Common Entrance Revision: A Complete Checklist

Common Entrance rewards steady, well-organised preparation more than last-minute effort, because it tests a broad range of subjects at a level that takes time to build. The families who find the final months calm rather than frantic are usually the ones who worked to a plan. This checklist sets out how to structure revision for 13+ Common Entrance, subject by subject, from the long run-up to the final fortnight, so your child arrives at the exams prepared, confident and not worn out.

What Common Entrance covers

The 13+ Common Entrance examination assesses a broad set of subjects, with English, Mathematics and Science forming the academic core, alongside humanities, languages and other subjects depending on the school. It is sat in Year 8 by children moving from a prep school to a senior school, and it is more demanding than the standard curriculum, rewarding genuine understanding rather than memorised answers. Because the breadth is wide, the most effective revision is planned and paced rather than crammed, with the core subjects given the most time. Our full guide to 13+ Common Entrance sets out the format in detail, and this checklist focuses on how to prepare for it well.

Building a revision plan

Start by mapping the subjects your child will sit and the dates of the papers, then work backwards to build a realistic schedule across the months available. The aim is little and often: short, focused sessions spread through the week beat long, exhausting blocks, because the brain consolidates better with regular practice and rest between. Give the core subjects the largest share of time, but do not neglect the others, since a weak paper in a minor subject can still cost marks. Build in slack for the inevitable busy weeks, and review the plan every few weeks against how your child is actually progressing rather than treating it as fixed. A plan that bends as you go is far more useful than a rigid one that is abandoned by half-term.

Subject by subject

Each core subject rewards a slightly different approach. In English, wide reading underpins everything, supporting both comprehension and writing, so keep your child reading throughout, and practise planning and writing timed pieces so the structure becomes second nature. In Mathematics, the key is secure fundamentals and regular problem-solving practice, returning often to the topics your child finds hardest rather than the ones they enjoy; our Common Entrance maths guide goes deeper. In Science, understanding the underlying ideas matters more than memorising facts, so encourage your child to explain concepts in their own words and to practise the structured questions that the papers favour. For the humanities and languages, consistent short revision of the key material, with regular self-testing, keeps knowledge fresh without overwhelming the timetable.

Working with past papers

Past and sample papers are the most valuable revision tool there is, and they should feature throughout, not only at the end. They show your child the style and timing of the real thing, reveal which topics need more work, and build the exam stamina that is hard to develop any other way. Have your child sit papers under realistic, timed conditions, then go through the answers together, focusing less on the score and more on the patterns: the kinds of question they lose marks on, the points where they run short of time, the topics that keep tripping them up. That diagnosis is what turns practice into progress. As the exams approach, increase the proportion of full timed papers so that the format holds no surprises on the day.

The final fortnight

In the last two weeks the work changes character. This is the time to consolidate, not to learn new material, since anything genuinely new is unlikely to stick and may unsettle a child more than it helps. Focus on light review of the topics already covered, a final past paper or two to keep the format familiar, and plenty of rest. Make sure your child knows the practical details, the dates, the timings and what to bring, so there are no surprises. The goal of the final fortnight is a child who is calm, rested and confident, rather than one who has crammed themselves to exhaustion. A well-rested child performs better than a tired one who knows marginally more.

Keeping it healthy

Preparation works best when it does not take over a child's life. Protect sleep, exercise and downtime, since all three improve the learning that revision depends on, and watch for the signs of a child becoming anxious or burned out, easing off if you see them. Keep your own tone steady and encouraging, because a child takes much of their stress level from the adults around them. Common Entrance matters, but it is one stage in a long journey, and a child who arrives at it healthy and confident will do themselves justice. If you would like the interview side covered too, since it forms part of many schools' processes, our guide to the school interview explains what to expect.