Non-verbal reasoning exams

Our intro to Non-verbal Reasoning skills for Independent School Exam Practice Papers 2023. Here’s our popular Passed Papers You Tube channel.

11 plus practice Non-Verbal Reasoning Past Papers

Firstly, 11+ Non-verbal Reasoning

Secondly, 11+Non-verbal Reasoning 1

Thirdly, 11+ Non-verbal Reasoning 2

Next, 11+Non-Verbal Reasoning Test 1

Then, 11+ Non-verbal Reasoning Test 2

With 11+Non-Verbal Reasoning Test 3

Another, 11+ Non-Verbal Reasoning Test 4

After that, 11+Non-verbal Reasoning Test 5

Non-verbal reasoning test practice for independent school entry 2023

Top recommended Non-Verbal Reasoning ISEB Pre-Tests Course. Galore Park’s non-verbal reasoning revision papers, non-verbal reasoning revision guides,

Non-Verbal Reasoning Sample Test questions and Non-Verbal Reasoning Sample Test Solutions.

Which independent schools test for Non-verbal reasoning skills?

More and more secondary schools across West London are using non-verbal reasoning (NVR) tests as an admissions criterion.

The recent overhaul of The London Consortium (formally the North London Girls’ Consortium) has seen:

Traditional maths and English papers replaced by a bespoke cognitive ability test.
This lasts 75 minutes.
Plus an interview where:

Problem-solving, critical thinking and creativity are assessed.

Independent School 11 plus exam practice papers

School Entrance Tests recommends these INDEPENDENT SCHOOL 11 plus exam practice tests because there are multiple papers. This allows you to track your progress and to pinpoint the specific areas where improvement is needed for an 11 plus pass.

Dame Alice Owen’s Practice Tests 1 to 5
Ermysteds School Practice Tests 1 to 5
Henrietta Barnett Practice Tests 1 to 5
Latymer Practice Tests 1 to 5
Merchant Taylors’ Practice Tests 1 to 5
Newstead Wood Practice Tests 1 to 5
St Olaves practice tests 1 to 5
Queen Elizabeths Boys practice tests 1 to 5
St. Paul’s Girls Practice Tests 1 to 5

Which prep school entry uses ISEB’s pre-tests?

You can search using this link for those senior schools using the ISEB Common Pretest.

Non-verbal reasoning Level 1

Consists of 30 relatively simple questions..
These are to help familiarise your child with the key concepts of each question type.
Aim to score at least 80 to 90 percent overall. Although, of course, this depends on how competitive the admissions process is for your slected independent school(s).

Level 2 NVR

Also has 30 more challenging questions.
These Level 2 non-verbal reasoning questions require a little more thought and technique.
Aim to score at least 70 to 80 percent oerall. Although, of course, this depends on how competitive the admissions process is for your slected independent school(s).

Non-verbal reasoning Level 3

25 advanced questions.
So these non-verbal reasoning questions represent the highest difficulty level.
Aim to score at least 60 to 70 percent oerall. Although, of course, this depends on how competitive the admissions process is for your slected independent school(s).

Which are the key non-verbal reasoning question types?

Yes, there are many different non-verbal reasoning question types. School Entrance Tests believes there to be eleven main types of :

Analogies
Classes Like
Classes Unlike
Figure Classification
Figure Matrices
Horizontal Codes
Series
Star Matrices
Triangle Matrices
Triangle Series
Vertical Codes
Some of these are more commonly found than others. Still it’s worth practicing at least some from each of the eleven types. So that a new non verbal reasoning doesn’t catch you out on the day.

THE BEST nvr past papers for 2022/3 independent school entry

11 Plus Non-Verbal Independent School GL Familiarisation Paper 1
Non-Verbal Independent School GL Familiarisation Paper 1 Answer Sheet
NonVerbal Independent School GL Familiarisation Paper 2
11 Plus Non-Verbal Independent School GL Familiarisation Paper 2 Answer Sheet
Non-Verbal Independent School GL Familiarisation Paper 3
11 Plus Non-Verbal Independent School GL Familiarisation Paper 3 Answer Sheet
Non-Verbal Independent School GL Familiarisation Parents Guide & Answers to 1,2 and 3
11 Plus Non-Verbal Sample Paper 1
Non-Verbal Sample Paper 1 Answer Sheet Paper 1
11 Plus Non-Verbal Sample Paper 1 Answers
Non-Verbal Reasoning Sample Paper 1 Answer Sheet and Answers EB
11 Plus Non-Verbal Independent School CEM 2018
Non-Verbal Independent School CEM 2018 Answer Sheet
11 Plus Non-Verbal Independent School CEM 2018 Answers
Non-Verbal Independent School GL 2018
11 Plus Non-Verbal Independent School GL 2018 Answer Sheet
Non-Verbal Independent School GL 2018 Answers
Non-Verbal Independent School Practice 2015
11 Plus Non-Verbal Independent School Practice 2015 Answers
Non-Verbal Independent School Practice Paper & Answers 2004

