Expressly Academic Testing

At Poole High School, children are admitted without reference to ability or aptitude. However, parents also have the option to apply for a place within the Expressly Academic Class, which constitutes up to 10% of our intake. These places are awarded to students who demonstrate high academic ability through a series of tests.

Our Expressly Academic route is specifically intended for students with high ability.

Is it right for my child?
As a general guide, the Expressly Academic route may be appropriate if your child:

Is regularly achieving at or above age-related expectations.
Has an NVR (Non-Verbal Reasoning) or CATs score greater than 115.

What does the test involve?

The Expressly Academic Test is designed by our teaching staff, based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum. All sections of the test are in a multiple-choice format to provide a consistent and fair assessment experience.

The test consists of three parts:

English Test
- Based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum.
- Duration: 25 minutes.
Mathematics Test
- Based on the Key Stage 2 curriculum.
- Duration: 25 minutes.
Reasoning Test
- Includes verbal reasoning and maths-based logic questions.
- Does not include diagrammatic or pictorial non-verbal reasoning questions.
- Duration: 40 minutes.

The English and Mathematics tests are taken first, followed by a 15-minute break before the Reasoning test.

Can my child prepare for the test?

No preparation materials or exemplar tests are available for the Expressly Academic Test. This ensures all students have a level playing field, regardless of prior access to resources or tuition.