Year 8 entry · independent schools

13+ Common Entrance & Pretest

The 13+ route is entry to Year 9, used mainly by boarding schools and some London day schools. It's a second bite at many top independent schools for families who missed out at 11+.

The two stages

Stage 1 · Year 6 or 7

ISEB Pretest

A 2½ hour adaptive computer-based test — the same ISEB Pretest used for 11+ entry — taken early as a first-stage filter. Schools decide whether to conditionally offer a place pending Common Entrance.

Full ISEB Pretest guide →

Stage 2 · June of Year 8

Common Entrance

Written papers across English, Maths, Science, Languages, Humanities. Graded papers at different difficulty levels. Each school sets its own pass mark; typically 60%+ for conditional offer to convert.

How to prep from Year 7

Most prep schools teach to Common Entrance from Year 6. If your child is in a state primary, the gap by end of Year 8 can be significant — start structured prep in Year 7 at the latest.

  • Year 7: Build Common Entrance foundations in Maths, English, Science. Aim for KS3 level + 1.
  • Year 8 autumn: ISEB Pretest practice (if not already taken). Start past papers for Common Entrance.
  • Year 8 spring: Structured past paper practice weekly. Mock exams every half-term.
  • Year 8 summer: Full mock exam days. Language orals. Common Entrance sitting in June.

FAQ

What is the difference between 11+ and 13+?

11+ is entry to Year 7 (age 11). 13+ is entry to Year 9 (age 13), used almost exclusively by independent schools for a second-year entry cohort. Many boarding schools and some day schools prefer 13+ entry.

When is the 13+ exam sat?

The 13+ Pretest (an ISEB test) is often sat in Year 6 or Year 7 as an initial filter. The full Common Entrance exam happens at the end of Year 8 (June). Some schools use scholarship exams in Year 8 instead.

Which schools use 13+?

Most leading boarding schools (Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Westminster, Charterhouse, Marlborough, Rugby) and a number of day schools including some London indies. Where both routes exist, 13+ often has fewer places but lower competition than 11+.

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