PUBLIC SCHOOLS
AND THE COMMON ENTRANCE EXAM
Confusingly for those from outside the UK, a "public" school in Britain is in fact a private or independent school. Although most public schools have provisions for taking in some gifted children from poor families, the great majority of pupils at these schools pay fees which in the case of boarding schools are quite considerable. Winchester and Eton are examples of the most famous of British public schools. For information on individual public school the Independent Schools Information Service,ISIS , is very useful. A comparison of the relative academic excellence of different public schools as measured by exam results at A level is given by the Independent's Exam League Tables.
In order to be accepted by a public school applicants have normally to pass the school's Common Entrance Exam. Some public school set their own Common Entrance Exam papers, the others use papers set by the Independent School Examination Board, ISEB.
Past Common Entrance Exam papers set by the ISEB, can be ordered with a credit card on the phone ( tel: 01425 621111 ). Alternatively write to;
The Independent Schools Examination Board, Jordan House, Christchurch Road, New Milton, Hants BH25 6QJ.