Common Entrance (CE)

ISEB

Complete guide to passing the Common Entrance (CE) exam on your first attempt.

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Key Information at a Glance

Cost

~£200

Pass Rate

~95%

Validity

1 year

Region

Provider

ISEB

Salary Impact

Private school admission

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Complete Overview

Common Entrance (CE) is a set of paper-based transfer examinations set by the Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB) and taken by pupils applying to UK independent senior schools at 11+ or 13+. ISEB charges a UK entry fee of £130 for a CE at 11+ candidate and £140 for a CE at 13+ candidate, with single-subject entries at 13+ costing £30. Pupils are normally entered by their prep or junior school, and ISEB advises that candidates should only be entered for CE at 13+ once a senior school has offered a place conditional on passing.

The board has been setting these papers since it was founded in 1903 by HMC, IAPS and GSA as the Common Entrance Committee, with the first examinations sat in the summer of 1904 by candidates for about 25 senior schools. Mathematics was added as a separate subject in 1954 and science in 1969. ISEB reports that more than 520,000 examination papers have been taken in the last five years, by pupils at more than 620 prep, junior and senior schools, in more than 50 countries.

At 11+ the assessment is three papers: English, mathematics and science. Candidates sit them in Year 6, most often in the January session, and the tests are used mainly by independent senior girls' schools. At 13+ the assessment is taken in Year 8 across three sessions each year, in November, January and May/June. Every 13+ candidate sits English, mathematics and science, and most sit further papers chosen from geography, history, theology philosophy and religion, French, German, Spanish, Latin, Classical Greek and Classical Civilisation. Mathematics is offered at Foundation, Core and Additional level; English and science are offered at Foundation and Core; French, Spanish, Latin and Classical Greek run at Level 1 and Level 2, while German is set at a single level.

CE is unusual among examinations because ISEB does not mark the scripts and does not set a pass mark. Prep schools send completed scripts to the receiving senior school on the day of the examination, and that senior school marks them and sets its own grade boundaries. ISEB tells senior schools to report results as grades and asks them to tell prep schools what percentage range each grade covers. Most 13+ papers are marked out of 100 and converted into letter grades. The consequence for a family is direct: the number a candidate needs depends entirely on which school is marking, so the target must come from the senior school, not from ISEB.

Many senior schools now screen applicants earlier using the ISEB Pre-Tests, four online adaptive assessments in mathematics, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning taken in Year 6 or Year 7. Where a school uses both, the Pre-Test decides the conditional offer and CE confirms that the candidate has kept up the standard. Alongside CE, ISEB sets the Common Academic Scholarship Examination (CASE) at 13+ in English, mathematics, science, history, geography, theology philosophy and religion, French and Latin. Senior schools enter candidates for CASE, choose which papers they sit, and mark those papers themselves.

Why Get Common Entrance (CE) Certified?

One entry covers every senior school a candidate has applied to, replacing separate papers from each school, which is why ISEB was created in 1903 and why more than 620 schools have used its examinations.

The UK entry fee is £130 at 11+ and £140 at 13+, far below the cost of sitting several bespoke school papers, and a single 13+ subject can be entered on its own for £30.

The 13+ specification runs across ten published subject specifications, giving Years 7 and 8 a defined curriculum rather than open-ended revision.

Results reach prep schools within about a week: for autumn and spring 13+ sessions, by the Thursday of the following week, and for the summer session by the Friday of the following week.

Three 13+ sessions each year in November, January and May/June let a senior school pick a timing that fits its own admissions calendar.

The same specifications feed the Common Academic Scholarship Examination at 13+, so a candidate preparing for CE Core is already close to scholarship territory in eight subjects.

ISEB reports that pupils have sat its examinations in more than 50 countries, so an international candidate can be assessed on the same papers as a UK prep school pupil.

Exam Format & Structure

Duration

395 minutes of examination time across the eight compulsory Core papers at 13+ (English Reading 70 minutes, English Writing 75 minutes, mathematics non-calculator 60 minutes, mathematics calculator 60 minutes, mental arithmetic 10 minutes, biology 40 minutes, chemistry 40 minutes, physics 40 minutes). At 11+ the three subjects are examined in four papers totalling 210 minutes: English Comprehension 45 minutes and English Composition 45 minutes, each including 5 minutes of reading and planning time, mathematics 60 minutes and science 60 minutes.

Questions

ISEB does not publish a fixed question count for any CE paper. The eight compulsory Core papers at 13+ carry 520 marks in total: English 100, mathematics 240, science 180. Optional 13+ papers add 50 marks in history, 40 in theology philosophy and religion, where candidates answer one question from each of two 20-mark sections out of three offered, 120 in geography including fieldwork, and 100 across the listening, reading and writing, and speaking components of a modern language.

Passing Score

ISEB does not set a pass mark for Common Entrance. Senior schools mark the scripts, set their own grade boundaries and decide what grade an applicant needs. ISEB asks senior schools to tell prep schools what percentage range each grade represents.

Question Types

Short-answer and structured questions carrying marks shown in brackets
Extended essay questions, for example the 30-mark Section B essay on the 13+ history paper
Unseen source and evidence analysis, used in history Section A and English Reading
Timed original composition, used for the 50-mark 13+ English Writing paper
Closed items including multiple choice, matching pairs and sentence completion on the Foundation science paper
Translation into and out of Latin and Classical Greek, plus transliteration between Greek and English at both Greek levels
Ordnance Survey map reading and data response on the geography paper
Spoken role play, text-based task and open conversation in modern languages
Coursework: the geography fieldwork enquiry, marked out of 40

Delivery Method

Paper-based, sat under invigilation at the candidate's own prep or junior school in almost all cases, following ISEB's Examination Regulations and Instructions to Invigilators. Scripts are dispatched to the marking senior school on the day of the examination by a secure method so that they arrive the following morning. CASE papers are usually sat at the senior school itself.

