Common Entrance Revision – these recommended books are ideal to help pupils revise for Common Entrance 13+ exams, public school senior school entrance exams at 13+ for entry into Year 9, and many elements of public school scholarship exams.
Common Entrance revision – English
English ISEB Revision Guide: – By Susan Elkin
A good revision guide, aimed at proving an overview of the exam process and how to tackle it, rather than a detailed guide of everything which might come up. Useful for instilling confidence. This guide covers both the 11+ and 13+ exams.
English for Common Entrance Practice book: – By Kornel Kossuth
A useful book featuring practice questions for both comprehension, creative writing and essay tasks in line with the post-2014 Common Entrance exam curriculum.
English for Common Entrance Practice book answers: – By Kornel Kossuth
An answer book for the above question book.
English for Common Entrance Study and Revision Guide: – By Kornel Kossuth
A revision guide to prepare pupils for the 13+ Common Entrance English exam. Good for individual revision. Worth buying in conjunction with the practice question books – this revision book is useful for guidance, but does not offer much opportunity for exam practice.
English Practice Questions 13+ by Amanda Alexander
A great set of common entrance style comprehension texts and questions – and essay titles – covering every fiction and non-fiction genre ever likely to come up. There’s an answer book available separately. Just make sure your teacher isn’t already using this book in lessons!
English Practice Exercises 13+ Answer Book by Amanda Alexander
The answer book for 13+ Practice Exercises. The suggested answers and approaches would achieve A grade answers. Reading these in conjunction with the questions is a good revision approach.
English for Common Entrance: Independent Study Book by Andrew Hammond
A useful, older study guide designed for the pre-2014 Common Entrance Exam. This is still a useful study workbook with practice questions and helpful suggestions. Good for independent revision material. Exemplar answers and essays are provided to help the student formulate their own top-grade responses.
English for CE: Pupil’s Book – By Andrew Hammond
This book is aimed for use in the classroom to support curriculum teaching. Designed for the pre 2014 Common Entrance curriculum, it is still useful for revision material. There are lots of practice comprehension questions and a grammar and writing style guide aimed at helping to achieve top grades.
Here’s a page containing more Common Entrance English revision guidance.
Common Entrance revision – maths books
Mathematics ISEB Revision Guide by Stephen Froggatt
An excellent revision guide detailing every area of the CE 13+ curriculum with worked examples and test questions. Easy to follow and useful for revising for top grades. Worth using in conjunction with this free guide
Maths Practice Exercises 13+ by David Hanson
A good set of authentic Common Entrance style Maths paper questions. Needs the separate answer book to make the most of it.
Maths Practice Exercises 13+ Answer Book by David E. Hanson
An answer book for the above question book. While the answers are detailed, not all working is shown and explanations aren’t provided. However, if the revision guide is used, the methodology should be clear.
Here’s a page containing Common Entrance Maths revision guidance, including video explanations and online practice questions.
Common Entrance revision – science books
Science ISEB Revision Guide by Richard Balding
A very thorough guide covering the entire 11+ and 13+ syllabus. Very strong on examples to revise and what precise terms need to be learned to achieve good grades.
Science Practice Exercises 13+ by W R Pickering
A book full of Common Entrance style Science paper questions, covering all areas which are likely to come up. Follows the sequencing and format of the exam papers, helping familiarise the pupil.
Science Practice Exercises 13+ Answer Book by W.R. Pickering
The answer book to accompany the above question books.
Science Pocket Notes by David E. Hanson
A great pocket revision guide covering key concepts and terms. Perfect for reading in the car, on the bus or during the April holiday on a beach somewhere.
Common Entrance revision – geography books
Geography ISEB Revision Guide 4th Ed by Belinda Froud-Yannic
An extensive guide coverage all exam areas and topics, including case studies, mapwork, fieldwork and suggestions for effective exam technique.
Geography Practice Exercises 13+ by Belinda Froud-Yannic
Exam questions to cover every area of the Geography 13+ syllabus. An excellent range and depth of questions.
Geography Practice Exercises 13+ Answer Book by Belinda Froud-Yannic
Detailed answers for the above question book.
Common Entrance revision – history books
History ISEB Revision Guide by Ed Adams
Ideal or revising the ISEB Common Entrance 13+ History Exam. This book covers all the key information required for answering questions on the KS3 syllabus – specifically Medieval Realms, The Making of the United Kingdom and Britain 1750-1900. The guide includes self-test questions.
History Practice Exercises 13+ by Gavin Hannah
Ideal practice material for the 13+ Histor paper. 90 essay titles and 30 evidence questions cover the whole range of the syllabus 1066-1900.
History Practice Exercises Answer Book by Gavin Hannah
The answer book for the above question book.
Common Entrance revision – religious studies books
Theology Philosophy and Religion for 13+ Revision Guide by Michael Wilcockson
Ideal revision material – this book covers the new 2019 curriculum and offers self-test sections for the pupil. All the six major world religions are covered, and there’s also a section on modern issues and ethics.
Religious Studies Practice Question and Answers by Michael Wilcockson & Susan Grenfell
A vast number of CE questions on every RE topic in the syllabus. Covers all world religions and ethics.
Common Entrance revision – French books
French ISEB Revision Guide by James Savile
A complete revision guide for the 13+ exam, including speaking and listening, reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary and self-assessment. Details of a free downloadable audio element are included in the book.
French Practice Exercises 13+ by Nigel Pearce
A well written and set out revision book featuring exam style questions for all the curriculum topics at 13+. All the questions reflect the ISEB style. The book also includes information on how to download free speaking and listening resources from the internet.
French Practice Exercises 13+ Audio CD by Joyce Capek
An audio CD to accompany the above exam revision guide.
French Vocabulary for Key Stage 3 and Common Entrance by John Ellis
A vocabulary list perfect for Common Entrance revision and testing. Also useful for KS3 since it reflects National Curriculum expectations. The book provides some dictation exercises for each subject area for practising writing the vocab in context.
Common Entrance revision – Latin books
Latin Vocabulary for Key Stage 3 and Common Entrance by R C Bass
All the words required for Common Entrance at 13+, listed alphabetically and also in graded difficulty levels – matching the CE exams – for effective revision
Latin ISEB Revision Guide by Nicholas Oulton
A very thorough revision guide which covers all the areas of the CE exam at 13+. The book includes regular test yourself sections at the end of each topic and is geared towards revision for the top two grades.
Latin Practice Exercises Level 1 by R C Bass
An excellent series of common entrance style questions for pupils entered for the level 1 paper.
Latin Practice Exercises Level 1 Answer Book by Bob Bass
The answer book for the above question book.
Latin Practice Exercises Level 2 by Bob Bass
A book of ISEB CE style questions suitable for those pupils entered for the level 2 paper.
Latin Practice Exercises Level 2 Answer Book by R.C. Bass
The answer book for the above question book.
Latin Practice Exercises Level 3 by Bob Bass
A very useful question paper featuring ISEB style questions for the level 3 paper. This includes prose composition and would also be a useful resource for revising for public school scholarship Latin papers and GCSE syllabuses which include prose composition.
Latin Practice Exercises Level 3 Answer Book by Bob Bass
The answers for the above question book.
Latin Pocket Notes by Bob Bass
A brief but useful pocket guide series of grammar notes designed to help pupils revising for the Common Entrance exam Probably more useful for the Level 3 exam than the Level 2.
For more Common Entrance revision and exam revision suggestions, see our GCSE revision book recommendations for English Language and English Literature Exams, our 100 question children’s book quiz and our guide to online courses and home learning for children and teens. This page was last updated on .
