Academic Assessments
Helping you make the right school choices.
Is my child on track? Is one of the questions we hear most often from parents as they begin to think seriously about future school choices.
At The Happy Scholar, we genuinely see it as a privilege to talk through your child’s strengths, ambitions and potential with you. We know that planning your child’s education isn’t just a practical decision. It is a deeply personal one, and often an emotional one too.
Every parent wants their child to be happy and to flourish in a school that truly understands and nurtures them. But without clear, meaningful information, those decisions can feel overwhelming. This is particularly true for overseas families, and for children moving from the state primary system into the independent sector, where expectations and assessment styles can feel unfamiliar.
Many parents tell us how hard it can be to get the insight they really need from a school report or a parents’ evening alone. While these are valuable, they do not always give a clear picture of how a child might perform in a competitive 7+ or 11+ environment, or how their strengths compare more broadly.
That is exactly why, in partnership with CEM, we have developed a specialist assessment to provide clarity and reassurance. It offers an honest, age appropriate view of your child’s readiness for the 7+ and 11+ pathways.
If you would like a clearer and more objective understanding of where your child currently sits, and how best to plan next, we would be very happy to talk this through with you.
About The Happy Scholar assessment.
We specialise in 7+ and 11+ school entrance preparation and are proud to be one of the few consultancies offering CEM digital assessments, created with Cambridge University’s Education Research Department. These assessments are used by the top UK independent and international schools, as a key tool for admission selection. Known as the gold standard in benchmark testing, they deliver reliable information using the largest data pools in the country. Best of all, they are age appropriate and designed to be engaging, easy to use, and carefully balanced to ensure the questions are challenging without being overwhelming.
- A Digital Test – Adaptive testing, ensuring the right level of challenge for each child.
- Valuable Insights – Offers a clear understanding of a child’s current abilities and future potential.
- Benchmarking – Draws on the UK’s largest student data pool for accurate comparison and meaningful results.
- Detailed Report – Includes standardised scores, expert analysis, practical advice, and tailored school recommendations.
- Feedback Meeting – A one-on-one session with our Director of Education to review the report and plan the next steps based on your goals.
Why is it so useful?
There is nothing quite like having the full picture. Many of our parents choose to have an academic assessment prior to starting 7+ and 11+ preparation to help guide their decisions. Our assessment will offer you the clarity to confidently map out your child’s educational journey.
An academic assessment can also:
• Help overseas families make informed decisions about independent schools
• Support children transitioning from state primary schools to the independent sector
• Highlight your child’s strengths and areas for development
• Identify scholarship potential and flag any learning difficulties early
• Track progress towards key milestones such as the 7+ and 11+ exams
• Benchmark performance against peers and set clear goals
• Inform tailored tuition for your child’s target independent schools
To make planning even easier, we have also put together a 7+ and 11+ schools guide, helping you explore the schools that might be the best fit for your child academically, socially, and emotionally.
If you would like a clear, expert understanding of your child’s current abilities and next steps, contact us today to arrange an assessment and access our schools guide.
Testimonials
“Your report provided exactly what we needed. The feedback has given us a deeper understanding of our daughter’s ability and her strengths. Moreover, your advice about potential schools and their criteria has been invaluable in helping us make decisions about where to apply.”
Caroline, Clapham
“I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend your services to anyone seeking an objective assessment of their child or guidance in exploring options. All very encouraging and the best money we have spent!”
Greg, Dulwich
About Us
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