Bromsgrove School 13 Plus (13+) Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT)
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Bromsgrove School is an independent day and boarding school for children aged 2-18. Boarding is available from Year 3 onwards. Founded in the 16th century, the school is rightly proud of its rich history while being a modern institution that equips students for life in the 21st century. The school comprises a Pre-Prep (ages 2-7), Prep (ages 7-13) and Senior School (ages 13-18).
Bromsgrove is renowned for its academic excellence. Superb teaching, state-of-the-art facilities and high expectations lead to impressive results in public exams. In 2024, 62% of GCSE grades were in the 9-7 range, which is considerably above the national average of around 23%.
The extra-curricular provision at Bromsgrove School is extensive, enabling pupils to develop into accomplished, compassionate and confident young adults. Students can, for example, get involved in Bromsgrove Service, which may include helping in a school for children with special needs or visiting people in a residential home. Additionally, the school runs numerous clubs and societies, CCF, DofE, trips, exchanges and tours. There really is something for everyone.
Pastoral care at Bromsgrove is exemplary. The school’s Wellbeing Team works hard to ensure that all pupils receive the support and guidance they need to thrive, whether that be helping pupils build their confidence, arranging counselling sessions or liaising with external agencies.
If you want to secure a place in Year 9 at Bromsgrove School for your child, please read on.
Bromsgrove School: Admissions Process for 13 Plus (13+)/Year 9 Entry
Prospective families are warmly invited to visit Bromsgrove School. You can attend an Open Morning, arrange a personal visit and book your child on a Taster Day. Visiting enables you to learn more about the school, ask any questions you have and see if you think the school is a good fit for your child.
If you decide that you do want a place in Year 9 for your child, you should speak to the admissions team (contact details are lower down), who will give you information about registering online. There is a registration fee of £120 for a day place and £240 for a boarding place.
Your child will undertake the following for 13+ entry:
- Online CAT4 (Cognitive Abilities Test)
- Maths test
- English test
- Creative writing task
- Video presentation
Your child will take the maths test, English test and creative writing task in November of Year 8 on Bromsgrove’s exam day. They will sit the CAT4 online at home before the exam day. The video presentation must be submitted by the deadline, a few days before the exam day.
If your child performs well in the tests, they may be offered a place. You will need to formally accept any offer of a place and pay the acceptance fee, typically within a month of the offer being made.
Please note that you can ask Bromsgrove School to consider your child’s results in their Common Entrance exams for 13+ entry.
Bromsgrove School: 13+ Scholarships and Bursaries
For 13+ entry, Bromsgrove offers the opportunity for successful candidates to join the Scholarship Pathway Programme. Being on the programme does not come with any fee remission, but it is highly prestigious. For more details, please click here.
Each year, one or two foundation scholarships, worth up to 50% of day fees, are available. These are awarded to pupils who excel in the entrance exams but whose families need financial assistance to be able to send their child to Bromsgrove. They are only offered to candidates seeking day places, and preference is given to candidates living in or near Bromsgrove town. If you are interested in this scholarship, you will need to apply for it in writing.
A means-tested bursary, known as the Old Bromsgrovian Award, is awarded to the child or grandchild of an Old Bromsgrovian. If this is relevant to you, you can apply for it in writing.
Currently, other bursaries will not be available for 13+ entrants; instead, current pupils will be prioritised due to fee increases caused by the addition of VAT.
Bromsgrove School: School Details and CAT4 Information
Address: Worcester Road, Bromsgrove, B61 7DU
County: Worcestershire
Admissions info: [email protected] or 01527 579679
School type: Independent co-educational day and boarding school
Open events: Throughout the school year
Entrance assessments for Year 9: Online CAT4, maths test, English test, creative writing task and video presentation
The CAT4 (Cognitive Abilities Test) is an online test produced by GL Assessment. Your child will be in Year 8 when they take the test for Year 9 entry, meaning they will sit Level E of the test.
Your child’s performance in the CAT4 will help Bromsgrove School decide whether to offer them a place. It will also enable them to pinpoint your child’s strengths and weaknesses, so if they are offered a place and accept it, Bromsgrove can address any of your child’s weaker areas.
Bromsgrove School: Online CAT4 Format
The CAT4 comprises multiple-choice questions testing your child’s ability in the following areas:
- Verbal reasoning—the ability to use language to solve problems and express ideas.
- Non-verbal reasoning—the ability to solve problems by analysing visual information, such as diagrams and pictures.
- Quantitative reasoning—the ability to solve problems using mathematical skills.
- Spatial reasoning—the ability to understand how objects move in a three-dimensional world.
