Common Entrance at 13 (CE13) has three compulsory papers — English, Mathematics and Science — plus optional subjects such as French, Geography, German, Classical Greek, Classical Civilisations, History, Latin, Thinking Problem-solving and Reasoning (TPR), and Spanish. Not every pupil sits every subject: the sending prep school and receiving senior school agree the combination for each candidate.
The three compulsory subjects
Every CE13 candidate, whichever senior school they're heading to, sits these three:
- English — split into two separate papers, one for Reading and one for Writing, so a pupil's comprehension and composition skills are assessed and reported independently rather than combined into a single mark.
- Mathematics — the core numeracy and problem-solving paper required by virtually every senior school as a baseline for entry.
- Science — assessed as three separate papers in biology, chemistry and physics at the standard (Core) level, giving a rounded picture across all three sciences rather than one combined "science" mark.
The optional subjects
Beyond the compulsory three, candidates can be entered for papers from this list, depending on what their destination senior school asks for:
- Geography — one of the subjects most senior schools expect the majority of their candidates to offer, alongside History, TPR and a language.
- History — likewise commonly expected by most senior schools, though formally optional.
- TPR (Thinking, Problem-solving and Reasoning) — a reasoning-based paper distinct from the core academic subjects, also commonly expected.
- French — the most widely required modern foreign language among CE13 candidates.
- German — an alternative modern language option, offered at more than one level for pupils of different abilities.
- Spanish — a further modern language option, again offered at more than one level.
- Latin — a classical language option, expected by some more traditionally academic senior schools.
- Classical Greek — a classical language option offered to a smaller number of candidates, typically at the most academically selective schools.
- Classical Civilisations — covers the history, literature and culture of the ancient world without requiring the language itself.
Why not every pupil sits every paper
CE13 is deliberately built to flex around a pupil's actual course of study rather than force every candidate through every possible subject. ISEB's own guidance is explicit that candidates are not expected to attempt papers beyond their ability level, and that the system accommodates prep schools that haven't prepared pupils for every traditional CE subject by allowing a reduced paper count. In practice, this means the sending prep school and the receiving senior school agree, pupil by pupil, exactly which papers will be sat — based on the school's own requirements, the pupil's course of study, and (for languages and classics) which options that prep school actually teaches.
| Question | Who answers it |
|---|---|
| Which subjects are compulsory for everyone? | Set by ISEB — English, Mathematics, Science |
| Which optional subjects does this pupil sit? | Agreed between the sending prep school and the receiving senior school |
| At what level (where a subject offers more than one)? | Agreed the same way, based on the pupil's course of study |
Because of this, two children at the same prep school heading to different senior schools can end up sitting quite different combinations of CE13 papers — there is no single fixed "CE13 exam" that looks the same for every candidate.
FAQ
Does every senior school require the same CE13 subjects?
No. Each senior school specifies which subjects it requires for its own applicants, and this varies by school. A common pattern is English, Mathematics, Science, and a mix of Geography, History, TPR and a language, but families should always check the specific requirement with the senior school their child is applying to.
Can a pupil sit a language they haven't formally studied at prep school?
This isn't typical practice — the paper a pupil sits is agreed between the prep school and senior school based on what the pupil has actually been taught, since CE13 is designed to test a pupil's genuine course of study rather than set an unfamiliar subject.
Is Science one paper or three at CE13?
At the standard (Core) level, Science is examined as three separate papers — biology, chemistry and physics — rather than one combined science paper, though results may still be reported and used together by the receiving school.
Where can I see exactly which papers my child's senior school requires?
Ask the admissions office of your child's target senior school directly, ideally at the time the conditional offer is made — this is also covered in how schools use ISEB Pre-Test scores for conditional offers, since the required subject list is often confirmed alongside the offer itself.
Whichever combination of CE13 papers your child ends up sitting, focused subject support can help them feel ready — explore aitutors.me to find out more.