CAT4 tests are a series of tests that creator GL Assessment says have been “developed to support schools in understanding students’ abilities and likely academic potential”.

They can be taken either digitally or on paper, and are available for both primary and secondary pupils.

The assessments are grouped into four different batteries, made up of two tests in each of the following areas:

Verbal reasoning - “thinking with words”. This is linked to concepts framed in words: the assessment may involve working out how words in a group are related or the relationships between words. The result of this assessment is often used as a baseline of a child’s potential in essay-writing subjects like English and history.

Non-verbal reasoning - “thinking with shapes”. This doesn’t involve reading but measures a child’s ability to solve problems using shapes or patterns, and is most similar to a typical IQ test.

Quantitative reasoning - “thinking with numbers”. This is the numerical equivalent of verbal reasoning and involves working out the relationship between numbers in a sequence. The result of this assessment will generally be compared against a school’s internal maths assessment data.

Spatial ability - “thinking with shapes and space”. This assessment involves the manipulation of shapes to demonstrate an understanding of the spatial relationship between images, and is often linked to ability in science, technology, engineering and maths (Stem) subjects.