How scoring works

Score scale

Raw marks per paper, not a scaled score. Most 13+ papers are marked out of 100. The eight compulsory Core papers at 13+ total 520 marks: English Reading 50 and English Writing 50; mathematics non-calculator 100, calculator 100 and mental arithmetic 40; biology 60, chemistry 60 and physics 60. At 11+ the four papers total 230 marks: English Comprehension 25 and Composition 25, mathematics 100 and science 80. Senior schools have the option of adding a further 10 marks to the 11+ Composition paper, 5 for spelling and 5 for syntax and punctuation, so that accuracy is judged separately from content.

Score needed to pass

ISEB does not set a pass mark for Common Entrance. Each senior school sets its own grade requirement and its own grade boundaries, and ISEB asks senior schools to tell prep schools what percentage range each grade represents.

When results arrive

There is no on-screen result. Scripts leave the examination centre for the senior school on the day of the paper. For CE at 13+ in autumn and spring, results should reach prep schools by the Thursday of the following week and parents on the Friday. For the summer 13+ session, prep schools by the Friday of the following week and parents on the Monday. For CE at 11+, prep schools by the Friday of the following week and parents on the Saturday.

How the scale is built

Marking is criterion-referenced against ISEB mark schemes and carried out by the receiving senior school, not by ISEB. There is no equating between sessions, no item response theory and no computer-adaptive component. Scoring is compensatory within a paper, since marks accumulate question by question, but conjunctive across subjects wherever a senior school requires a minimum grade in each of English, mathematics and science. Wrong answers cost nothing beyond the marks not earned; there is no negative marking on any CE paper.

Pacing and time budget

520 questions in 395 minutes gives you About 45 seconds per mark across the eight compulsory 13+ Core papers, since 395 minutes cover 520 marks. ISEB does not publish question counts, so marks are the unit that matters for pacing. per question.

70 minutes in, at the end of the English Reading paper

All 50 marks of Core or Foundation Reading, with the deeper interpretation questions answered rather than left, since they carry the larger share of the paper

145 minutes in, at the end of the English Writing paper

One complete 50-mark composition with a planned structure, content, purpose, style and organisation all visible, and 100 English marks banked

205 minutes in, at the end of the mathematics non-calculator paper

All 100 non-calculator marks attempted with working shown on every worded question, running at about 36 seconds per mark

275 minutes in, after the calculator paper and the mental arithmetic test

The full 240 marks of mathematics, meaning 100 non-calculator, 100 calculator and 40 mental arithmetic, leaving science as the only compulsory subject outstanding

395 minutes in, at the end of the physics paper

All 180 science marks across biology, chemistry and physics, with every Thinking and Working as a Scientist item attempted, since those carry at least a quarter of each paper

At this point	You should have answered
70 minutes in, at the end of the English Reading paper	All 50 marks of Core or Foundation Reading, with the deeper interpretation questions answered rather than left, since they carry the larger share of the paper
145 minutes in, at the end of the English Writing paper	One complete 50-mark composition with a planned structure, content, purpose, style and organisation all visible, and 100 English marks banked
205 minutes in, at the end of the mathematics non-calculator paper	All 100 non-calculator marks attempted with working shown on every worded question, running at about 36 seconds per mark
275 minutes in, after the calculator paper and the mental arithmetic test	The full 240 marks of mathematics, meaning 100 non-calculator, 100 calculator and 40 mental arithmetic, leaving science as the only compulsory subject outstanding
395 minutes in, at the end of the physics paper	All 180 science marks across biology, chemistry and physics, with every Thinking and Working as a Scientist item attempted, since those carry at least a quarter of each paper

Each 13+ Core science paper gives 40 minutes for 60 marks, which is 40 seconds per mark and the tightest ratio in the compulsory set. Candidates who write essay-length answers to three-mark questions lose the end of the paper.
The mental arithmetic test packs 40 marks into 10 minutes, roughly 15 seconds per mark, and there is no time to work anything out on paper. It is the one CE paper where speed drills matter more than understanding.
The 11+ mathematics paper front-loads about eight one-mark numeracy questions where working need not be shown. Clearing those in under five minutes leaves nearly a minute per mark for the worded questions that follow.
On the 13+ history paper ISEB publishes its own split: 20 to 25 minutes for the 20-mark Section A evidence question and 35 to 40 minutes for the 30-mark Section B essay. Following it is the single easiest pacing gain in the optional subjects.
The theology philosophy and religion paper divides 60 minutes into two 30-minute answers on questions drawn from two of three sections. ISEB frames that 30 minutes as time to plan and write, so five minutes of planning is expected, not wasted.
Every paper prints marks in brackets beside each question. Reading them before answering converts the mark scheme into a timing plan without any guesswork.

Where the marks are

Mathematics Core non-calculator and calculator papers at 13+

200 of the 520 compulsory Core marks, across two 60-minute papers

The largest single block of marks in the compulsory set. Both papers reward showing working on worded questions, since credit is not confined to the final answer.

Science Core biology, chemistry and physics at 13+

180 of the 520 compulsory Core marks, across three 40-minute papers

Three separate 60-mark papers with no choice of questions, so nothing can be avoided. Knowledge of the 11+ specification is assumed and can be examined inside 13+ questions.

Thinking and Working as a Scientist

At least 25 percent of the marks in every CE science paper

Tests experimental design, data handling and evaluation rather than recall, and supplies supporting information for unfamiliar practicals, so it rewards method over memorised content.

English Writing paper at 13+

50 of the 520 compulsory Core marks, in 1 hour 15 minutes

Every candidate sits it whatever their Reading level. Marks cover content, purpose, style, organisation and the quality and breadth of language, so structure earns as much as vocabulary.

English Reading paper at 13+

50 of the 520 compulsory Core marks, in 1 hour 10 minutes

Sat at Foundation or Core level. Questions carry printed mark values and reward answers in the candidate's own words, written in full sentences, on an unseen extract.

Mathematics mental arithmetic test at 13+

40 of the 520 compulsory Core marks, in 10 minutes

Sat by every 13+ candidate at both Foundation and Core level. The same test is used for both levels, and it is pure speed and recall with no working time.

