CAT4 Admissions Test: How Schools Use It, What Scores Matter, and How to Prepare

What is CAT4, and why do schools use it for admissions?

The CAT4 admissions test is the Cognitive Abilities Test, Fourth Edition — a reasoning assessment made by GL Assessment and used by independent, international, and grammar schools to assess applicants. The test measures how a child reasons with words, numbers, shapes, and space. Most school exams test what a child has learned in English and Maths. CAT4 is different. It looks at how a child thinks, not what they have been taught.

Schools use CAT4 for admissions because it gives them something a normal subject exam cannot: a measure of reasoning that does not depend on the curriculum a child has studied. This is useful in three main situations.

1. Fair comparison across different backgrounds. A child from a small village primary school and a child from a large prep school with private tutoring may have very different levels of subject knowledge. CAT4 can show whether both have the reasoning ability to do well in a demanding academic school. This is one reason some schools have moved towards reasoning tests — they reduce the head start that heavy tutoring gives to wealthier families. In practice, knowing the question formats — especially the less common spatial ones — still gives a child a real advantage. That is why some preparation is still worthwhile, even though CAT4 is designed to limit the effect of coaching.
2. International admissions. A child moving from a school in the UAE, Hong Kong, or Singapore may have studied a completely different curriculum. CAT4 gives schools a single, shared benchmark that works no matter which national system the child came from. Three of its four batteries contain no language at all, so they work across borders. (The verbal battery is the exception, which matters for families who speak English as a second language — more on that below.)
3. Finding hidden potential. CAT4 can reveal strong reasoning in children who do not shine on traditional exams. This includes children who speak English as an additional language (EAL), because the non-verbal and spatial parts need no English at all. It also includes children whose previous school never stretched them.

Where in the world is CAT4 used?

CAT4 is used in over 100 countries. It began in the UK, but it has become the standard admissions test across British-curriculum schools worldwide.

Which schools use CAT4 for admissions?

CAT4 is used as an admissions tool by three main types of school.

International schools worldwide

CAT4 is the standard admissions test across most British-curriculum international schools. It is deeply built into school admissions in the UAE, where it is often called the "gold standard." It is also widely used in Hong Kong, Singapore, and across international schools in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. These schools value CAT4 because it gives a fair, shared benchmark for students arriving from many different systems.

UK independent (private) schools

Many leading UK independent schools use CAT4 as their entrance test, either instead of or alongside the traditional 11+ exam. Some prefer it because the 11+ tests retained knowledge, while CAT4 measures potential in a different way. CAT4 is usually taken in the autumn or winter term of Year 6 for Year 7 entry, often with a face-to-face interview.

UK prep schools also use CAT4 results to guide conversations about senior schools. Because CAT4 is similar in style to the ISEB Pre-Test, prep schools use the results to help predict which senior schools a child is likely to be competitive for.

The most selective UK independent schools usually look for a Standard Age Score of 115 or higher. The most over-subscribed schools may expect 125 or more.

UK grammar schools

Grammar schools use CAT4 in two main ways. Most use it inside the school after admission, for setting, streaming, and tracking progress — not to select students. A smaller number use it for late-transfer entry at Year 8 or Year 9, where no standard 11+ exam exists. For late transfer, the CAT4 result is usually combined with an interview and a school report.

A note for EAL families: understanding the verbal score

This section matters most for families who speak English as a second language. The verbal battery — Verbal Classification and Verbal Analogies — needs English vocabulary and language skill. If your child learned to read and write mainly in Arabic, French, Mandarin, or another language, a lower verbal score is expected and normal. It does not mean weak reasoning. It means less exposure to English, which is a different thing.

GL Assessment's own international data confirms this pattern. International school groups usually score higher than UK averages on the non-verbal, quantitative, and spatial batteries, and lower on verbal. This is a direct result of how many international school students speak English as an additional language.

Schools that are experienced with international admissions — in the UAE, Singapore, and Hong Kong especially — read CAT4 profiles with this in mind. A student with a verbal SAS of 95 but scores of 118, 122, and 116 on the other three batteries is not a borderline candidate. They are a strong candidate whose English is still growing. If you are applying from an EAL background, ask the admissions team directly how they weigh the four batteries. Most experienced offices will tell you.

How CAT4 compares to other admissions tests

Parents often meet CAT4 alongside other test names — the 11+, the ISEB Pre-Test, UKiset, or CEM tests. Knowing how they differ helps you prepare the right way.