Being fully prepared for the CAT4 is crucial, as it could determine whether your child is offered a place at Bromsgrove School.
Preparing for the Bromsgrove School Year 9 Entry CAT4
The best way to prepare for Bromsgrove School’s 13+ CAT4 is by using practice tests. For this reason, after careful research, we have produced CAT4 practice tests that closely mirror the actual test. Working through our CAT4 practice tests will benefit your child in the following ways:
- Your child will become familiar with the types of questions they will be asked. By the time they sit the CAT4 for entry to Bromsgrove School, they will be able to answer the questions quickly and accurately.
- Using the answers and explanations provided in our practice tests, your child can learn from mistakes they make, leading to fewer, if any, errors being made on the day.
- Getting used to the online format, the modules and timings of the CAT4 will build your child’s confidence, as they will know what to expect when they take the CAT4.
- Seeing their scores improve as they work through the practice tests will help your child develop a growth mindset—the belief that hard work and time reaps rewards and that they can improve their skills. This attitude is essential for success.
We recommend that, as part of your child’s preparation, there is a focus on them getting enough sleep, eating healthily and exercising regularly. This will help support both their physical and mental health, enabling them to cope better with the pressure that exams can bring.
It also helps if study sessions are kept short so that they do not feel overwhelming. Starting study sessions well in advance of the exams will enable this to work, avoiding last-minute cramming.
Bromsgrove School: CAT4 Practice Materials for Year 9 Entry
Our CAT4E practice tests and courses are highly accurate, ensuring that your child’s exam preparation is targeted and efficient. The following packs are specifically designed for CAT4 Level E, taken in November of Year 8.
Bromsgrove School 13+ CAT4 Level E Full Mock Tests
These full mock tests are designed to provide your child with extremely accurate practice ahead of their CAT4 Level E. Each practice test covers Verbal, Non-Verbal, Quantitative and Spatial reasoning, replicating the modules, timings and question types used in the actual exam.
Our highly rated CAT4E practice tests are available to take online immediately after purchase. Each CAT4E practice test is marked automatically and can then be reviewed. Answers and explanations are provided for every question, as well as comparative ranking statistics on a per-module basis.
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 1
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 2
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 3
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 4
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 5
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 6
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 7
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 8
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 9
CAT4 – Level E – Practice Test 10
✂️ Save 30% by purchasing our CAT4 Level E Practice Test bundle, including all ten tests. Click the button below to learn more:
CAT4 Level E Practice Tests 1-10 Bundle
Alternatively, click the buttons below to purchase Bundles of five of our CAT4 Level E Practice Tests. You will save 25% compared to buying each product individually.
CAT4 Level E Practice Tests 1-5 Bundle
CAT4 Level E Practice Tests 6-10 Bundle
Bromsgrove School 13+ CAT4 Level E Skill Practice Tests
Our CAT4 Level E Skill Practice Tests each focus on one module that will come up in the CAT4E. Therefore, if your child finds particular modules challenging, you can target them specifically, making a big improvement in a short amount of time.
Verbal Reasoning
CAT4 – Level E – Verbal Classification
CAT4 – Level E – Verbal Analogies
Non-Verbal Reasoning
CAT4 – Level E – Figure Matrices
CAT4 – Level E – Figure Classification
Quantitative reasoning
CAT4 – Level E – Number Analogies
CAT4 – Level E – Number Series
Spatial reasoning
CAT4 – Level E – Figure Analysis
CAT4 – Level E – Figure Recognition
✂️ Save 25% by purchasing our CAT4 Level E Skill Practice Test bundle, including all eight tests. Click the button below to learn more:
CAT4 Level E Skill Practice Bundle
Bromsgrove School 13+ CAT4 Level E Video Courses
Our CAT4 Online Video Courses cover each section of the CAT4E. Each course consists of a series of lessons and step-by-step explanations.
CAT4 Quantitative Reasoning Course
CAT4 Non-Verbal Reasoning Course
✂️ Save 25% by purchasing our CAT4E Video Course bundle, including all four products. Click the button below to learn more:
CAT4 Video Courses Bundle
If you don’t buy a bundle, don’t forget to use the code ppdiscount at checkout to get 10% off orders over £80 and 20% off orders over £200!
If you have any questions about any of our resources, please contact us. We wish your child all the best in their preparation for Bromsgrove School’s Year 9 entrance assessments.
The information in this post was believed to be correct at the time of publishing. However, please be aware of possible future changes. We advise you to contact the school directly if you are unsure of anything. School contact details are provided within the post.
Please note that Pretest Plus is an independent publisher of practice tests and not affiliated with or endorsed by the publishers of the CAT4 or any other test publisher.
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