Geography fieldwork enquiry at 13+

20 percent of the geography grade, worth 40 marks

Marked across introduction, methods of data collection, results and presentation, analysis and conclusion, evaluation and fieldwork expertise, and it must involve primary data the candidate collected.

History Section B essay at 13+

30 of the 50 marks on the 60-minute paper

Worth more than the unseen evidence question that precedes it, and ISEB publishes a specimen paper, a mark scheme and an example Section 2 essay answer showing what full credit looks like.

Topic	Weight	Why it scores
Mathematics Core non-calculator and calculator papers at 13+	200 of the 520 compulsory Core marks, across two 60-minute papers	The largest single block of marks in the compulsory set. Both papers reward showing working on worded questions, since credit is not confined to the final answer.
Science Core biology, chemistry and physics at 13+	180 of the 520 compulsory Core marks, across three 40-minute papers	Three separate 60-mark papers with no choice of questions, so nothing can be avoided. Knowledge of the 11+ specification is assumed and can be examined inside 13+ questions.
Thinking and Working as a Scientist	At least 25 percent of the marks in every CE science paper	Tests experimental design, data handling and evaluation rather than recall, and supplies supporting information for unfamiliar practicals, so it rewards method over memorised content.
English Writing paper at 13+	50 of the 520 compulsory Core marks, in 1 hour 15 minutes	Every candidate sits it whatever their Reading level. Marks cover content, purpose, style, organisation and the quality and breadth of language, so structure earns as much as vocabulary.
English Reading paper at 13+	50 of the 520 compulsory Core marks, in 1 hour 10 minutes	Sat at Foundation or Core level. Questions carry printed mark values and reward answers in the candidate's own words, written in full sentences, on an unseen extract.
Mathematics mental arithmetic test at 13+	40 of the 520 compulsory Core marks, in 10 minutes	Sat by every 13+ candidate at both Foundation and Core level. The same test is used for both levels, and it is pure speed and recall with no working time.
Geography fieldwork enquiry at 13+	20 percent of the geography grade, worth 40 marks	Marked across introduction, methods of data collection, results and presentation, analysis and conclusion, evaluation and fieldwork expertise, and it must involve primary data the candidate collected.
History Section B essay at 13+	30 of the 50 marks on the 60-minute paper	Worth more than the unseen evidence question that precedes it, and ISEB publishes a specimen paper, a mark scheme and an example Section 2 essay answer showing what full credit looks like.

The numbers

More than 520,000

Examination papers taken by candidates in the last five years

Source: ISEB, iseb.co.uk homepage

More than 620

Prep, junior and senior schools that have used ISEB examinations

Source: ISEB, iseb.co.uk homepage

More than 50

Countries in which pupils have sat ISEB examinations

Source: ISEB, iseb.co.uk homepage

£140, or £30 for a single subject

UK candidate fee, CE at 13+

Source: ISEB, CE at 13+ information for schools

£130, or £50 moving from a prep school to its parent senior school

UK candidate fee, CE at 11+

Source: ISEB, CE at 11+ information for schools

About 25

Senior schools taking part in the first Common Entrance examinations, summer 1904

Source: ISEB, CE information for families

If you fail

Wait before retaking

ISEB publishes no retake waiting period, because Common Entrance is a transfer assessment rather than a certificated qualification with a resit route. In practice the interval is the gap between sessions: at 13+ that is November, January and May/June, and at 11+ it is November and January.

Attempt limit

ISEB publishes no attempt limit. Whether a candidate can be entered again is decided by the receiving senior school, which holds the conditional offer and marks the scripts.

Retake fee

Any fresh entry is charged at the standard candidate fee: £140 at 13+, £130 at 11+, or £30 for a single 13+ subject. ISEB publishes no discounted resit rate. A late entry after the published closing date costs an additional £50 per school.

Because the senior school marks the papers and has usually already made a conditional offer, a weak performance normally triggers a conversation between the two heads rather than a formal resit. ISEB asks senior school heads to telephone prep school heads about concerns by the Tuesday of the week following the examination, and to send an overall report on candidate performance. A change of subject or level after the closing date is likely to cost £5 per candidate, and for summer entries such a change is processed and charged as a new single-subject registration.

Exam Domains & Topics

English at 11+ and 13+

not published

At 11+, a 25-mark Comprehension paper and a 25-mark Composition paper, each of 45 minutes including 5 minutes reading and planning time. At 13+, a 50-mark Reading paper of 1 hour 10 minutes at either Foundation or Core level, plus a 50-mark Writing paper of 1 hour 15 minutes taken by every candidate.

Key Topics to Master:

Single unseen extract with one set of questions on the 11+ Comprehension paper
About 10 marks for straightforward comprehension and 15 for deeper interpretation at 11+
Answering in the candidate's own words, in full sentences, with care over handwriting and spelling
Choice of titles and prompts on the Composition and Writing papers
Content, purpose, style and organisation as marked criteria in written work
The optional ISEB Reading Certificate for sustained wider reading in Years 7 and 8

Mathematics at 11+ and 13+

not published

At 11+, one 100-mark paper of 60 minutes that opens with about eight straightforward one-mark numeracy questions before moving to worded questions requiring working. At 13+, a 100-mark non-calculator paper and a 100-mark calculator paper, each 60 minutes, plus a 40-mark mental arithmetic test lasting 10 minutes that every candidate sits regardless of level.

Key Topics to Master:

Foundation, Core and Additional levels at 13+, with Core the expectation for most candidates
The optional 100-mark Additional paper of 60 minutes, calculator permitted, for stronger candidates
Key stage 2 number, fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio and early algebra at 11+
Key stage 3 fluency, reasoning and multi-step problem solving at 13+
Showing working on worded questions, since marks are not restricted to the final answer
Calculating aids are not permitted in the 11+ mathematics examination

Science at 11+ and 13+

not published

At 11+, one combined 80-mark paper of 60 minutes covering biology, chemistry and physics with approximately equal weighting. At 13+ Core, three separate 60-mark papers of 40 minutes each in biology, chemistry and physics. At 13+ Foundation, one combined 80-mark paper of 60 minutes with roughly equal numbers of questions from the three disciplines.

