Cheltenham College Entrance Exams

How entry to Cheltenham College works

Cheltenham College uses the ISEB Common Pre-Test as part of its admissions. It is an online, adaptive test in four parts: English (40 minutes), maths (40 minutes), non-verbal reasoning (30 minutes) and verbal reasoning (25 minutes). A child sits it once, and the scores are shared with each school that asks for them.

Because the test adapts to each answer, confident accuracy matters more than speed alone, and verbal reasoning is often the section that separates strong candidates.

Cheltenham College also sets its own assessments. Depending on the entry point, these can include written papers, reasoning tests, an interview or a group activity, and they are where the school looks most closely at how a child thinks.

For 13+ entry (joining in Year 9), many schools assess children in Year 6 or Year 7, well before they start, so the timetable is worth checking early.

At 16+ (Sixth Form entry), students are usually assessed in the autumn of Year 11 with a mix of reasoning tests, subject papers and interviews, and offers are normally conditional on GCSE results. There is more on this on my 16+ entry page.

Dates and requirements change from year to year, so always check the latest details on the school’s website.

How I help children prepare for Cheltenham College

• 1:1 online lessons in English comprehension and writing, maths and reasoning (verbal and non-verbal), with the exam technique for each
• Practice matched to Cheltenham College’s assessments and mock papers under real timings
• Interview practice, so children can talk about themselves and their interests with confidence
• Ash’s Exam Zone app for daily practice between lessons
• The Exam Hub for 16+ reasoning tests, school-style papers and full mock reports

My Cheltenham College guide sets out the full process, the key dates, and a preparation plan, and my mock papers let children practise under real timings.