Admissions Assessment
TOWIS assesses learning potential — not prior curriculum knowledge. We do not use entrance examinations based on subject content. Our admissions tool is the QUEST Cognitive Potential Assessment, which measures a student’s capacity to learn across four reasoning domains, independent of what they have previously been taught. This is the fairest way to assess students who have been educated in different languages and different curriculum systems.
Check the link below for some basic information about what a Quest test entails. It also contains short familiarisation exercises, and documents such as reading lists and vocabulary lists.
We do not test what your child already knows. We assess what your child is capable of learning.
| Phase | Assessment Used | Benchmark | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EYFS 1 & EYFS 2 (Nursery & Reception, Ages 3–5) | Developmental observation visit with EYFS practitioner. No formal test. | No cognitive threshold. Place offered on the basis of the visit, place availability, and eligibility. | Families complete a developmental questionnaire. No QUEST assessment required. |
| Primary — Years 1–6 (Ages 5–11) | QUEST Cognitive Potential Assessment (Verbal, Non-Verbal, Quantitative, Spatial Reasoning) | SAS 93+ (Band C or above) across the four domains | QUEST is curriculum-independent — we assess reasoning ability, not what has already been taught. School reports reviewed as background context only. |
| Lower Secondary — Years 7–9 (Ages 11–14) | QUEST Cognitive Potential Assessment PLUS English and Mathematics assessment | QUEST SAS 93+. Curriculum assessments inform year-group placement and support — not the primary admissions decision. | The English and Maths assessments give us a starting point for support, not a gate. A student with strong cognitive potential but a curriculum gap is not excluded. |
| IGCSE — Years 10–11 (Ages 14–16) | QUEST Cognitive Potential Assessment PLUS English and Mathematics curriculum assessment | QUEST SAS 93+. Sufficient academic proficiency given particular weight at IGCSE level. | The Cambridge IGCSE is academically demanding. Students must have sufficient academic English to access the full curriculum. Year 11 entry only for students who have completed Year 10 of the IGCSE programme. |
QUEST Score Bands — at a glance:
| Band | SAS | Admissions Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 🚀 A — Space Blue | 128+ | Offer place |
| 🛩️ B — Sky Blue | 114–127 | Offer place |
| ✅ C — Green | 93–113 | Offer place — standard entry range |
| ⚠️ D — Amber | 85–92 | Principal review required before any decision |
| 🔴 E — Red | Below 85 | Specialist review recommended. Family meeting with Principal before any decision. |
A student may have a strong cognitive score but be below year-group level in English or Maths. This is normal for students transferring from other curriculum systems — it reflects what they have not yet been taught, not what they are incapable of learning. We take that distinction seriously.