A boarding school assessment day is a visit on which a candidate sits written or online tests, meets staff for an interview and sees the school at work, with the exact mix set by each school's admissions page. At 13+ the day usually sits beside the ISEB Pre-Test or the school's own assessment, whilst at 16+ it tends to centre on subject papers and a conversation about the subjects chosen for Year 12. International candidates may also have sat UKiset beforehand.
Because each school sets its own format, the invitation and the admissions page decide what a candidate will meet, and the practices described here are attributed to the bodies and schools that publish them. Families who read the invitation closely, practise the test format in advance and arrive rested tend to find the day more predictable. A tutor can help the student practise and prepare for the written elements.
What does a boarding school assessment day include?
An assessment day usually combines tests, an interview and time seeing the school, although each school's own page decides the mix. One school's admissions page describes some lessons followed by online tests in English, maths and verbal and spatial reasoning, then an informal interview with the Headmaster or a senior leader. Downe House describes its 13+ boarding day as an interview with the Headmistress, a collaborative task and a piece of creative or persuasive writing, and for younger entry adds a tour with lunch alongside current pupils.
Boarding applicants may also spend a night in a boarding house. The Boarding Schools' Association states that many boarding schools are happy for a prospective student to stay overnight, and advises families to raise it with the Headteacher. Oundle describes boarding candidates staying overnight during its 16+ assessment weekend, whilst another school's Sixth Form page treats the overnight stay as an optional addition to the taster day.
- Written papers or computer-based tests in the subjects the school names
- A group or collaborative task, where the school sets one
- An interview with the Head, a senior leader or a head of sixth form
- A tour, lessons or lunch with current pupils
- An overnight stay in a boarding house, where the school offers it
How does the day differ at 13+ and 16+?
At 13+ the day usually follows an initial academic screen and leads towards a conditional place, whereas at 16+ it usually centres on subject papers and an interview. ISEB states that the Pre-Tests are used for entry to Year 7 or, in some cases, delayed entry to Year 9, and that Common Entrance at 13+ is held in the summer term to evaluate candidates for Year 9. Children should only be entered if they hold an offer subject to passing, and some schools also ask for an interview or a report from the current school.
At 16+ the papers tend to match the subjects the student hopes to study in Year 12. Oundle shortlists from an online application, then invites candidates to an assessment weekend with papers in chosen Sixth Form subjects, or a general paper plus subject papers, and an interview. Another school's page describes a taster day of lessons in the intended A Level subjects, time with current sixth formers, lunch and an interview with the Headmaster. Oundle asks overseas candidates to sit the same papers, at a British Council office where they are not sitting at the school.
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Enquire about this tutorHow does the assessment day relate to the ISEB Pre-Tests and UKiset?
The Pre-Tests and UKiset are online adaptive tests that schools use as part of admissions, so the school's page states whether they come before, replace or sit alongside its own day. ISEB describes the Pre-Tests as multiple-choice, adaptive, online tests in English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, with the system assessing the pupil's ability after each response and choosing the next question at a suitable difficulty. A pupil sits them once and shares the Applicant ID with each senior school. Downe House's 13+ boarding page shows the sequence: pupils sit the Pre-Test first, and those with strong scores may be invited to the day.
UKiset is an assessment developed with Cambridge University Press & Assessment for international candidates applying to British independent schools. Its own page describes an adaptive test that includes identity checks, is usually sat online under secure invigilation and compares results with British students of the same age. One report can be sent to several schools, which may reduce the number of separate entrance exams a family sits. The page does not say how the report relates to a school visit, so the school's admissions page decides.
What should a student bring and how should they rest?
A student should bring whatever the invitation lists, because the school's own joining instructions take priority over any general advice. None of the official pages read for this article gives a universal packing list. One school's admissions page asks, at registration, for the child's latest school report and a copy of the passport, with the parents' passports for international families. Boarding candidates staying overnight can ask the admissions office what the school provides.
For computer-based tests, ISEB recommends that a child familiarises themselves with the test platform, format and adjustable features, and offers a free Pre-Tests Walkthrough for this. ISEB also states that extra revision is not necessary because the Pre-Tests map to the national curriculum, although some families find extra practice reassuring. A tutor can help the student practise the format and the subjects of any written papers.