How to pass non-verbal reasoning tests

Rob Williams Assessment’s useful pointers: At their most basic level, every non-verbal reasoning questions asks for the same thing. You must find the changing pattern(s) in the “pictures”. The easier questions typically at the start of the test, will involve one change in colour, position, size etc of the figures shown.

Omit any Non-verbal reasoning question taking over a minute

Questions become more difficult as you must spot two or three changes in any of the features shown. It can help, once you’ve worked out at least one of the feature changes, to check through the answer options to discount those that do not have it.

Four- step strategy for passing non-verbal reasoning tests

This four-step strategy is useful for identifying visual sequences and patterns:

1. What are the key similarities and differences between the shapes and figures?
– Does any pattern standout immediately? If so, how is it changing across the sequence?
– What is the sequential change at each step?

So, which are the most common non-verbal reasoning question types?

2. There are some commonly encountered pattern changes in the sets of figures and shapes. Look-out for the these…

Shape – There will be one or more figures shown.
– What shape are these? What shape are the next in the series?
More difficult questions may have several figures but the principle is the same. Check the grouping of each type of shape.
Size – one of the easiest patterns to find first. Hence some of the first, easiest questions in a NVR test may be based on size changes of the figure(s) shown.
Position and Movement – Many questions involve at least one or two movement patterns. Often of a triangle, square, circle etc. For example, does the black shape move around from the top right-hand corner to the bottom right-hand corner?
Colour and Shading – Colour or shading are often a determinant in the solution. For example, does the same shape shift between being black and white? Or does the shading go from white to grey, then to black, and back again through this same shading sequence?
Number – Questions with many figures will invariably have number as the changing pattern. Count the figures at each step to check for a sequential change in the number of the high frequency figure(s).
Rotation – Do any features rotate clockwise or anti-clockwise? By 90- or 180-degrees at each step?

And, the least common non-verbal reasoning question types?

A few less commonly encountered changing patterns are: embedded figures; and reflection / mirror images.

3. If the shapes are irregular you can rule out shape as being part of the solution. The shapes and figures that are presented in each question block will become increasingly complex. Finding one pattern is then just part of the solution. Once you have done this, you will need to find a second, different pattern that also changes step-by-step. The very hardest questions may even have a third pattern change!

4. Review the answer options with these three considerations in mind:

Once you have found the first pattern, you can eliminate any answer options that do not meet this first pattern.
Then, narrow down the solution further by “removing” the number pattern from the question and seeing what other patterns then reveal themselves.
Finally, the changing pattern must be found in the answer options too. Be careful not to make your selection too quickly – often one answer option will be almost correct!

For the easiest questions you only need to find one changing pattern. The NVR questions will gradually increase in difficulty, however. By the end of the test your child will have to find two or three pattern changes. In other words, one part of the central figure may change shading/colour. A different part of the same central shape may rotate clockwise or anti-clockwise. Both these changes occur together at each step in the sequence.

Timing is everything

To the uninitiated, NVR tests look like nothing more than random shapes and squiggles. However, the more practice your child does, the more adept they will become at spotting the changing patterns. Taking practice tests won’t just help your child become more skilful at non-verbal reasoning, they will also help with time management – an important factor in exam success.

Encourage your child to work through the easiest questions quickly, though of course taking care to avoid careless errors.

Sometimes seeing the one, two or three patterns required can happen very quickly. However, with other questions, it may take a lot longer to identify the patterns. Your child

should avoid spending too long on the NVR questions they find most difficult. If they encounter a sequence that has them scratching their head in frustration they should move on and return to the tricky question if time permits.

Familiarity with the different question formats will help your child learn when to skip a question, and how long to spend on each question. And, of course, being familiar with the test format in advance will help your child feel more calm and confident on exam day, allowing them to perform to the absolute best of their ability.

Recommended free Non-Verbal Reasoning 11+ resources

Free Sample 11 Plus NVR Papers

11 Plus NVR Exams

School Entrance Tests

Non-verbal reasoning exams

Which independent schools test for Non-verbal reasoning skills?

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