Key Topics to Master:

Thinking and Working as a Scientist, which carries at least 25 percent of the marks in every paper
No choice of questions on any science paper at either level
Calculators allowed at 11+ and 13+; protractors also allowed on the Foundation paper
Formulae supplied on Foundation quantitative questions, with no rearrangement required
Command words that signal the type of response expected
Knowledge of the 11+ specification assumed and examinable within 13+ questions

Geography at 13+

20 percent fieldwork enquiry, 80 percent written examination

A 40-mark fieldwork enquiry counting for 20 percent of the subject grade, plus an 80-mark written paper of 60 minutes counting for 80 percent. Every written paper contains an Ordnance Survey map and colour resources such as photographs or diagrams.

Key Topics to Master:

Section A location knowledge, 10 to 15 marks
Section B Ordnance Survey map reading, 10 to 15 marks
Section C physical geography, 25 to 30 marks
Section D human and environmental geography, 25 to 30 marks
Fieldwork marks split across introduction, data collection, presentation, analysis, evaluation and fieldwork expertise
Fieldwork submission deadlines of 15 October, 15 January and 15 March

History at 13+

40 percent unseen evidence, 60 percent essay

One 60-minute paper in two sections. Section A is a 20-mark unseen evidence question and Section B is a 30-mark essay. ISEB advises spending 20 to 25 minutes on the evidence question and 35 to 40 minutes on the essay.

Key Topics to Master:

Handling an unseen source under time pressure
Structuring a 30-mark essay in under 40 minutes
The published specimen paper and mark scheme released for the 2022 specification
The Section 2 essay example answer published by ISEB in 2024
CASE history, which runs to three 25-mark sections in the same 60 minutes
Using the mark allocations printed on the paper to set pace

Theology, philosophy and religion at 13+

not published

One 60-minute paper divided into three 20-mark sections: theology, philosophy and religion. Candidates answer one question from any two sections, which leaves about 30 minutes for each answer.

Key Topics to Master:

Choosing two of the three sections rather than attempting all three
Planning before writing, since ISEB explicitly frames the 30 minutes as time to plan and write
Foundational texts of the Judeo-Christian tradition as the basis of the specification
CASE theology, philosophy and religion, set as two 25-mark sections
The published assessment objectives AO1, AO2 and AO3
Subject added to Common Entrance as Scripture in the 1930s

Modern languages at 13+

not published

French, German and Spanish run at Level 1 and Level 2. The assessment is a 25-mark listening test of about 25 minutes, a reading and writing paper carrying 25 marks for each skill over 60 minutes, and a speaking test lasting 5 minutes at Level 1 or 8 minutes at Level 2.

Key Topics to Master:

Speaking Part 1 role play, about 1 to 2 minutes, 9 marks
Speaking Part 2 text-based task, about 2 to 3 minutes, 8 marks
Speaking Part 3 open conversation, about 2 to 3 minutes, 8 marks
One unpredictable task in every role play, with two options offered at Level 1
The examiner hands over one of three cards at random 10 minutes before the speaking test
Near future tense at Level 1, near future and perfect at Level 2, needed to reach top marks

Classics at 13+

not published

Latin is one 60-minute paper at all levels. Classical Greek runs at Level 1 and Level 2, and both levels open with transliteration between Greek and English. Classical Civilisation is a paper of three 25-mark sections covering the Greeks, the Romans and classical mythology, from which candidates attempt two questions.

Key Topics to Master:

Latin Question 1, comprehension of a first paragraph of about 45 words, 15 marks
Latin Question 2, translation of a second paragraph of about 50 words into good English, 30 marks
Latin Question 3, grammar and simple English derivations from a final paragraph of about 30 words, 10 marks
Latin Question 4, translating four English sentences of increasing difficulty into Latin
Greek Level 1 transliteration questions worth 10 marks each way
Vocabulary outside the prescribed list is glossed on the paper

Recommended Study Plan

Week 1: Fix the target before revising anything

3 to 5 hours of parent and school admin

1Write to the receiving senior school and ask which grade it requires in each subject and what percentage range that grade covers, since ISEB does not set a pass mark
2Confirm with the prep school which level each paper will be sat at: Foundation, Core or Additional in mathematics, Foundation or Core in English and science, Level 1 or Level 2 in French, Latin or Greek
3Confirm which session the candidate is entered for out of November, January and May/June at 13+, or November and January at 11+
4Download the ISEB specifications for every subject being sat from the CE Subject Information pages, since the current versions have applied to examinations since November 2022
5Check whether the senior school also requires the ISEB Pre-Tests, an interview or a school report
6If access arrangements may be needed, start the conversation with the senior school now, because print amendments beyond A3 enlargement need at least a year's notice

Week 2: Mathematics Core non-calculator diagnostic

6 to 8 hours

1Sit one full 60-minute non-calculator Core paper cold, with no notes, to get a baseline out of 100
2Mark it against the ISEB mark scheme and record marks lost to method versus marks lost to arithmetic
3Rebuild the four operations with fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio, since these carry through both papers
4Drill the 10-minute mental arithmetic test twice, because every candidate sits it whatever their level
5Rewrite every question where working was skipped, this time showing each step
6List the three topics that cost the most marks and book them into weeks 4 and 6

Week 3: English Reading paper technique

6 to 8 hours

1Sit a full 1 hour 10 minute Core Reading paper and note where time ran out
2Practise reading the mark allocations in brackets first and budgeting minutes against them
3Work on answering in the candidate's own words rather than lifting phrases from the extract
4Take one past extract and write only the high-mark interpretation answers, three times over, comparing each attempt
5Read one substantial unfamiliar text a day: fiction, biography or quality non-fiction, since ISEB publishes no set reading list
6Check handwriting legibility on a timed answer, because the paper is marked by hand at the senior school