Rest is a practical matter on which the official pages are silent. It tends to help to settle travel plans the day before, keep the evening before ordinary, allow time for breakfast and, for 16+ candidates, look over subject notes lightly. A student who arrives calm has more attention for the tests and the interview.
How can parents support a student on assessment day?
Parents can support the day by reading the invitation closely, preparing questions with the student and letting the student speak for themselves. ISEB's guide to open days advises writing questions down in advance, encouraging the child to ask questions of current students and staff, and respecting a hesitant child's choice to stay quiet, perhaps by letting them write questions for the parent to ask. The same guide advises prioritising the child's feelings about a school over its name.
The Boarding Schools' Association suggests asking about evenings, weekends and pastoral care, talking to pupils and discussing with the Head any special provision a child may need, such as for dyslexia or autism. It also recommends speaking to the Headteacher early, since the entrance test helps the school judge whether it can meet the child's needs and the conversation lets the family confirm the school suits the child.
How do the day and the test results lead to an offer?
A school usually weighs test results, performance on the day and a reference from the current school before it makes an offer. Downe House states that it offers places on the basis of strong Pre-Test scores, good performance on the day and the current Headteacher's recommendation. Another school's page says offers follow the interview process, that some candidates are placed on a waiting list, and that the school asks the current Head for a reference beforehand. A third school sends decision letters with an offer of a place and a start date, after which parents formally accept and enrol.
Many offers are conditional. A Sixth Form page describes a conditional offer subject to GCSE results, with the Headmaster speaking to the student if results differ from predictions, and ISEB states that each senior school sets its own grade requirements for Common Entrance. Each school's page states the conditions that apply, and the sixth-form scholarships guide covers scholarship routes.
What should families do after the assessment day?
After the day, families should reflect together, respond to any offer by the school's stated process and send whatever further information the school requests. ISEB advises reviewing and reflecting on the choice as a family, because each member may have different priorities. The Boarding Schools' Association advises applying to more than one school where a family is unsure the child will qualify, and warns that schools may ask for a deposit that is unlikely to be returnable, so the terms are worth reading before accepting.
Where an offer is conditional, the school will state what it needs next, such as later exam results, and some schools invite offer holders to a further day to meet their house and housemaster. International families who need a visa can find the Child Student visa requirements on gov.uk, which sets out who needs one to study at an independent school in the UK.
Related guides
- 13+ Common Entrance tutors
- ISEB Common Pre-Test guide
- Sixth form tutors
- The 13+ interview
- Boarding schools in the UK
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Frequently asked questions
- Do boarding applicants stay overnight on an assessment day?
- Sometimes. The Boarding Schools' Association states that many boarding schools are happy for a prospective student to stay overnight in a boarding house, and it advises discussing a taster stay with the Headteacher. Oundle describes boarding candidates staying overnight during its assessment weekend, whilst another school treats the overnight stay as an optional addition for boarders. The school's admissions page or invitation states whether a night is included.
- Does a candidate need to revise for the assessment day?
- Revision depends on the papers a school sets. For the ISEB Pre-Tests, ISEB states that extra revision is not necessary because the tests map to the national curriculum, and it recommends familiarising the child with the test platform through the free Pre-Tests Walkthrough. For 16+ subject papers, the school's page names the subjects, and a tutor can help the student practise them.
- Is the assessment day different for international students?
- Some schools set the same papers for overseas candidates. Oundle states that overseas applicants sit the same papers as UK candidates, at a British Council office if they are not sitting them at the school, whilst another school's 16+ page requires interview candidates to attend in person, including from overseas. UKiset is a test for international candidates, one report can go to several schools, and gov.uk answers visa questions.
- Does a good Pre-Test or UKiset result guarantee an invitation?
- No result guarantees an invitation or an offer. Downe House states that pupils with strong Pre-Test scores may be invited to its day, and the offer then draws on performance on the day and the Headteacher's recommendation. The UKiset page says schools use the profile to make better-informed decisions about international applicants, and each school's admissions page states its own process.
- What happens if results at 16+ differ from predictions?
- One Sixth Form page states that a conditional offer follows subject to GCSE results, that the Headmaster will speak to the student directly if results differ from predictions, and that circumstances affecting results are taken into account. Other schools set their own conditions, so the offer letter and the school's admissions page are the places to check before the student sits the exams.
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