Common Entrance

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The Common Entrance Examinations are set by the Independent Schools Examinations Board, for entry at age 11+ (normally for girls), or at age 13+ (normally for boys) to UK independent schools. They are academic entrance examinations common to almost all UK private or independent schools (often known as Public Schools), and may be taken in the UK or abroad. They are the only examinations taken by independent school pupils before the official GCSE, and so provide the only remote equivalent to the Standard Assessment Tests at Key Stages used in the state sector. In effect the Common Entrance determines the academic syllabus for the whole independent sector before the GCSE course (which is for 2-3 years, nominally to age 16).

English, Mathematics and Science are compulsory core subjects. Other papers can be chosen from French, German, Spanish; Latin, Greek; Geography, History, and Religious Studies. Most senior schools expect candidates to offer Geography, History, Religious Studies and one or two languages, but pupils from schools which do not offer the traditional range of subjects or weaker pupils can offer a reduced number of papers: entrance requirements are dictated only by the senior school, not by the examination.

The exam has no official standing, because it is used only by the private sector. Independent schools may naturally determine their entry requirements, generally or in individual cases, but the Common Entrance allows preparatory schools (known in the UK as Prep Schools) to teach almost all pupils to a common syllabus, and provides a fair basis on which a public school can compare candidates from different prep schools.

Candidates usually sit the CE exam papers at their own prep schools, at a fixed date; but papers are marked by the preferred senior school, who mark them immediately and will if necessary arrange with the prep school to forward the papers to a second-choice school.

Many schools also use the CE exam as the basis for awarding entrance scholarships and bursaries, but often also apply their own further interviews, tests, or examinations. Likewise artistic, musical or sporting achievements are not examined by Common Entrance, but may be taken into account by reports or other means.

In practice the Common Entrance exam, while providing valuable discipline and motivation, only rarely determines admission, and failure should be an exceptional event. It is in the interests of neither of the schools nor the pupil if a candidate is either admitted to a too-demanding school, or fails an exam. Prep schools should be able to assess and report their candidates' prospects accurately. Parents should be rightly disappointed if a prep school advises that a pupil can attempt Common Entrance to an inappropriate school, or if a public school allows an excessive number of candidates to sit the exam.

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(see Independent Schools Examinations Board website http://www.iseb.co.uk/p_1.htm )