Week 4: Science Core biology and chemistry

7 to 9 hours

1Sit the 40-minute, 60-mark biology paper and the 40-minute, 60-mark chemistry paper on separate days
2Work through every Thinking and Working as a Scientist question in both, since these carry at least 25 percent of each paper
3Learn the ISEB command words and what each one demands, using the list in the science specification
4Practise matching answer length to the marks available and the lines provided
5Revisit 11+ science content, because the 13+ papers assume it and can examine it
6Check calculator and protractor use, both of which are allowed

Week 5: English Writing paper

6 to 8 hours

1Sit a full 1 hour 15 minute Writing paper against a past choice of titles and prompts
2Practise choosing a title in under three minutes, then planning for five
3Write one story with a clear beginning, middle and end, and one argument piece that weighs both sides and reaches a conclusion
4Mark against content, purpose, style, organisation and range of language, the four criteria named in the ISEB English specification
5Build a personal bank of precise vocabulary and vary sentence openings deliberately
6Repeat one prompt from week 3 and compare the two attempts side by side

Week 6: Mathematics calculator paper and the Additional decision

7 to 9 hours

1Sit a full 60-minute Core calculator paper and mark it out of 100
2Practise calculator discipline: entering multi-step calculations without rounding early
3Return to the three weak topics identified in week 2 and re-test them
4If the senior school wants the Additional paper, sit one 60-minute Additional paper to see how far the gap runs
5Sit the mental arithmetic test again under strict 10-minute timing
6Ask the prep school to confirm the registered level, since papers are despatched by registered level

Week 7: Science physics and cross-paper weaknesses

7 to 9 hours

1Sit the 40-minute, 60-mark physics paper and mark it against the scheme
2Drill formula questions until rearrangement is automatic, since only Foundation candidates get formulae supplied
3Redo the weakest ten questions across biology, chemistry and physics from weeks 4 and 7
4Practise reading graphs and tables under time, as these recur in Thinking and Working as a Scientist items
5Write one free-response answer per subject and check it reads as continuous prose
6Review the ISEB science teaching resources on photosynthesis experiments, models of the lung and energy

Week 8: First optional subject, usually history or geography

6 to 8 hours

1For history, sit the 60-minute paper and hold to 20 to 25 minutes on Section A and 35 to 40 on Section B
2Read ISEB's published specimen history paper, mark scheme and Section 2 essay example answer
3For geography, work through a past written paper with the Ordnance Survey map and colour resources supplied
4Practise the four geography sections in mark order: location knowledge, map reading, physical, human and environmental
5Check the geography fieldwork enquiry against the six-part mark allocation and the relevant submission deadline
6Rewrite one essay introduction and conclusion four times to cut planning time

Week 9: Languages and classics

6 to 8 hours

1For a modern language, sit the 25-minute listening test and the 60-minute reading and writing paper in one sitting
2Rehearse the speaking test at full length: 5 minutes at Level 1 or 8 minutes at Level 2
3Practise the unpredictable role-play task, choosing between two options at Level 1 and responding unprepared at Level 2
4Deliberately use the near future tense at Level 1, and the near future and perfect at Level 2, in every practice conversation
5For Latin, time the four questions across 60 minutes with the 30-mark translation given the largest share
6For Classical Greek Level 1, drill transliteration both ways until it is mechanical

Week 10: Theology philosophy and religion, plus second optional subject

6 to 8 hours

1Sit the 60-minute theology philosophy and religion paper answering one question from two of the three sections
2Practise choosing the two strongest sections in under two minutes
3Plan for five minutes and write for 25 on each answer, matching ISEB's own framing of the timing
4Sit the second optional subject in full and mark it
5Compare all optional subject scores and decide where the last fortnight of effort should go
6Confirm with the prep school that the correct optional papers have been registered

Week 11: Full mock sequence in session order

10 to 12 hours

1Sit all eight compulsory Core papers across four days in the order the real timetable uses
2Total the marks out of 520 and compare each subject against the grade the senior school asked for
3Sit every optional paper the candidate is entered for within the same fortnight
4Log every question where time, not knowledge, cost the marks
5Practise the switch between the non-calculator paper and the calculator paper on the same day
6Give the scripts to a teacher for external marking rather than self-marking

Week 12: Targeted repair of the mock

8 to 10 hours

1Rework only the questions lost in week 11, subject by subject
2Re-sit the two weakest individual papers under full timing
3Redo the mental arithmetic test three times across the week
4Rewrite the two lowest-scoring extended answers, English Writing and the history or theology essay
5Check that every geography fieldwork mark sheet is complete before the submission deadline
6For CASE candidates, sit one 90-minute CASE mathematics paper or one 60-minute CASE paper in the relevant subject

Week 13: Consolidation and pace

6 to 8 hours

1Run short timed bursts rather than full papers: 20 minutes of mathematics, 20 of comprehension, 20 of science
2Reread every mark scheme comment from weeks 11 and 12 rather than covering new content
3Practise the opening ten minutes of each paper, since that is where pace is set
4Rehearse handwriting under speed for the two longest written papers
5Confirm the Head's report has gone to the senior school, which ISEB asks for at least two weeks before the session
6Check the timetable, the room and the equipment list with the prep school

Week 14: Examination week

4 to 6 hours of review

1Stop new content and switch to light review of formula lists, command words and vocabulary
2Lay out equipment the night before each paper, including a spare pen, pencil, ruler, protractor and a calculator for the papers that allow one
3Keep a fixed sleep and meal routine across the session, which at 13+ runs over several days
4Between papers, avoid post-mortems and move to the next subject
5Expect results to reach the prep school within about a week of the session ending
6Ask the prep school to request subject feedback from the senior school, which ISEB invites senior schools to provide

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Best Study Resources

ISEB CE and CASE subject specifications

Official specification

Downloadable PDFs for classics, English, French, geography, German, history, mathematics, science, Spanish and theology philosophy and religion. Each one lists the papers, marks and timings that the senior school will mark against. Available from the CE Subject Information pages on iseb.co.uk.

