Admissions guide · checked October 2026
Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS): CAT4 and admissions
JESS's Open Entry route for Years 3 to 9 lists a CAT4 mean score of 115+ as one of its academic criteria.
What the school asks for
- The Open Entry route is for students currently in Years 3 to 9. [1]
- Applicants must qualify in two of three areas: academic, performing arts/art, or sport. [1]
- The academic criteria include a CAT4 mean score of 115+ and a mean Standardised Age Score of 115+ in progress testing across English, Maths and Science. [1]
- Khaleej Times also reports the 115+ CAT4 mean as one of the academic criteria for JESS's limited Open Entry places. [2]
How the process works
- Check your child meets the criteria, then email the Open Entry team with recent school reports, CAT4 results and any coach or teacher references. [1]
- If the application is approved, your child is invited to assessments, performances and interviews. [1]
What this means for preparation
A CAT4 standard age score of 115 is one standard deviation above the national average of 100. Statistically that's roughly the top 16% of children of the same age, so the bar is high. Applications include existing CAT4 results (usually from your child's current school), so the most useful preparation is making sure the question types feel familiar well before that sitting.
Practise for the year your child is joining
Free CAT4-style practice with fresh questions every time. Start with the free 20-minute test to see which question types need attention.
The eight CAT4 question types
Figure classification · Figure matrices · Verbal classification · Verbal analogies · Number analogies · Number series · Figure analysis · Figure recognition
Sources
Edzuno is independent and is not affiliated with Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS). This page summarises the sources above as of October 2026. Admissions requirements change, so please confirm the current process with the school's admissions team before applying.