Loading...Which schools use CAT4? Some schools use the Cognitive Abilities Test
(CAT4) during admissions or in-year entry. Others use CAT4 for ability banding,
setting, baseline assessment or to understand a pupil’s reasoning profile after
admission.
This guide identifies schools whose current admissions information refers to CAT4,
explains the different ways schools use the assessment and lists published
2026–27 CAT4 assessment dates where these are currently available.
For general preparation, start with our
CAT4 Practice Tests
guide or try our
free CAT4 samples
.
Which schools use CAT4? The quick answer
CAT4 is published by
GL Assessment
and assesses reasoning across four batteries:
Verbal, Quantitative, Non-Verbal and Spatial Reasoning.
Schools use CAT4 for several different purposes. These should not be confused.
School entrance assessment
Some independent and selective schools include CAT4 as one part of their admissions
process.
Transfer applications
Some schools use CAT4 when a pupil applies outside the school’s normal admission
point.
Allocating applicants to bands
CAT4 can be used to divide applicants into different ability bands rather than simply
selecting pupils with the highest scores.
Setting and baseline assessment
Schools can also use CAT4 after admission to understand reasoning strengths,
inform teaching or support setting decisions.
mean that CAT4 is a selective entrance examination or that the highest CAT4 score
wins a place.
Schools currently using CAT4
There is no permanent national directory of every school using CAT4. Schools can
change assessment arrangements, providers and admissions rules.
The examples below are therefore based on schools whose current published information
refers to CAT4 or cognitive ability testing within admissions, in-year entry,
banding or setting.
Weald of Kent Grammar School
The school currently requires applicants seeking an in-year place to undertake
CAT4 assessment as part of its admissions process.
Tonbridge Grammar School
The school’s in-year admission arrangements include pre-admission CAT4 testing
alongside additional assessment evidence.
The Norton Knatchbull School
The school’s in-year admissions information includes cognitive ability assessment
for applicants outside the normal entry route.
Repton School
Repton’s admissions information says pupils joining at 13+ undertake an online CAT4
assessment within the wider admissions process.
Cranleigh School
Cranleigh describes admissions arrangements that can include CAT4 or ISEB alongside
interview, school reports and other evidence.
Duke of Kent School
CAT4 assessment forms part of the school’s admissions arrangements for particular
Prep and Senior School entry points.
North London Grammar School
The school’s current entrance-test information refers to CAT4 for applicants from
Year 3 upwards.
The City Academy, Hackney
The school uses CAT4 Level C to place applicants into ability bands within its
admissions procedure.
City Academy Hackney admissions →
Abbotsholme School
The school describes CAT4 as supporting setting rather than simply operating as
a selective entrance hurdle.
ability banding, setting and educational profiling are different decisions.
A CAT4 score should therefore be interpreted according to the purpose for which
the school administered the test.
CAT4 exam dates 2026–27
There is no single national CAT4 exam date. Unlike some nationally
coordinated entrance-testing arrangements, CAT4 can be administered by individual
schools according to their own admissions and assessment timetable.
Parents should therefore treat every published date as school-specific.
Published in-year assessment dates
9 December 2026
18 March 2027
7 July 2027
Check availability and current requirements directly with the school before relying
on a particular sitting.
Years 4–6 assessment
Published CAT4 assessment date within the school’s admissions timetable.
Senior School assessment
Published assessment day for pupils seeking September 2027 Senior School entry.
13+ admissions cycle
CAT4 forms part of the wider 13+ admissions process. Check Repton’s current
admissions timetable for the relevant cohort.
Schools can change assessment sessions, application deadlines and available places
during an admissions cycle.
Does CAT4 decide whether a child gets into a school?
Sometimes CAT4 contributes directly to an admissions decision. In other cases it is
only one part of a much broader process.
A school might combine CAT4 with:
- school reports;
- interviews;
- English or mathematics tests;
- previous attainment;
- references;
- other entrance assessments;
- availability of places.
Another school may use CAT4 only after admission or use the result to allocate a
pupil to an ability band.
Before starting CAT4 preparation, ask the school:
- Is my child definitely taking CAT4?
- Which CAT4 level will be used?
- When is the assessment?
- How does CAT4 contribute to admission?
- Is there a published threshold?
- What other evidence will the school consider?
CAT4 banding is different from CAT4 selection
This is one of the most important distinctions for parents to understand.
A selective test may be used to identify applicants meeting a particular standard.
Ability banding can instead be used to divide applicants into groups
so that places are allocated across a wider ability range.
The City Academy, Hackney, for example, currently describes use of CAT4 Level C
within its banding arrangements.
chance of admission when a school is using CAT4 for banding.
Why is CAT4 used for in-year admissions?
In-year applicants may arrive from different schools, regions or education systems.
Their previous attainment information may therefore be less directly comparable.
A standardised reasoning assessment can provide schools with an additional common
reference point when considering an applicant.
Current examples of schools publishing cognitive-ability or CAT4-related in-year
admissions arrangements include Weald of Kent Grammar School and Tonbridge Grammar
School.
CAT4 should still be considered alongside the school’s other admissions evidence
and published criteria.
Which CAT4 level will my child take?
CAT4 uses different levels according to pupil age. The precise level used should be
confirmed with the school.
For official guidance on selecting the appropriate CAT4 level, see
GL Assessment’s CAT4 level guidance
.
How should a pupil prepare for an admissions CAT4?
CAT4 preparation should begin with familiarisation with the assessment
format.
A pupil who understands what each question type requires can concentrate on reasoning
rather than spending test time trying to work out unfamiliar instructions.
