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The Complete Guide to the CAT4 Test (+ Free Sample Paper)

Everything parents need to know about the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4): what it tests, how it's scored, when to prepare, and how to give your child the best chance of achieving the Standard Age Scores top UK independent schools expect.

1,000+

SCHOOLS USING CAT4

~2h 15m

Test Duration

Test Sections

Age 7–17+

Typical Age

What is the CAT4?

The CAT4 (Cognitive Abilities Test, Fourth Edition) is a standardised reasoning assessment published by GL Assessment and used by over 1,000 schools in the UK and internationally. Unlike curriculum-based exams, it measures underlying cognitive ability—how a child reasons, processes information, and approaches unfamiliar problems—rather than what they have been taught at school.

Who Takes It

Children aged between 7:06 and 17+ applying to independent schools such as Dulwich College, King’s College School Wimbledon, Haberdashers’, Bancroft’s, and numerous grammar schools and prep schools that use CAT4 as an admissions screen or baseline assessment. The test is delivered at one of ten levels (A to G) calibrated to the candidate’s age group.

When It's Taken

Typically administered at key entry points—7+, 8+, 10+, 11+, and 13+—either as part of the admissions process or within the first term at a new school for setting and diagnostic purposes. Many schools use CAT4 results alongside subject-specific papers to build a full profile of the candidate.

Test Format

A digital assessment of approximately 2 hours 15 minutes, comprising eight short sub-tests delivered across three sessions of roughly 45 minutes each. Sessions can be sat consecutively or spread across several days depending on the school’s policy.

Test Structure & Sections

The CAT4 is built around four distinct reasoning batteries, each containing two sub-tests. Together they produce a rounded picture of your child’s cognitive profile. Understanding what each battery measures is crucial for targeted preparation.

Verbal Reasoning

Assesses the ability to reason with and about words. Candidates identify relationships between given words, spot the odd one out, and complete verbal analogies. Strong readers with wide vocabulary tend to perform well here, but comprehension alone is not enough—the test rewards logical manipulation of language.

Non-Verbal Reasoning

Evaluates abstract reasoning using shapes, patterns, and visual sequences. Questions involve identifying odd shapes out, completing matrix patterns, and recognising transformations. Because it is culture- and language-neutral, this battery is often a strong indicator of pure reasoning ability.

Quantitative Reasoning

Tests numerical reasoning rather than curriculum arithmetic. Questions involve identifying relationships between numbers and continuing numerical patterns. Children do not need advanced mathematics—they need to recognise how numbers relate logically to one another.

Spatial Reasoning

The unique and often overlooked battery of CAT4. Assesses the ability to visualise, manipulate, and mentally rotate shapes in space. Strong spatial reasoning correlates with success in mathematics, sciences, design, and engineering, and schools increasingly pay close attention to this score.

How the CAT4 is Scored

The CAT4 uses a sophisticated multi-indicator reporting system that gives schools a detailed picture of a candidate’s abilities relative to their age group. Each battery generates its own score, and an overall mean score is also produced.

Scores are reported as Standard Age Scores (SAS) with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15
SAS 100 represents the national average for a child of that exact age in years and months
SAS 112+ (above average) typically places a candidate in the top 25%—a common competitive benchmark
SAS 127+ (well above average) places a candidate in the top 5%, which the most selective schools often expect
Results are also reported as National Percentile Rank (NPR 1–99) and Stanine (1–9)
The test is age-standardised to the month, meaning a younger candidate is compared fairly against older peers in the same cohort
There is no official 'pass' mark—each school sets its own thresholds based on cohort strength and entry year
Schools also receive an Indicator Report predicting likely GCSE outcomes based on reasoning profile

Worried Your Child Won't Pass?

With a 98% success rate, our CAT4 preparation programme is trusted by families targeting selective UK independent schools. We guarantee results or we continue tutoring free.

Preparation Timeline

A structured preparation plan produces measurably better Standard Age Scores—not because the test teaches content, but because familiarity with question types, pacing, and format removes avoidable performance drag. Here is our recommended timeline, developed from years of preparing students for CAT4 success.

12-18 Months Before

Foundation Building

Focus on core cognitive foundations: wide reading to build vocabulary and inference skills, mental arithmetic practice, and playful exposure to puzzles—tangrams, Rubik’s cubes, logic problems, and shape games. This stage is not test prep; it is about developing the underlying reasoning that CAT4 measures.

6-9 Months Before

Structured Practice Begins

Introduce CAT4-style questions systematically across all four batteries, with particular attention to spatial reasoning—the area most children have never formally encountered. Establish a regular routine of 30–45 minutes, 3–4 times per week, balancing all four areas rather than over-indexing on verbal or numerical work.

