CAT4 Test 2026: What It Is, Question Types, Scoring & Free Practice

The CAT4 test (Cognitive Abilities Test) is a standardised assessment created by GL Assessment to measure how students think, rather than what they have been taught. It focuses on reasoning skills across four areas – verbal, quantitative, non-verbal, and spatial – to give schools a clearer picture of a student’s learning profile and future academic potential.

CAT4 measures four main types of reasoning:

• Verbal reasoning – thinking with words and language.
• Quantitative reasoning – working with numbers and numerical patterns.
• Non-verbal reasoning – solving problems using shapes, patterns, and abstract visual information.
• Spatial reasoning – imagining and manipulating shapes in space, important for many STEM subjects.

Together, these areas help schools understand how a student processes information and where they may need support or extra challenge.

CAT4 is typically used with students aged around 6 to 17+. Schools usually administer it from the early primary years up to secondary school. The test is divided into levels (X, Y, A–G), and each level is matched to a specific year group and age range so that scores can be fairly compared with national norms for that age.

CAT4 is a multiple-choice test delivered either online or on paper. For most levels (A–G), it is organised into three main parts, each made up of short, timed subtests that cover the four reasoning batteries. In total, the assessment usually takes around two to a little over two hours, including instructions and short breaks, although the exact timing can vary slightly by level.

CAT4 results are reported using several standardised scores:

• Standard Age Scores (SAS) – compare a student’s performance to others of the same age, with an average score of 100.
• National Percentile Rank (NPR) – shows the percentage of students in the same age group who scored below that student.
• Stanines (ST) – group scores into nine broad bands from 1 (very low) to 9 (very high).

Scores are usually given for each battery as well as an overall profile, helping teachers see both strengths and areas that may need support.

In CAT4, a Standard Age Score of around 100 is considered average for a student’s age. Scores in the 89–111 range are broadly average, 112–126 are above average, and scores 127 and above indicate a very high level of reasoning for that age. On the stanine scale, stanines 4–6 are average, while 7–9 are above average. However, “good” always depends on context, the school, and the individual student’s learning history.

CAT4 is not marketed as a traditional IQ test. It does measure underlying reasoning abilities that are related to intelligence, but its main purpose is educational: to help schools understand how a student learns best and where they may need support or extension. CAT4 results should always be interpreted alongside classroom performance, teacher observations, and other assessments, rather than used as a single label for a child’s ability.

GL Assessment emphasises that CAT4 is designed to measure underlying reasoning rather than taught curriculum knowledge, and they do not formally endorse practice materials. At the same time, many parents and schools find that gentle preparation – becoming familiar with question styles, practising similar puzzles, and working on timing – can reduce anxiety and help students show their true ability under timed conditions.

The most helpful preparation focuses on understanding question types and building confidence, not on memorising specific questions.

Schools use CAT4 profiles to inform a wide range of decisions. Results can support setting and streaming, help identify students who may benefit from extra support or enrichment, and guide curriculum planning in subjects like maths, science, and languages.

In some schools, CAT4 also feeds into decisions about admissions, scholarships, or selection for gifted and talented programmes, but it should always be considered alongside other evidence.