107-year-old exam set to enter the internet age

A CENTURY-OLD exam used by the UK's top private schools is set to undergo its first major overhaul in decades.

Plans are being drawn up to put the Common Entrance exam online in an attempt to make it less stressful for young pupils, says the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS).

First introduced in 1904, Common Entrance is an exam taken by youngsters applying to private secondary schools, including top institutions such as Eton College, at age 11 and 13.

Pupils are entered for the exam if they have been offered a place at a school, subject to passing it, and the papers are then marked by the relevant school.

All pupils take Common Entrance in English, maths and science, and at age 13+ they can also take French, geography, German, Greek, history, Latin, religious studies and Spanish.

Secondary schools choose which options they require from pupils, which means youngsters applying to more than one school could sit several subjects.

Critics have also raised concerns in the past that the exam is too intensive and overloads prep schools' syllabuses.

IAPS chief executive David Hanson said: "Other examination systems have come and gone, but Common Entrance has remained because it has great qualities.

"What we need to do now is to build on those qualities and make best use of new technology to ease the burden of examinations on young pupils."

A team of IAPS heads has been working with the association to develop a series of online tests, he said. "These tests can be done in the child's school, which we hope will not only help them to feel more at ease, but also free up time so pupils can really get to know their chosen new school."