Entrance Exam (11+) Past Papers for Selective State schools in Scotland
Our database of academically selective schools is tabled in alphabetical order by region, then school name. The available exam papers comprise two types: familiarisation paper (provided by GL and CEM) and sample/specimen paper (actual past papers), and will be free to download/use. Where the school does not share its own, original past papers, we have linked you to their Admissions page.
Our information was carefully collated using The Good Schools Guide and the Independent Schools Council search tools, filtering for “academically selective secondary schools”. To this end, we cannot say that our lists have not omitted a school or more.
| Region | School | Exam board | Past papers |
| Aberdeen City | Albyn School | School’s original | Check admissions page for details
https://www.albynschool.co.uk/admissions/upper-school-admissions-and-fees/ |
| Aberdeen City | Robert Gordon’s College | School’s original | Details available from school’s admissions team |
| Aberdeen City | St Margaret’s School for Girls (Aberdeen) | School’s original | Check the Admissions Policy for details |
| Aberdeen City | The International School Aberdeen | School’s original | Contact admissions team for details
https://www.isa.aberdeen.sch.uk/pages/admissions/how-do-i-apply |
| City of Edinburgh | Edinburgh Steiner School | School’s original | No academic entrance exam, offers made by interviews. Check admissions page for details |
| City of Edinburgh | Fettes College | CAT4 (GL Assessment)/School’s original (11+)
ISEB/School’s original (13+) |
Information about CAT4 and familiarisation test for ISEB Common Pre-Test available from GL Assessment
School’s past papers available upon request. Check Admissions Handbook for details |
| City of Edinburgh | George Heriot’s School | CAT4 (GL Assessment) & School’s original | Information about CAT4 available from GL Assessment
Check Admissions Infobook for details |
| City of Edinburgh | George Watson’s College | School’s original | Contact admissions team for details |
| City of Edinburgh | Merchiston Castle School | School’s original (11+)
ISEB/School’s original (13+) |
Familiarisation Test for ISEB Common Pre-Test available on GL Assessment website
Syllabus for Common Entrance available from ISEB https://www.iseb.co.uk/Schools/Examination-syllabuses-specimen-papers Check admissions page for details https://www.merchiston.co.uk/admissions/entrance-examinations |
| City of Edinburgh | St George’s School (Edinburgh) | School’s original | Details of exam papers provided in video clip
https://www.stge.org.uk/admissions/entrance-assessments/s1-assessment-days/ |
| City of Edinburgh | Stewart’s Melville College | School’s original | Check admissions page for details |
| City of Edinburgh | The Edinburgh Academy | UKISET | Contact admissions team for details |
| City of Edinburgh | The Mary Erskine School | Contact admissions team for details | Check admissions page for details |
| Dundee City | High School of Dundee | CAT4 (GL Assessment) & School’s original | No past papers provided, information about CAT4 available from GL Assessment
Check the Admissions Guide for details |
| East Lothian | Loretto School | School’s original | Check admissions page for details |
| Fife | St Leonards School | CAT4 (GL Assessment) | No past papers provided, information about CAT4 available from GL Assessment
Check admissions page for details |
| Glasgow City | Hutchesons’ Grammar School | Contact admissions team for details | Contact admissions team for details
https://www.hutchesons.org/admissions/admissions-process/ |
| Glasgow City | Kelvinside Academy | CAT4 (GL Assessment) | Information about CAT4 available from GL Assessment
Check the Admissions Policy for details |
| Glasgow City | St Aloysius’ College | CAT4 (GL Assessment) | Information about CAT4 available from GL Assessment
Check admissions page for details https://www.staloysius.org/admissions/entrance-assessment-registration-995 |
| Glasgow City | The Glasgow Academy | School’s original | No past papers provided, detailed information about exam papers available from the admissions team
https://www.theglasgowacademy.org.uk/admissions/entrance-exams/https://www.st-columbas.org/admissions/admissions-process |
| Glasgow City | The High School of Glasgow | School’s original | No past papers provided, Outline Syllabus with topics in English and Maths papers sent to all Senior School applicants. Check the Senior School Information Booklet for details |
| Inverclyde | St Columba’s School | School’s original | Contact admissions team for details |
| Moray | Gordonstoun | ISEB (13+) | Syllabus for Common Entrance available from ISEB
https://www.iseb.co.uk/Schools/Examination-syllabuses-specimen-papers Contact admissions team for details |
| Perth & Kinross | Glenalmond College | School’s original | Check admissions page for details
https://www.glenalmondcollege.co.uk/admissions/admissions-enquiries/ |
| Perth & Kinross | Morrison’s Academy | School’s original | Contact admissions team for details |
| Perth & Kinross | Strathallan School | School’s original | Contact admissions team for details |
| South Lanarkshire | Fernhill School | School’s original | Data pack with preparation materials sent to all applicants. Check admissions page for details |
| South Lanarkshire | Hamilton College | School’s original | Check admissions page for details
https://www.hamiltoncollege.co.uk/admissions/admissions-process |