Many independent secondary schools use the same entrance exam, called Common Entrance (CE). The papers are set by the Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB) and the answers marked by the senior school for which the child is entered. Each school sets its own pass mark that reflects the demand for places; thus the pass mark for one school may be 70%, for another 45%. If you fail to gain entry to your first choice, the scripts are automatically forwarded to your second choice if you have made one. The results are not collected centrally. CE is a rare area of education, free of league tables.
The exam is taken at age 11, 12 or 13, depending on the senior school (the 13+ exam may be taken in any school term; the 11+ and 12+ only in the autumn or spring terms). The exam is usually (but not always) taken in your child's current school. The subjects covered will depend on the age at which the exam is taken. At 13 they include English, maths and a modern and/or classical language, science, history, geography and RE.

Prep schools traditionally prepare pupils for CE - at 11, 12 or 13 (depending on the schools they regularly feed) but rarely at all three ages. It is important to ensure your chosen prep and secondary schools dovetail.

If your child is at a school that does not normally enter candidates for CE, get advice from either the senior school you are interested in or the ISEB. Do this early so your child has time to prepare. Syllabuses and past papers are also available (www.iseb.co.uk).

Schools that use Common Entrance often have an alternative exam for applicants of non-standard age and sometimes also for pupils from schools that do not prepare for CE.