Study in Cothill

Common Entrance

Some UK independent senior schools use Common Entrance, set by the ISEB, for admission. These assessments have been in use since 1903 and are prepared by experienced teachers from leading British schools. Pupils take Common Entrance at 11+ in Year 6, mainly for entry to senior girls' schools, with two sessions a year in November and January and three papers in English, mathematics and science. At 13+ in Year 8 there are three sessions each year, and candidates take the same three compulsory papers plus additional papers that schools may require in disciplines such as geography, history, classics, modern languages and theology. Applicants for a scholarship may take the CASE (Common Academic Scholarship Examination) assessments, offered in disciplines from English and mathematics to French and Latin.

UKiset

Foreign students may take UKiset, an adaptive online test in English that helps schools decide whether a candidate can thrive in an English-speaking classroom. It is designed for ages 9.5 to 18, and at least a basic knowledge of the language is recommended. UKiset assesses four areas:

• Vocabulary,
• Mathematics,
• Non-verbal reasoning,
• Other English skills, including reading, listening, creative writing, grammar and spelling.

The English level is checked with the Cambridge English Linguaskill test, which returns the candidate's current CEFR level. UKiset costs 295 GBP, with an extra 10% to take it on a weekend, and results are usually ready within 3 business days. A result is valid for one year, the test can be retaken after 3 months, and the full profile can be sent to up to 5 schools of the candidate's choice.

Independent schools in England are checked by official bodies. Two of them matter most for parents choosing a school near Cothill.

Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills, is a non-ministerial government department. It inspects services that provide education and skills for learners of every age and regulates the care of children and young people.

The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) is appointed by the Department for Education to inspect association independent schools in England. Its role is set out in section 87A of the Children Act 1989 and section 106 of the Education and Skills Act 2008. ISI also inspects the British schools overseas accreditation scheme and, on behalf of the Home Office, reviews private further education colleges and language schools in England and Wales. A current inspection report is worth reading before you apply.