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What Are Common Entrance Exams?

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When applying for a private school you may hear the term common entrance exam thrown around. It means that your child will have to go through a series of tests to challenge them to be ready for entry into these schools.

So long as you are aware of their purpose, and prepare your child for them accordingly, you should find that your child should be able to manage what is expected of them. It means that your child will have to become aware of this part of the private school application process early on, especially if they are moving to different schools.

Here is a full guide to common entrance exams and how they are used by independent schools.

Why Are Common Entrance Exams Used?

While the application for a public school is based mostly on the catchment area of each child, a private school will have to go through an application process to ensure they reach the right number of students each year. They are also used to ensure each student is ready for the next phase in their studies – a pre-determiner of whether the curriculum can be managed by your child.

Should My Child Be Studying Hard For These Exams?

In reality – no. It is definitely worth preparing your child for these exams as they can get ready for the tests, become aware of what will be asked of them and brush up on any knowledge they might need.

However, independent schools won’t be exactly looking for applicants that can answer every single question flawlessly. They will be looking at the different ways your child handles questions being asked of them, how they analyse questions and developing their thought processes. It’s purely to assess your child’s competence for the next stage in their studies.

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There are plenty of revision materials online for common entrance exams so that your child knows the format and layout of each question. But for the most part, your child is progressing into the next stages of their school life when they take these exams. If your child is advancing on to senior school within the same institution they will be used to what will be asked of them already.

Entrance exams for schools are part and parcel of independent school life, but all private schools, like this Private Nursery in North London, will have support and guides for prospective parents to help their students apply for these schools in the right way.

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