Many independent senior schools use 13+ Common Entrance to assess students before Year 9 entry, with the exams taking place in Year 8. Common Entrance typically comes after a child has already received a conditional senior-school offer, although each school decides how the exam fits into its admissions process.
For parents, this can raise some practical questions, such as which maths level their child will take and what they need to know, including where their preparation should begin.
Today, we’ll answer those questions by looking at what the 13+ Common Entrance maths exam covers, how it differs from KS3 maths and how you can help your child prepare.
Common Entrance at 13+ is a set of subject exams students in Year 8 take as they prepare to move from prep or junior school to independent senior school. The exams are set by the Independent Schools Examinations Board (ISEB).
Students taking 13+ Common Entrance sit for compulsory papers in English, mathematics and science, with additional subjects required in some cases. ISEB offers three examination sessions each year in November, January and May/June.
Parents can check the specific dates in ISEB's 13+ examination timetable.
Senior schools decide how Common Entrance fits into their own admissions requirements, so families should check directly with the destination school for the requirements that apply to their child.
As our centre is located in Notting Hill, we usually point parents to Notting Hill Prep for details on how the 13+ pathway works in our area. The school names 11+ at the end of Year 6 and 13+ at the end of Year 8 as its two official exit points.
To find out your school’s requirements around 13+, visit the school’s website or contact the school directly.
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Common Entrance mathematics at 13+ offers different levels of assessment to reflect students' mathematical needs and the requirements of their senior school.
Foundation and Core are the two main routes, while Additional is an optional paper that some Core candidates also take.
Here is how the three levels differ:
|
Level
|
How it works
|
| Foundation | Covers a narrower range of content than Core, with less demanding questions. The appropriate level is agreed with the senior school. |
| Core | The standard route ISEB expects candidates to take. |
| Additional | An optional paper for some Core candidates who are ready for greater challenge. It goes deeper into Core areas and introduces some advanced topics. |
Both Foundation and Core include two one-hour papers. Students complete one without a calculator and may use a simple scientific calculator for the other. They can earn marks for their working on both papers, so they should show the steps they use to solve a problem.
The optional Additional paper also lasts one hour and allows a calculator.
Students also take a 10-minute mental arithmetic test designed to assess mental processing skills. During this test, they work through 40 questions without a calculator and may make notes or write down their working.
The appropriate level depends partly on the requirements of the destination senior school. ISEB advises prep schools to discuss the level with senior schools, which may specify a preference or agree the choice with the prep school.
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Common Entrance maths overlaps with much of the mathematics students meet at Key Stage 3, but it follows its own ISEB specification and exam structure.
ISEB places particular emphasis on mathematical fluency, reasoning and applying knowledge to unfamiliar problems.
The main differences look like this:
|
Area
|
KS3 maths at school
|
13+ Common Entrance maths
|
| Curriculum timeline | Schools organise KS3 content across Years 7 to 9. | Students preparing for Common Entrance work towards the ISEB specification by Year 8. |
| Knowledge application | Teachers introduce, practise and revisit concepts as part of regular lessons. | Exam papers require students to recall and apply their knowledge within a set time. |
| Independent problem-solving | Classroom work can include teacher guidance, discussion and different ways of approaching a problem. | Students need to choose suitable methods, show their working and solve questions independently. |
| Assessment | Schools use their own assessment arrangements across KS3. | Common Entrance papers follow the ISEB specification, although senior schools may also use their own assessments. |
The National Curriculum for KS3 mathematics already expects students to select suitable calculation strategies, move between different mathematical representations and apply methods to unfamiliar or non-routine problems.
Common Entrance brings those demands into a specific examination format earlier in the KS3 journey.
For example, students may know how to calculate a percentage when percentages are the focus of a classroom lesson. A Common Entrance question might place the same idea inside a ratio, scale or multi-step problem, so students first need to recognise which mathematics applies before choosing a method.
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The ISEB mathematics specification sets out the maths assessed at 13+ across number, algebra, ratio and proportion, geometry and measures, probability, and statistics.
Here is a practical overview of the main areas students may encounter:
|
Area
|
What it can include
|
| Number and arithmetic | Place value, integers, the four operations, factors, multiples, powers and roots |
| Fractions, decimals, percentages and ratio | Equivalent forms, calculations with fractions and decimals, percentages, ratio and proportion |
| Algebra | Expressions, formulae, equations, sequences and graphs |
| Geometry and measures | Angles, shapes, coordinates, transformations, perimeter, area and volume |
| Probability and statistics | Probability, averages, tables, charts and interpreting data |
Content varies between Foundation, Core and Additional. Students taking Foundation are assessed on a more limited range of content, while Core covers more of the specification and Additional extends some areas further.