- Confirm the school’s test.
Make sure the school is actually using CAT4 and establish the assessment date. - Try all eight CAT4 question types.
Start with a short sample rather than several complete tests. - Identify unfamiliar formats.
Determine whether mistakes reflect misunderstanding of the question format or the
underlying reasoning problem. - Practise individual question types.
Teach a reliable reasoning method before adding time pressure. - Review errors.
Ask why each wrong response occurred rather than simply counting correct answers. - Add timed practice gradually.
Once accuracy is more secure, practise completing questions efficiently. - Return to mixed CAT4 practice.
Check whether improvement transfers when several reasoning types are combined.
Start with the SET samples:
Try our free CAT4 samples for the eight CAT4 question types →
The four CAT4 reasoning batteries
CAT4 provides a profile across four reasoning areas rather than measuring only one
type of ability.
CAT4 Verbal Reasoning
Reasoning with words and verbal relationships.
Question types:
Verbal Analogies
Verbal Classification
CAT4 Quantitative Reasoning
Recognising and applying numerical relationships.
Question types:
Number Analogies
Number Series
CAT4 Non-Verbal Reasoning
Reasoning from abstract figures, patterns and relationships.
Question types:
Figure Classification
Figure Matrices
CAT4 Spatial Reasoning
Visualising and mentally manipulating shapes and spatial information.
Question types:
Figure Analysis
Figure Recognition
Practise the eight CAT4 question types
If a particular question format is unfamiliar, use the relevant SET guide rather
than repeatedly completing whole CAT4 tests.
What CAT4 score do schools look for?
There is no universal CAT4 school admissions score.
CAT4 reports can include Standard Age Scores, percentiles and stanines. Schools can
also consider the pattern across the four reasoning batteries rather than treating
CAT4 as one simple overall mark.
The same score can have very different implications depending on whether CAT4 is
being used for:
- selective admission;
- in-year eligibility;
- ability banding;
- setting;
- baseline assessment;
- educational planning.
What is a good CAT4 score?
Understand typical CAT4 score ranges and what parents should infer from them.
CAT4 Scores & Reports Guide
Learn about Standard Age Scores, percentiles, stanines and patterns across the four
CAT4 batteries.
More School Entrance Tests CAT4 resources
CAT4 Practice Tests
The main SET CAT4 hub for preparation, levels, batteries and question types.
Free CAT4 Samples
Try representative practice across the eight CAT4 question families.
CAT4 Scores & Reports
Understand CAT4 scoring and how schools may interpret a CAT4 profile.
Deeper CAT4 interpretation from Rob Williams Assessment
School Entrance Tests focuses primarily on practical CAT4 preparation. For deeper
psychometric interpretation, use the CAT4 resources on Rob Williams Assessment.
CAT4 Test Practice & Guidance
A broader CAT4 resource from a psychometric and assessment-design perspective.
What does CAT4 actually measure?
Understand the reasoning constructs behind CAT4 and what should — and should not —
be inferred from scores.
Official CAT4 information
CAT4 is published by GL Assessment. For formal information about CAT4 administration,
levels and reporting, use GL Assessment’s current guidance.
CAT4 guidance from a psychometrician
Rob Williams CPsychol AFBPsS is a Chartered Psychologist and
Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society with more than 25 years’
experience in psychometric test design and assessment.
CAT4 should be treated as one source of standardised evidence. A child’s performance
is most informative when considered alongside attainment, classroom evidence,
educational history and the wider pattern across the CAT4 batteries.
A single CAT4 score should not be treated as a permanent ceiling on a child’s
potential.
For deeper psychometric guidance visit
Rob Williams Assessment
.
Which schools use CAT4? FAQs
Which schools use CAT4 for admissions?
Current examples include independent, grammar and state schools using CAT4 for
different purposes. These include Repton, Cranleigh, Duke of Kent School,
Weald of Kent Grammar School and Tonbridge Grammar School.
Is there one CAT4 exam date?
No. CAT4 has no single national examination date. Schools decide when the assessment
is administered according to their own admissions and assessment timetable.
Do grammar schools use CAT4?
Some grammar schools use CAT4 or cognitive ability testing for in-year admissions,
even where the normal Year 7 entry process uses another selective assessment.
Do independent schools use CAT4?
Yes. Some independent schools include CAT4 within their admissions process.
Other schools use different entrance assessments, so always check the current
school admissions information.
What is the CAT4 pass mark?
There is no national CAT4 pass mark. Schools determine how CAT4 contributes to
admissions, banding, placement or setting.
Can CAT4 be used for ability banding?
Yes. Some schools use cognitive assessment to allocate applicants to different
ability bands rather than simply selecting applicants with the highest scores.
What are the four CAT4 batteries?
CAT4 contains Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Non-Verbal Reasoning and
Spatial Reasoning batteries.
How many CAT4 question types are there?
There are eight main CAT4 subtests: Verbal Analogies, Verbal Classification,
Number Analogies, Number Series, Figure Classification, Figure Matrices,
Figure Analysis and Figure Recognition.
Should my child practise for an admissions CAT4?
Familiarisation can help pupils understand unfamiliar instructions and question
formats. Focus first on understanding the reasoning method, then introduce timing
and mixed CAT4 practice.
Where can I find free CAT4 practice?
Use the
SET Free CAT4 Samples
page to introduce the CAT4 question types before moving to more targeted practice.
Is your child taking CAT4 for school entry?
Confirm the school’s test, assessment date and CAT4 requirements first. Then use
short samples to identify which of the eight CAT4 question types actually need
additional preparation.