Free

ISEB online shop past paper Exam Packs

Past papers

The only official source of CE and CASE past papers. Schools can buy papers immediately after each live session and place Advance Orders. Parents, tutors and agents can only order a paper one year after that session, which is how ISEB keeps recent papers unseen for practice.

From £7.00 per pack

ISEB CE 13+ past paper bundles

Past papers

Ten-pack and five-pack bundles for English, mathematics and science covering the summer 2022 to summer 2025 sessions, plus French and Spanish bundles for spring 2024 to summer 2025 at Level 1 and Level 2, sold at a 10 percent discount to buying the packs individually and delivered in print.

£121.50 to £175.50 per bundle

ISEB specimen papers written to the current specifications

Specimen material

Downloadable specimen papers for mathematics, English and science at 13+, plus a history specimen paper, its mark scheme and a published Section 2 essay example answer, and full French Level 1 listening, reading and writing, and speaking specimens with transcripts and mark schemes.

Free

The Official Guide to CE 13+ for Families

Official guide

ISEB's own guide at ce-families.iseb.co.uk, covering exam structure, subject levels, registration and exam-day preparation. Completing the form releases parent guides to CE 13+ English, mathematics and science and two Parent Power Toolkit resources.

Free

ISEB Parent Power Toolkit

Preparation resource

Three downloadable PDF activity sets developed for ISEB by Dr Kathy Weston of Tooled Up Education. Part 1 covers foundations, Part 2 covers building a revision routine and Part 3 covers exam-day preparation.

£29.95 to £39.95 per part

ISEB CE and CASE Support Portal

Support

Knowledge base at commonentrance.support.iseb.co.uk with support articles and FAQs for schools and families on registration, levels and administration. Tickets can be raised with ISEB's customer service team, which aims to respond within 24 hours.

Free

ISEB examination documentation for CE at 11+ and 13+

Administration

The Examination Regulations and Instructions to Invigilators, Centre Declaration Form, ISEB Head's Report Form, SEND report, Notification of Access Arrangements, CE Examination Access Arrangements guidance and the examination timetable.

Free

National Curriculum programmes of study for mathematics

Background curriculum

The ISEB mathematics specification maps the 11+ paper directly onto the key stage 2 Year 5 and Year 6 programmes of study, and the 13+ papers onto key stage 3, and points teachers at the Department for Education document on gov.uk for the underlying detail.

Free

ISEB science teaching resources and Thinking and Working as a Scientist materials

Subject support

Free PDFs on thinking and working like a scientist, teaching with photosynthesis experiments, teaching with models of the lung and teaching energy, which map onto the strand that carries at least 25 percent of the marks in every CE science paper.

Free

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Revising towards a pass mark that does not exist

ISEB sets no pass mark for Common Entrance. The senior school marks the scripts and sets its own grade boundaries. Ask that school what grade it wants and what percentage range that grade covers, then aim at that number.

Registering at the wrong level and receiving the wrong papers

Papers are despatched by registered level. Mathematics runs at Foundation, Core and Additional; English and science at Foundation and Core; French, Spanish, Latin and Classical Greek at Level 1 and Level 2; German at a single level. Confirm the registered level with the prep school before the closing date, because changes afterwards attract a £5 administrative fee per candidate and, for summer entries, a subject or level change is processed and charged as a fresh single-subject registration.

Skipping the 10-minute mental arithmetic test in practice

Every 13+ mathematics candidate sits the same 40-mark mental arithmetic test, whether they are entered at Foundation or Core. It is 40 marks in 10 minutes with no working time, so it rewards drilling more than any other paper in the set.

Treating Thinking and Working as a Scientist as an extra rather than a core strand

At least 25 percent of the marks in every CE science paper come from this strand. A candidate who has only memorised content will lose a quarter of the paper before answering a single knowledge question.

Splitting history time evenly between the two sections

Section A is worth 20 marks and Section B is worth 30. ISEB advises 20 to 25 minutes on the unseen evidence question and 35 to 40 minutes on the essay. Candidates who give the evidence question half the paper routinely run out of essay time.

Attempting all three sections of the theology philosophy and religion paper

The rubric asks for one question from any two of the three sections. Answering three questions in 60 minutes produces three thin answers instead of two developed ones, and only two can score.

Leaving the geography fieldwork enquiry until the exam term

The fieldwork enquiry is 40 marks and 20 percent of the geography grade, and it must involve primary data collection. Submission deadlines are 15 October for autumn, 15 January for spring and 15 March for summer, all before the written paper.

Practising the modern language speaking test only as free conversation

The test has three fixed parts: a role play worth 9 marks, a text-based task worth 8 and an open conversation worth 8. The examiner hands over one of three cards at random 10 minutes beforehand, and every role play contains one unpredictable task.

Buying recent past papers directly as a parent and finding they are unavailable

ISEB releases papers to parents, tutors and agents only one year after the session. Schools can buy them immediately. Plan around the year lag, or ask the prep school which recent papers it holds.

Assuming the 11+ mathematics paper allows a calculator

Calculating aids may not be used in the 11+ mathematics examination, even though candidates are expected to be familiar with calculators. Calculators are allowed in 11+ science and in the 13+ calculator and Additional mathematics papers.