CAT4 vs the 11+

The 11+ is the traditional entrance exam for grammar schools and some independent schools. It used to come in two versions — GL Assessment and CEM — but since 2023 GL Assessment has become the main provider: CEM withdrew from the standard paper 11+, and most grammar schools moved to GL. (CEM's current computer-based test, Cambridge Select Insight, is covered further down.)

The big difference: CAT4 does not test English or Maths content. A child who reads well but finds shapes hard may score very differently on CAT4 than on a GL 11+ paper. If a school uses CAT4, practising a normal 11+ English or Maths paper will not help much — the question types are not the same.

CAT4 vs the ISEB Common Pre-Test

The ISEB Common Pre-Test is an adaptive, computer-based test used by many leading UK independent schools. It screens candidates in Year 6 or 7, before Common Entrance at 13+. It tests English, Maths, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning.

The ISEB Pre-Test is developed and run by GL Assessment on behalf of ISEB (the Independent Schools Examinations Board). This is why its reasoning sections look so similar to CAT4 in style. The main difference is that the ISEB Pre-Test also has English and Maths sections that test curriculum knowledge, which CAT4 does not.

If your child is sitting both the ISEB Pre-Test and CAT4 for different schools, the reasoning practice carries straight over. The extra work needed for ISEB is the English comprehension and the Maths content.

CAT4 vs UKiset

UKiset is an online test used by many UK independent schools to assess international students applying from overseas. It tests Vocabulary, Non-Verbal Reasoning, and Mathematical Reasoning, plus an English essay.

CAT4 and UKiset overlap a lot in non-verbal and mathematical reasoning. The main differences: UKiset has a vocabulary section and an essay, while CAT4 has a spatial battery (Figure Analysis and Figure Recognition) that UKiset does not. UKiset can be taken at approved test centres worldwide, while CAT4 is normally taken in school. A child applying to UK boarding schools from overseas may sit UKiset as a first filter, then CAT4 as part of the school's own assessment once shortlisted.

CAT4 vs CEM Select and the Harrow Test

Two names parents often ask about belong here. CEM (the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring, now part of Cambridge) left the standard paper 11+ in 2023. Its current test is Cambridge Select Insight — a computer-based assessment of verbal, numerical, and non-verbal reasoning used by a smaller number of selective schools. CAT4's reasoning practice prepares a child well for its reasoning sections.

The Harrow Test is different again. Harrow School uses the ISEB Common Pre-Test as a first-stage filter, then invites shortlisted boys to sit its own bespoke assessment — a short interview, a computerised English and Maths test, and a group activity. It is not a CEM test. CAT4's reasoning practice helps with the reasoning demands of these school tests, but any English and Maths parts need separate preparation.

Summary: which schools use which test?

What CAT4 score do schools look for?

There is no single "pass mark" for CAT4 in admissions. Each school sets its own expectations, and most do not publish a cut-off score. Still, the ranges below are widely used. The Standard Age Score (SAS) has an average of 100, so the percentile column shows roughly how a score compares to other children of the same age.

What about the confidence band?

Every CAT4 report shows a confidence band around each SAS score. This is a small range that shows where the child's "true score" is likely to sit. Schools that understand CAT4 well read the band, not just the single number. A score of SAS 112 with a band of 107–117 tells the school the child's ability sits somewhere in that range, not exactly at 112.

Understanding the CAT4 report

After the test, the school receives a report showing the SAS, the National Percentile Rank (NPR), and a Stanine score for each of the four batteries, plus an overall mean and a cognitive profile.

A Stanine (short for "standard nine") is a simple 1–9 scale. Stanine 5 is average, 7–9 is above average, and 1–3 is below average. Because each band covers a range of scores, it is good for a quick comparison but less exact than the SAS itself.

The cognitive profile plots all four battery scores next to the child's overall mean. A balanced profile keeps all four within about 10–12 SAS points of each other. A spiked profile has one or more batteries much higher or lower than the rest. Schools read this shape carefully — a big gap may lead to a conversation with parents or a note in the file.

For a full walkthrough of SAS, Stanines, percentiles, and how to read every part of a CAT4 report, see our CAT4 Test Results Explained guide.

When is CAT4 used in the admissions timeline?

The timing depends on the school type and country.

How CAT4 is administered

When CAT4 is used for admissions, the process usually looks like this.

CAT4 and SEN: can my child get extra time?

This is one of the most common questions parents ask, so it deserves a clear answer. According to GL Assessment's official guidance, extra time is not allowed for CAT4. The test measures not only whether a child reaches the right answer, but how they reason within set time limits. Giving extra time would make the score unfair to compare against the national norm group.