3-6 Months Before

Intensive Preparation

Focus on weaker batteries while reinforcing strong ones. Complete full timed sub-tests to build awareness of pacing. Work with a specialist tutor to address persistent gaps, particularly in spatial reasoning and the more abstract non-verbal matrices. Begin practising on a computer screen if the test will be delivered digitally.

1-3 Months Before

Exam Technique & Confidence

Simulate full CAT4 sessions, including the experience of moving through eight consecutive sub-tests in a single sitting. Build stamina and concentration under time pressure. Refine quick-decision skills—CAT4 rewards speed, and second-guessing is costly.

Final Week

Rest & Review

Light revision only. Re-read the instruction examples for each sub-test so your child enters confident about format. Ensure they are well-rested, calm, and familiar with the logistics of the test setting. Fatigue on test day damages scores more than a missed practice session ever could.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even capable students underperform on CAT4 due to avoidable errors. Here are the most common pitfalls we see and how to overcome them.

Believing CAT4 cannot be prepared for

The Solution

This is the most damaging myth in CAT4 preparation. While the test measures underlying ability, unfamiliar question formats, poor pacing, and unclear instructions can cost a child 10–15 SAS points even when their true ability is higher. Familiarity with the format is not cheating—it is ensuring your child's real ability is measured.

Neglecting spatial reasoning

The Solution

Spatial reasoning is the battery most children have never encountered in any form. Families prepare heavily for verbal and numerical work and ignore spatial questions entirely, then score 15–20 points lower on that battery. Give spatial reasoning equal weight from the start—it is often the deciding factor in borderline admissions decisions.

Poor pacing and timing awareness

The Solution

CAT4 sub-tests are short and densely packed. Spending too long on a single question is the single most common cause of underperformance. Teach your child to mark difficult questions, move on, and return if time allows. Practising under genuine time pressure is non-negotiable.

Not practising on screen

The Solution

The CAT4 is now overwhelmingly delivered digitally. Children who have only practised on paper are unprepared for on-screen navigation, scrolling through figures, and clicking responses under time pressure. Complete at least the final month of preparation using a keyboard and screen.

Ignoring the instruction examples

The Solution

Every CAT4 sub-test begins with worked examples explaining the question type. Children who rush past these lose valuable clarity and often misinterpret the first few questions. Teach your child to read examples carefully, even when they think they already understand.

98% of Our Students Pass the CAT4 Pre-Test

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How Elite British Admissions Can Help

Our specialist CAT4 preparation programme is designed to remove every avoidable barrier between your child and their true reasoning potential. With our pass guarantee, you can be confident in their success.

Diagnostic Assessment

We identify your child’s specific strengths and weaknesses across all four CAT4 batteries—including the often-neglected spatial reasoning—to build a targeted study plan calibrated to their starting point.

Expert Tutors

Our tutors specialise in reasoning-based assessments and UK school entrance exams, with particular expertise in spatial and non-verbal reasoning—the areas most parents struggle to coach themselves.

Practice Materials

Access to 500+ CAT4-style questions across all eight sub-tests, full-length timed mock tests delivered on screen, and detailed written explanations for every question type.

Progress Tracking

Weekly reports showing your child’s improvement in each of the four batteries, with projected Standard Age Scores so you can see exactly where they sit relative to target school benchmarks.

Related Exam Guides

The Complete Guide to the UKiset Test

The Complete Guide to the ISEB Pre-Test 2026

The Complete Guide to 11+ Entrance Exams

The Complete Guide to 13+ Common Entrance

Get a head start on your preparation with our comprehensive free sample paper.

CAT4 Pre-Test Preparation

Our students achieve a 98% pass rate. If your child does not pass after completing our programme, we will continue tutoring free of charge until they do.

98%

Pass Rate

500+

Students Helped

100% money-back if not satisfied after first session

Personalised study plan based on diagnostic assessment
Weekly 1-to-1 tutoring with exam specialists
Full access to 500+ practice questions
Unlimited mock tests with detailed feedback
Free continuation until your child passes

“My daughter was struggling with the verbal reasoning section. After just 8 weeks with Elite British Admissions, she scored in the top 10% nationally. The guarantee gave us peace of mind throughout.”

J.P

James P.

ISEB Pre-Test, 2025

The Complete Guide to the CAT4 Test (+ Free Sample Paper)

12-18 Months Before

Foundation Building

6-9 Months Before

Structured Practice Begins

3-6 Months Before

Intensive Preparation

1-3 Months Before

Exam Technique & Confidence

Final Week

Rest & Review

The Solution

The Solution

The Solution

The Solution

The Solution

James P.

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