Exam Day Tips

1
Papers are sat under invigilation at the candidate's own prep or junior school in almost every case, so there is no test centre to travel to and no external identity check to prepare for.
2
Bring a calculator only for the papers that permit one: 11+ science, the 13+ mathematics calculator paper, the 13+ Additional paper and 13+ science. Leave it in the bag for the 11+ mathematics paper and the 13+ non-calculator paper.
3
Bring a protractor and a calculator to every 13+ science paper, Core and Foundation alike, and a protractor or geoliner and a pair of compasses to the 11+ mathematics paper.
4
Read the marks printed in brackets before answering. ISEB puts them there so candidates can allocate time, and on the history paper the split of 20 and 30 marks maps directly onto the 20 to 25 and 35 to 40 minute guidance.
5
On the 11+ mathematics paper, clear the opening block of about eight one-mark numeracy questions quickly, since working need not be shown for those, then slow down for the worded questions where working carries marks.
6
On the 11+ English papers, spend the 5 minutes of reading and planning time built into each 45-minute paper rather than starting to write immediately.
7
Write legibly. Scripts are marked by hand at the receiving senior school, not by ISEB, and unreadable answers cannot be credited.
8
Answer the exact number of questions the rubric asks for: two on the theology philosophy and religion paper, two on Classical Civilisation, and all questions on the science papers, which offer no choice.
9
If English is not the candidate's first language, the permitted English-to-first-language dictionary and up to 10 percent extra time must be agreed in advance with the first-choice senior school, not requested on the day.
10
Expect no result at the desk. Scripts leave for the senior school the same day, and results reach the prep school within about a week of the session.

Career Paths & Salary Ranges

Confirmed Year 9 place at a senior school through CE at 13+

The standard outcome. ISEB advises that candidates should only be entered for CE at 13+ once a senior school has offered a place conditional on passing, so the examination confirms a place already agreed. Common Entrance is a school entrance assessment and carries no salary of its own.

Entry cost: £140 UK candidate fee

Year 7 place at an independent senior girls' school through CE at 11+

Three papers in English, mathematics and science sat in Year 6, used mainly by independent senior girls' schools, across two sessions a year in November and January with most candidates sitting in January.

Entry cost: £130 UK candidate fee

Single-subject CE entry at 13+

Used where a senior school wants evidence in one subject only, or where a candidate's school does not prepare the full range of CE subjects. ISEB designed the 13+ examination to allow a reduced number of papers for exactly this case.

Entry cost: £30 per subject

Academic scholarship candidate through CASE at 13+

The Common Academic Scholarship Examination runs in English, mathematics, science, history, geography, theology philosophy and religion, French and Latin. Senior schools choose which papers a candidate sits and mark them, and candidates usually sit them at the senior school.

Entry cost: entered and marked by the senior school, not by the candidate's family

Deferred Year 9 entry via the ISEB Pre-Tests

Four online adaptive tests in mathematics, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, taken once in Year 6 or Year 7 and shared with every senior school the candidate has applied to. Senior schools use them for Year 7 entry or for deferred entry into Year 9.

Entry cost: Pre-Test registration is made by the parent or guardian through the ISEB Guardian Portal

ISEB Project Qualification alongside CE

A pupil-led, project-based qualification available for Years 5 to 6 and Years 7 to 8, moderated by ISEB. Schools submit projects for moderation, and it runs in parallel with rather than instead of Common Entrance.

Entry cost: registered by the school through the ISEB Schools Hub

Prerequisites & Requirements

No formal qualification is required to sit Common Entrance, and there is no minimum score in any prior test.
At 13+, ISEB advises that a candidate should already hold an offer from a senior school that is conditional on passing the examination.
Candidates are normally in Year 6 for CE at 11+ and Year 8 for CE at 13+.
Entry is normally made by the candidate's prep or junior school through the Examination and Qualification Registration Area in the ISEB Schools Hub, which requires a verified ISEB School Account.
Where a candidate's current school does not offer CE, or the candidate attends a state school, parents can register online through the ISEB website.
A Head's report is required for each candidate and must reach the senior school at least two weeks before the first day of the examination session. Schools may use the ISEB Head's Report Form or the ICAS Common Transfer Form.
Subject and level choices must be settled with the senior school before the registration closing date, because papers are despatched by registered level.
Geography candidates must have completed a fieldwork enquiry involving primary data collection, submitted by 15 October, 15 January or 15 March depending on the session.
SEND candidates need their prep school to send the ISEB SEND report to the senior school and to agree access arrangements in advance; requests for print amendments beyond A3 enlargement must reach ISEB at least one year before the session.

Frequently Asked Questions

What mark do I need to pass Common Entrance?

There is no ISEB pass mark. The receiving senior school marks the scripts, sets its own grade boundaries and decides what grade an applicant needs. ISEB asks senior schools to report results as grades and to tell prep schools what percentage range each grade covers, so the only reliable target is the one the senior school gives you. Most 13+ papers are marked out of 100 and converted into letter grades. ISEB publishes no grade scale of its own, which is why it asks senior schools to tell prep schools what percentage range each of their grades covers.

Can a candidate retake Common Entrance?

ISEB operates no retake policy, because CE is a transfer assessment rather than a certificated qualification with a resit route. At 13+ there are three sessions a year, in November, January and May/June, and at 11+ there are two, in November and January, so a candidate could in principle be entered again in a later session if the senior school agrees. Each entry is charged in full at the standard candidate fee.

What happens if a candidate does badly?

Because the senior school marks the scripts and has usually already made a conditional offer, the outcome is a conversation between the two schools rather than an automatic rejection. ISEB asks heads of senior schools to telephone prep school heads about any concerns by the Tuesday of the week following the examination, and to send prep schools an overall report on their candidates' performance. What follows is entirely the senior school's decision, since ISEB has no role in it.

How much does Common Entrance cost?

The UK candidate fee is £130 for CE at 11+ and £140 for CE at 13+. A 13+ candidate taking a single subject only pays £30. A candidate moving from a prep school to its parent senior school at 11+ pays £50. ISEB states that these fees cover the setting, printing and despatch of papers and the associated administration.

Are there extra fees beyond the entry fee?

Yes, three published ones. Late entries received after the closing date cost £50 per school. Changes to individual candidate details after the closing date, such as a change of school, subject or level, are likely to attract an administrative fee of £5 per candidate, and for summer entries a subject or level change is processed and charged as a fresh single-subject registration. A certificate reprint costs £10. If a change results in extra papers being despatched, courier and packing charges are added.

