-based tests to a solely online entrance exam (see below).
CEM Select
The CEM Select is an online, non-adaptive exam covering the KS2 curriculum, as with GL. However, there is a greater emphasis on vocabulary, problem solving and speed. A combination of Mock Tests and timed Activities can help prepare for a CEM test. The CEM Select is advertised as a test of verbal reasoning, non-verbal reasoning and maths but in practice also includes a reading comprehension section so it is important to practice all four subjects and not ignore English.
ISEB Common Pre-Tests
The ISEB (Independent Schools Examination Board) Common Pre-Tests are a set of online tests covering English, maths, verbal reasoning, and non-verbal reasoning. The ISEB is one of the only entrance exams that is fully adaptive, meaning the questions will get more or less difficult depending on how the child is performing. However, unlike most other entrance exams the ISEB only tests the Year 5 National Curriculum rather than the full KS2 National Curriculum.
To achieve the highest score possible, accuracy is extremely important, particularly at the start of each test. Students need to answer the lower-level questions correctly early on to be given a chance to answer questions at a higher level of difficulty, worth more marks. Students must ensure they take their time and double check each question before moving on. The ISEB pre-test is taken between October and December of Year 6 and the results are shared with all of the schools that a student has applied to that accept the ISEB.
SATs and CATs
SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) measure children’s educational achievement in years 2 and 6, with the ultimate aim of holding schools to account for the attainment of their pupils and the progress they make. However, as a test of their understanding of the Key Stage 2 curriculum, some secondary schools may use the results to determine the ability of their new Year 7 intake. The Schools that do not will likely use internal tests named CATs (Cognitive Abilities Tests) instead with the same aim of streaming Year 7’s into top and bottom sets. These are often taken just a few weeks into Year 7.