What is the CAT4?
The CAT4 (or Cognitive Abilities Test 4th Edition), is an online assessment widely used in the UK education system, especially for entry testing for leading independent schools. The test evaluates students' abilities beyond academic performance, providing insight into a student's underlying cognitive skills and potential for learning. Developed by GL Assessment, it measures four key areas: Verbal, Non-Verbal, Quantitative, and Spatial Reasoning. (We’ll look at these in more detail later on.)
The CAT4 is non-adaptive, meaning the questions are the same for all students, with no personalisation based on previous answers. It is usually sat in the autumn or winter term of year 6, as an 11 Plus exam for entry to year 7.
2. What subjects and question types are found in the CAT4?
The CAT4 evaluates a student's cognitive abilities across four key areas of reasoning: verbal, non-verbal, quantitative, and spatial. There are two key question types for each subject.
Verbal Reasoning✍️
Verbal reasoning assesses a student's ability to understand and work with written language, This includes tasks such as identifying relationships between words, understanding word meanings, making deductions from written information, and following written instructions. Verbal reasoning tasks often involve comprehension exercises, analogies, word associations, and identifying patterns in language.
Question types:
Verbal Classification
Three words are given which are similar. The student must choose a fourth word from the given options which is similar in the same way.
Verbal Analogies
Two pairs of connected words are given. The final word is missing. The second pair of words are connected in the same way as the first pair. The student must select the missing word to complete the second pair.
Non-Verbal Reasoning🟥
Non-verbal reasoning focuses on problem-solving skills using visual patterns and shapes rather than language. Students are presented with abstract designs, shapes, and figures, and are required to identify relationships, similarities, and differences between them. Tasks in non-verbal reasoning may include series completion, matrices, shape analogies, and spatial reasoning puzzles.
Question types:
Figure Classification
Three shapes are presented which are similar. The student must choose the fourth shape which fits the set.
Figure Matrices
Shapes are presented in a grid with one empty space. Looking at the given shapes, students must identify the patterns and select the most appropriate shape to fill the gap.
Quantitive Reasoning🔢
This includes tasks involving numerical concepts, operations, and relationships. Students may be asked to solve mathematical problems, interpret data presented in charts or graphs, identify number patterns, and apply mathematical principles to solve problems. Quantitative reasoning tasks often require logical thinking, numerical fluency, and the ability to apply mathematical concepts in real-world contexts.
Question types:
Number Analogies
Three pairs of connected numbers are given. The final number is missing. All pairs of numbers are connected in the same way. The student must select the missing number to complete the third pair.
Number Series
This question essentially tests a child’s ability to understand a sequence. A sequence is given which changes by the same rule each time. The student must work out this rule and then identify the next term in the sequence.
Spatial reasoning🚀
Spatial reasoning evaluates a student's ability to visualize and manipulate objects in space. This includes tasks related to understanding spatial relationships, mental rotation of shapes, perspective-taking, and visualizing objects from different angles. Spatial reasoning tasks often involve identifying patterns in two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes, recognizing symmetrical figures, and understanding how objects can be transformed or rotated in space.
Question types:
Figure Analysis
A diagram shows a shape being folded over. The shape is then punched with a hole before being unfolded. The student must identify how the shape will look, and where the holes would be, once unfolded.
Figure Recognition
Five designs made up of many different shapes are given along with a target shape. The student must study the designs and find the given shape within one of the options.
Together, these four areas collectively provide a comprehensive assessment of a student's cognitive abilities, including their language skills, problem-solving abilities, mathematical reasoning, and spatial awareness.
3. Why will my child sit the CAT4?
The main use of the CAT4 is in deciding school entrance. Many leading UK independent schools use the CAT4 to track the level of each student applying to the school. Available places are then offered in order of score. Therefore, it is essential your child scores as highly as they can in these tests.
The CAT4 is also used for several other purposes in the UK education system. Primarily, it helps schools gain insights into students' cognitive abilities, informing teaching strategies, class grouping and curriculum development.
4. Which level of CAT4 will my child take?
The CAT4 is divided into various levels, each corresponding to a specific age group and/or school year group:
Level A: Ages 8-9 (Year 4)
Level B: Ages 9-10 (Year 5)
Level C: Ages 10-11 (Year 6)
Level D: Ages 11-12 (Year 7)
Level E: Ages 12-13 (Year 8)
Level F: Ages 13-15 (Years 9+10)
Level G: Ages 15-16 (Year 11)
These levels are designed to ensure that the assessment is age-appropriate for each candidate. Each level assesses similar cognitive abilities, but with varying complexity to suit the age and maturity of the students.
Make sure you know which level test your child will be sitting before exam day.
5. How is the CAT4 structured?
The CAT4 exam is structured into four sections, each assessing different cognitive abilities.
For Levels A -G, the exam is split into three parts (quantitive and spacial reasoning are combined) with each lasting 40–45 minutes. The exam typically takes around 2 hours to complete. Each section has its own number of questions to complete. You must complete each paper within its allotted time.
The CAT4 is available in both paper and digital format. Therefore, it is best practice to check with your chosen school/examination body for confirmation on the format. Digital exams are taken fully online, while paper exams require students to answer in an answering booklet.
6. How is the CAT4 marked?
Exams taken digitally are marked by a computer marking system. The answering booklets from paper examinations are then scanned and marked by an Optical Mark Reader (OMR).
This exam is marked using a standardised scoring system. This means that each question is assigned a specific point value, and students receive points based on their responses. These points are then totalled to calculate the student's overall score in each subject and across the entire exam. This is called the raw score.
The raw score is then converted into a Standardised Age Score (SAS). This accounts for each child's age in years and months at the time of the test, ensuring fairness across an age group.
7. What is considered a good score?
A good CAT4 score is usually anything in the top 50% but this varies by school. There is no exact pass mark.
A Standardised Age Score of 100 means a child has scored exactly in the middle of the cohort. So, anything over 100 is a good score. However, the more selective the school, the higher your child will need to score in order to secure a place. Most selective schools are looking for a score of at least 120 or more.
8. CAT4 practice with The Exam Coach
The CAT4 test aims to measure a child's natural academic skills, not their subject knowledge. This is why there are no official CAT4 resources or sample papers available. GL claims that practice is not requited.
However, the testing process might be a new one for many CAT4 students. Therefore, there are several ways you can help prepare your child so that they are set to perform to the best of their ability on exam day.
Firstly, we’d recommend familiarising your child with exam testing. This can be done at home or through a mock exam at a tuition centre. Mock exams serve as indispensable tools, offering a glimpse into the format and procedure of the actual test.
Additionally, students can benefit from learning more about the techniques required in reasoning exams. All verbal reasoning questions test the same type of skills, requiring problem-solving and English language knowledge. The same applies to all non-verbal, quantitive and spacial reasoning questions. Preparing your child’s skill set and working through practice examples with a tutor to help set them up for success.
Finally, practice makes perfect. We have plenty of free 11 Plus practice papers available on our website.
We send out one free 11 Plus exam paper with answers every Friday. Sign up to our email newsletter to receive your first free paper today, alongside other free 11+ advice and resources.
Got any other CAT4 questions? Drop them in the comments below!