Does Common Entrance expire, and is there any renewal?

No. Common Entrance is a one-off transfer assessment tied to a specific admissions round, so there is nothing to renew and no continuing education requirement. The result is used by the senior school that marked it, for entry in that admissions cycle.

Is the exam taken online?

No. Common Entrance and CASE are paper-based examinations, sat under invigilation at the candidate's own prep or junior school in almost every case, with CASE usually sat at the senior school. The online, adaptive assessment in the ISEB range is the separate ISEB Pre-Tests, taken in Year 6 or Year 7 in mathematics, English, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.

What identification does a candidate need on the day?

None in the sense used by commercial test centres. Candidates sit CE at their own school under invigilators who know them, following ISEB's Examination Regulations and Instructions to Invigilators. The identity work happens through registration: the prep school registers the candidate and submits the details, and the head signs a Centre Declaration Form confirming that examination procedures were followed, which goes to the senior school at the end of the examination period.

Are calculators allowed?

It depends on the paper. Calculating aids may not be used in the 11+ mathematics examination. Calculators are allowed in 11+ science, in every 13+ science paper, in the 13+ mathematics calculator paper and in the optional 13+ Additional mathematics paper. Geography candidates may also bring a calculator, a piece of string and a magnifying glass. The 13+ non-calculator paper and the 10-minute mental arithmetic test allow none.

Is any reference material supplied in the exam?

Some. Every 13+ geography written paper contains an Ordnance Survey map and colour resources such as photographs or diagrams. In Latin and Classical Greek, vocabulary outside the prescribed list is glossed on the paper. On the Foundation science paper, formulae and units are supplied for calculations and rearrangement is not required, an allowance that Core candidates do not get.

What access arrangements are available?

ISEB publishes an Access Arrangements for CE document and asks prep schools with SEND candidates to contact the relevant senior school to discuss each candidate's needs and to send the ISEB SEND report. Candidates with specific learning difficulties may use computers, and in particular cases schools may provide a reader or an amanuensis. ISEB can enlarge papers to A3 for visually impaired candidates; other print amendments must be requested at least one year before the session so ISEB can quote for them.

What support is there for candidates whose first language is not English?

Candidates whose first language is not English are allowed to use English-to-first-language dictionaries. They are also allowed up to 10 percent extra time if they have studied in the medium of English for fewer than three years. Both must be agreed in advance with the candidate's first-choice senior school.

How does the score scale work?

There is no scaled score and no equating. Papers are marked as raw marks against ISEB mark schemes, most 13+ papers being out of 100, and the senior school converts those raw marks into grades using boundaries it sets itself. Individual paper totals vary: the 13+ science Core papers are 60 marks each, the geography written paper is 80, the history paper is 50 and the mental arithmetic test is 40.

When do results arrive?

For CE at 13+ in the autumn and spring sessions, results should reach prep schools by the Thursday of the week following the examinations, with parents informed on the Friday. For the summer session, results should reach prep schools by the Friday of the week following, with parents informed on the Monday. For CE at 11+, results should reach prep schools by the Friday of the week following the examinations, with parents informed on the Saturday.

Are scripts returned to the candidate?

Only if the senior school chooses to return them. ISEB states that the return of individual examination scripts by senior schools is entirely at their discretion. Prep schools can, however, ask for subject-level feedback, and ISEB invites senior schools to send prep school heads an overall report on their candidates' performance.

How does CE compare with the ISEB Pre-Tests?

The Pre-Tests are four online adaptive assessments in mathematics, English reading comprehension and grammar, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, taken once in Year 6 or Year 7, age-standardised, with results available to senior schools immediately and shared across every school the candidate applied to. CE is paper-based, subject-specific, taken in Year 6 or Year 8, and marked by the individual senior school. Where a school uses both, the Pre-Test usually drives the conditional offer and CE confirms the standard has held.

How does CE compare with CASE?

CASE is the Common Academic Scholarship Examination at 13+, introduced in the 1990s and set in English, mathematics, science, history, geography, theology philosophy and religion, French and Latin. It is built on the harder end of the CE 13+ specifications, for example CASE mathematics runs to one 90-minute paper based on the Additional specification. Senior schools enter candidates for CASE, choose the papers and mark them, and candidates usually sit them at the senior school. Not every CE candidate sits CASE.

Should a candidate sit Foundation or Core?

That is a decision for the prep school in consultation with the senior school, and ISEB says so explicitly. Senior schools may state which level they prefer in English, mathematics and science. In science, the ISEB specification recommends considering the Foundation paper for candidates expected to average less than 35 percent across the three Core papers. ISEB stresses that candidates are not expected to tackle papers beyond their ability.

Can a candidate sit only some of the CE subjects?

Yes. ISEB states that the CE examination is flexible enough to allow candidates from schools that do not prepare pupils for the traditional range of CE subjects to offer a reduced number of papers, and it charges £30 for a single-subject 13+ entry. English, mathematics and science are the compulsory core at both 11+ and 13+ for a full entry.

Where can families get official past papers?

The ISEB online shop is the only official source of CE and CASE past papers. Parents, guardians, individual teachers, agents and tutors can order printed Exam Packs through the public shop, but only from one year after the session took place. Schools with a verified ISEB School Account can order print-on-demand papers and digital PDF bundles immediately after each live session, and can place Advance Orders.

Success Stories

“Start past papers in January of Year 8 at latest. The ISEB papers are the best practice. Don't underestimate Latin if your school requires it.”

Oliver M.

Admitted to Eton

Score: Passed all subjects

“We found that consistent work throughout Year 7 and 8 was key. Cramming doesn't work for CE - the curriculum is too broad. Regular revision made all the difference.”

Parent

Daughter admitted to Wycombe Abbey

Score: Scholarship winner

“CE is very manageable with proper preparation. The challenge is maintaining standards across all subjects simultaneously. We recommend starting focused revision in Year 8 Autumn Term.”

Prep school head

Educational perspective

Score: N/A

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