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Wycombe Abbey School



In their own words

Wycombe Abbey is an exceptional place; it operates as a modern full boarding school for 650 girls and we are committed to the development of each one. Built on the firm foundation of more than 125 years of educating young women, our vision is to provide a world class education. We are excited about encouraging curiosity, bold ideas, innovation, leadership and delight in learning – inside and outside the classroom.


Superb academic outcomes are the hallmark of a Wycombe Abbey education and girls regularly secure places at the most prestigious universities globally. However, we understand the importance of looking beyond the narrow confines of excellent examination results to define success. Our rich co-curricular programme includes an array of activities and opportunities, ensuring that every girl develops her passions and explores new possibilities. These experiences, in turn, help to build the skills, discipline and character that will support her future life.


Ultimately, schools are about people and at the heart of Wycombe Abbey’s success is our total commitment to pastoral care through boarding. The values of mutual respect, encouragement and trust underpin everything we do; in this happy and close-knit community everyone is known as an individual, friendships flourish and girls enjoy each other’s company, all within the wonderful surroundings of 170 acres of magnificent parkland.


I hope that girls who are educated at Wycombe Abbey, including my own daughter, will leave school as confident, articulate, independent young women who are able to navigate a competitive, global, technology-driven world successfully but who also have the qualities to make a positive difference through the lives they live. What are these qualities? I believe they are the ability to form meaningful relationships; to display good judgment; to demonstrate courage and integrity; to be emotionally resilient and to have a deep sense of respect for themselves and others.


It is my privilege to be Headmistress of this School and I warmly invite you and your daughter to come to see what makes Wycombe Abbey such a distinctive place for girls to learn and grow.



Entrance is assessed via CAT4 cognitive assessment, from GL.


CAT4 is one of, if not the most unique school assessment in circulation. Most children will not have encountered either the CAT4 question types or the format, previously. The good news is that the very specific nature of the exam, means that with effort and perseverance it is possible to achieve confident preparation for your CAT4 entrance exam.


CAT4 is broken into 4 broad categories:


  • Quantitative Reasoning

  • Verbal Reasoning

  • Non-Verbal Reasoning

  • Spatial Reasoning


We have partnered with the test experts at Ready Steady Pass, to bring you the most accurate and best value CAT4 practise material for children between 6 and 13 years of age. The tests are prepared by specialist CAT4 writers and audited by AQA and EdExcel exam markers, and ISI independent school inspectors. Tests are taken online, include unlimited resits and emailed results including answer sheets to share with tutors and parents.



Click below to access our CAT4 page for more information



What questions can I expect?


Each of the 4 questions categories in CAT4 (which GL call "batteries") has two different question types, creating 8 mini exams.


Quantitative Reasoning assess numerical questions, with a focus on patterns and relationships:

  • Number Series questions involve identifying the missing number in a sequence.

  • Number Analogies questions are to do with spotting the relationships between pairs of numbers.


Verbal Reasoning asses the relationship between words:


  • The Verbal Classification battery focuses on word classes and word types.

  • Verbal Analogies questions identify the relationship between pairs of words.


Non-Verbal Reasoning looks at the relationship between shapes:


  • Figure Classification asks you to spot the relationship between a series of images and select the image that matches them.

  • Figure Matrices shows a pattern of shapes presented in a square, challenging us to choose the missing shape.


Spatial Reasoning is a particular kind of non-verbal reasoning:


  • Figure Recognition questions challenge us to find a hidden shape within an image.

  • Figure Analysis questions, sometimes called Folding questions, present the challenges of recognising unfolded paper that has been hole punched at a certain fold.



Click below to browse our CAT4 collection







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