Contact GL Assessment or the school for guidance on your child's specific needs.

If your child has a diagnosis that usually brings access arrangements in other exams, raise it with the admissions team before the test date. The school cannot change the timed format, but they can make sure your child sits in suitable conditions and that the admissions committee knows the background when they read the result.

How to prepare for CAT4 as an admissions test

GL Assessment says "no prior preparation is necessary" because CAT4 measures reasoning, not taught knowledge. This means you cannot raise your child's real reasoning ceiling by drilling content, and that is true. What it does not address is this: a child performing at their best on test day still needs to know the question formats. A child who sees Figure Analysis for the first time, under a timer, is not showing their reasoning ability — they are working out an unfamiliar format. Preparation does not inflate scores. It removes the penalty of seeing a question type for the first time.

Preparation helps for three practical reasons.

1. Familiarity with question types. Some formats are new to most children — especially Figure Analysis (folding and unfolding shapes in your head) and Figure Recognition (finding a target shape hidden in a complex figure). Seeing these for the first time under a timer wastes time the child should spend reasoning.
2. Timing and pace. CAT4 is strictly timed. Children who have practised at pace manage their time better and finish more questions.
3. Confidence and less anxiety. A child who knows what to expect — the screen, the audio instructions, the flow of questions — feels calmer. Test nerves can pull scores down, and familiarity is the simplest fix.

What good preparation looks like

• ✓Start 3–6 months before the test. This is enough time to cover all four batteries without pressure.
• ✓Cover all four question types. Most children find Verbal Classification and Number Series fairly familiar. The areas that gain most from practice are Spatial Ability and Non-Verbal Reasoning — the types children rarely meet in normal schoolwork.
• ✓Practise under timed conditions. Once your child knows the question types, add timed sessions that copy real test conditions. This builds pace and stamina.
• ✓Review the reasons, not just the answers. The most useful part of practice is understanding why an answer is right. Ask your child to explain their thinking out loud — it deepens their grasp of the patterns.
• ✓Do not over-prepare. CAT4 cannot be crammed. Weeks of long daily drilling backfire and raise anxiety. Short sessions (20–30 minutes, 3–4 times a week) over a few months work far better.

CAT4 admissions: what schools won't always tell you

• CAT4 is rarely the only factor. Most schools use it alongside other evidence — school reports, teacher references, interviews, and sometimes extra English or Maths papers. A strong CAT4 score alone does not guarantee an offer, and a borderline score does not always mean a rejection.
• Schools read the profile, not just the mean. A school will look at the shape of the scores across the four batteries. A big gap (for example, Verbal SAS 130 but Spatial SAS 90) may lead to further questions or a chat with parents.
• EAL students are not automatically at a disadvantage. Many international schools, and some UK schools, are skilled at reading CAT4 profiles from EAL children. A lower verbal score alongside strong non-verbal, quantitative, and spatial scores is a known pattern, and many schools weigh the non-verbal batteries more heavily for these applicants.
• CAT4 is used for more than a yes/no decision. Even after admission, the results may guide class placement (setting or streaming), help spot students for gifted and talented programmes, or set baseline predictions for future GCSE or A-Level grades.

Can CAT4 be taken in other languages?

On the Testwise platform, students can choose Arabic for the instructions and practice questions. When a student selects Arabic, they see Arabic versions of the instructions before the test begins. Some versions also offer Mandarin and Malay instructions for international use.

The actual test questions, though, are in English. The non-verbal, quantitative, and spatial question types contain no language, so they work for any child. But the verbal battery needs English to answer. There is no full version of CAT4 where the reasoning questions themselves appear in another language.

CAT4 practice by level

Choose the CAT4 level that matches the year group your child is applying for. Each page has free sample questions, downloadable PDFs, and preparation tips.

Not sure which level? Use the CAT4 Levels Guide to find the right one.

Practise by battery

You can also prepare one reasoning area at a time. Each guide includes free sample questions and tips.

Next steps

If your child has been asked to take CAT4 as part of a school application, here is where to start.

1. Confirm the level. Use the CAT4 Levels Guide, or ask the school which level they will use.
2. Try a sample test. Download a free CAT4 practice PDF for your child's level, or take a free online practice test.
3. Understand the scores. Read the CAT4 Test Results guide so you know what to expect on report day.
4. Read the full guide. For background on the test itself, see the complete CAT4 guide.