Across these areas, students need to select appropriate methods, work through several steps and show their reasoning clearly.
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Once you know what Common Entrance maths involves, you can help your child prepare by making sure their revision reflects the exam they will take. The starting point is their target senior school, followed by the relevant ISEB materials and what their current work shows about where to focus.
Here are four practical steps:
Check the target senior school's requirements. Confirm whether Common Entrance forms part of the admissions process and which mathematics level your child is expected to take.
Use the current ISEB specification to guide revision. Focus on the content relevant to Foundation, Core or Additional rather than treating every level in the same way.
Bring in past papers as preparation progresses. ISEB recommends past papers to familiarise students with the exam format, identify gaps in knowledge or skills and develop time management.
Use completed work to decide what needs more attention. Schoolwork and teacher feedback can help you see which topics or types of problems your child should spend more time on.
As preparation continues, the areas that need more attention may become clearer. Your child might need more work on a particular topic or on managing several steps within a single question. This gives you a more useful basis for deciding what to focus on than simply completing more papers.
If your family is navigating the 13+ pathway in Notting Hill, a few additional resources can help you understand both local school options and the wider Common Entrance process:
Notting Hill Prep’s Knowledge Hub answers common questions about 11+ and 13+ entry, target senior schools and how the school prepares students for both pathways.
The ISEB Common Entrance Admissions Toolkit provides official guidance on registering and preparing for Common Entrance, along with its CE 13+ guide and other resources for families.
Even with the right preparation resources, you may still want to understand why your child might be getting stuck or which maths skills need attention, so a structured assessment can help.
Tutors and learning centres can use tools, such as diagnostic assessments, to examine what a student already understands and where support is needed.
We also use this type of assessment at Mathnasium to understand each student's current maths skills and learning needs before planning their instruction.
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At Mathnasium, we build the subject knowledge, reasoning skills and exam confidence that lead to lasting results.
Mathnasium is a maths-only learning centre dedicated to helping students of all skill levels excel in maths.
Whether your child needs to catch up, keep up or get ahead, we can support them.
Our instructors at Mathnasium of Notting Hill also help students with Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry and Probability, alongside other areas of maths. For Common Entrance, we build a personalised learning plan around the specific schools your child is targeting and address the maths gaps that may stand in the way.
In addition to Common Entrance, we also prepare students for
No matter what your child is working towards, we support them through the Mathnasium Method™, our proprietary teaching approach designed to build maths mastery through deep understanding.
Our approach includes:
Assessment and personalised learning plans. Every student begins their time at Mathnasium with a diagnostic assessment that identifies their current skills, learning style and knowledge gaps. We use those insights to create a personalised learning plan around their individual needs and goals.
Teaching for understanding. Our specially trained instructors use mental, verbal, visual, tactile and written techniques. Students can learn concepts in more than one way through visual tools, hands-on activities and verbal explanations, depending on how they learn best.
Face-to-face instruction. Students learn in an engaging and fun environment while following their own personalised learning plans, working with instructors face-to-face at the pace that's right for them, both in-centre and online.
Confidence and engagement. Sessions include games, earned rewards, and consistent celebration of progress, so students actively participate, solve problems, and engage with maths instead of simply listening to a lesson. They build confidence alongside fluency and many develop a more positive relationship with maths over time.
The impact extends beyond the classroom:
94% of parents report an improvement in their child's maths skills and understanding
93% of parents report their child's improved attitude towards maths after attending Mathnasium
90% of students saw an improvement in their school grades
With over 1,250 centres worldwide, including over 40 across the UK, there is likely a Mathnasium centre near you.
Families across Notting Hill, North Kensington, Kensal Rise, Queens Park, Bayswater, Kensington and Holland Park trust Mathnasium of Notting Hill to help their children build lasting maths confidence.
Wherever your child is in their maths learning, our team is ready to help.
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Mathnasium of Notting Hill is a math-only learning centre for K-12 students in London, LON. Trusted by over a million parents, Mathnasium uses personalized learning plans and the proprietary Mathnasium Method™ to help students catch up, keep up, and get ahead on their math journey.
Our specially trained tutors deliver face-to-face instruction in a supportive and fun small-group environment, working with students both in centre and online to develop a deep understanding of math, build confidence, and improve academic performance.
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