Common Entrance & the 13+ Examination: Everything International Families Need to Know

The 13+ examination — whether via the Common Entrance route or a school's own bespoke papers — is the principal gateway to entry into the UK's senior independent schools at age thirteen. For international families, understanding how this system works, and how best to prepare for it, is critical to securing a place at the right school.

What is the Common Entrance Examination?

The Common Entrance (CE) examination is a standardised set of assessments, developed and administered by the Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB), used by the majority of UK independent senior schools to assess candidates for entry at age thirteen (Year 9). CE examinations are taken in the summer term of Year 8, typically in May or June, with results released in July.

Common Entrance is a curriculum-based assessment covering English, mathematics, science, and a range of optional subjects including history, geography, French, Spanish, Latin, Greek, religious studies, and computing. The level of attainment required for entry varies between schools — and this is a crucial point that is often misunderstood by international families.

Pass Marks and School-Specific Requirements

There is no universal pass mark for Common Entrance. Each school sets its own threshold, and these thresholds vary enormously. A student who achieves sixty percent in CE English might be refused entry to one school while being readily accepted at another. For the most selective schools — Eton, Winchester, Marlborough, Radley — the effective bar is considerably higher, often seventy percent or above across most subjects.

Crucially, most selective schools have already made their admissions decisions before CE results are received. The formal CE examination is, for these schools, a confirmation exercise rather than a competitive assessment. The real selection has already taken place via the pre-test and interview process in Years 6 or 7. Conditional offers have already been made by the time students sit CE.

Schools That Set Their Own Papers

A number of the most selective schools — including Eton College and Westminster School — do not use Common Entrance at all. They set their own entrance and scholarship papers, which are typically more challenging, more analytical, and more reflective of the academic culture of the school itself. Preparing for these papers requires specific, targeted coaching from tutors familiar with their particular demands.

"The 13+ process is a two-stage competition: a pre-test that determines whether a conditional offer is made, and a final examination that determines whether the conditions have been met."

Preparing for Common Entrance: A Timeline

International students face particular challenges in preparing for CE, as the curriculum covered is that of the UK National Curriculum at Key Stage 3. Students educated in China or other international systems will not have followed this curriculum and will require dedicated preparation to cover the syllabus effectively. A well-structured two-year preparation programme — beginning in Year 7 at the latest — is strongly recommended.

Key preparation milestones include:

• Year 6: Register with target schools; sit pre-tests; begin English language development and UK curriculum familiarisation.

• Year 7: Intensive CE subject preparation; attend school open days and visits; receive conditional offers.

• Year 8 (Spring Term): Mock CE examinations; scholarship examinations (if applicable); final targeted revision.

• Year 8 (Summer Term): Formal CE examinations; results and confirmation of places.

The 11+ Alternative: Entry at Year 7

For families who wish to begin UK independent school education at age eleven rather than thirteen, the 11+ examination is the relevant entry point. This is particularly common for London day schools — including the North London Collegiate School, City of London Girls' School, and King's College School Wimbledon — which recruit primarily at Year 7. The 11+ process involves separate entrance examinations in English and mathematics, typically taken in January of Year 6.

Support for International Students

Schools are generally sympathetic to the specific challenges faced by international candidates and will often make provisions for students whose first language is not English. However, this sympathy has limits — and schools will not lower their academic standards. The most effective approach for international families is to begin preparation early, seek expert guidance, and ensure that English language development is treated as an absolute priority throughout the preparation period.

Expert 13+ Preparation and Admissions Support

U.K. Independent Education has guided many international students through the 13+ and 11+ processes, from pre-test preparation and conditional offer stage through to final Common Entrance success. We work with experienced UK curriculum tutors and draw on extensive knowledge of each school's specific requirements to give every student the strongest possible chance of success.