Entrance Assessments

To become a pupil at St Columba’s, we have to check that we can help you to learn in a way that will be best for you. So before we offer you the opportunity to become a pupil at St Columba’s School, we ask every child to sit a test:

• for Early Years and infants, we watch the child play; while they do that, teachers look out for specific things.

• for entry to any other year groups in Junior School, pupils sit tests based on numbers, literacy (reading) and puzzles.

• for other year groups, specifically in Senior School, these tests become more closely aligned to curricular English and Mathematics. For entry to Senior V or Senior VI, National 5 and Higher results will be taken into consideration too.

The assessment allows us to determine the learning profile of potential pupils - your strengths and any areas that need development such as gaps in the curriculum. It also allows us to gauge how an individual child learns which is particularly useful for us if a child has additional support needs.

Remember that every child at St Columba’s has sat a version of this test, and while most felt nervous before and on the day, there is no need to be! Here are some top tips to help you do your best:

• Get a good night’s sleep the night before. If you are well rested, you will be able to think more clearly!

• Bring water and a healthy snack with you - your brain needs energy too!

• Do not panic! Do your best!

Lots of people ask about past papers to help them practise for the assessment. If we did this (which we don’t!), it would defeat the purpose of the test. It helps our teachers understand whether or not you will thrive at St Columba’s and where you are with your learning.

After you have visited St Columba’s, your adult(s) will apply for a place. At this point, Mrs Mathie, our Admissions Registrar, will invite you to come in for your assessment. Mrs Mathie meets every young person seeking a place at St Columba’s School so she has sat with hundreds of young people sitting their entrance assessments and she knows better than most that there is nothing to worry about.

At Junior School, the entrance assessment is part of a taster day. Taster days are good fun because you experience being a Columban for the day by attending lessons, taking part in a lunchtime club and meeting lots of new friends.

At Senior School, pupils can sit the entrance assessment on our annual assessment day or at any other point in the year. Pupils who attend the annual assessment day are usually looking for places in Transitus and Senior I and they hope to start in August of that year. This communal approach (lots of other children will be there on the day) significantly reduces anxiety levels and contributes to a positive and calming experience for all involved. For families who wish to apply at any other time, assessments will be incorporated into a taster day, wherever possible, providing pupils with a firsthand experience of the school’s unique learning environment.

If you are attending an assessment during a school day, you may wish to bring your school bag with you. Too heavy? OK, just bring a pencil case containing pens, pencils and other stationery items. Oops, I forgot my pencil case! Don’t worry, that is fine! We have everything you might need on the day: pens, pencils, paper...

Food and drink are important. Please bring a water bottle and snack for morning break - and remember that if you forget, we have you covered! At lunchtime, you are more than welcome to have a meal at our canteen; however, if you would prefer to bring a packed lunch, that is absolutely fine!

If you are attending your assessment on a school day, we ask that you wear your current school uniform.

If you are attending the Senior School assessment on the annual assessment day (a Saturday) or during one of our school holidays, you are welcome to wear comfortable, casual clothes.

We ask every pupil to sit an NVRQ which is a test based on sequences or patterns. You will take one look at them and think they are very like puzzles and that is because they are! They test you on your problem solving skills and powers of deduction. They measure ‘potential’.

For Juniors 2 to 6, the assessment is made up of a selection of the following:

• A standardised* reading comprehension assessment.

• A standardised* or baseline mathematics assessment.

• NVRQ test (for entry to Juniors 4-6).

• A standardised* spelling test.

• A piece of free writing to a given theme (for entry to Juniors 3-6).

*A standardised test means that you will sit the same test as other children (you will all answer the same questions). When your test is being scored, it will be done in the same way for every single test. This means that everyone gets the same chance.

For Transitus to Senior III, the assessment will be made up of the following:

• Three online tests: English, Mathematics and an NVRQ test.

• A written English task (set by our Head of English).

• A written Mathematics test (set by our Head of Mathematics).