CAT4 scores explained
CAT4 reports can be hard to read. Enter the four Standard Age Scores from your child's report to see each stanine and percentile band, the mean SAS, and how the verbal and spatial scores compare. Below, what every number on the report means.
Enter the Standard Age Score (SAS) for each battery from the report. Scores run from about 60 to 141.
Stanine 6 (average), percentile band 59th-77th
Stanine 7 (above average), percentile band 78th-89th
Stanine 6 (average), percentile band 59th-77th
Stanine 7 (above average), percentile band 78th-89th
Mean SAS: 110.5, stanine 6 (average). The average for students of the same age in the UK sample is 100.
Verbal is 1 stanine below spatial. The CAT4 report uses this verbal-spatial comparison, with the level of the scores, to describe a mild, moderate or extreme spatial bias, or no bias.
The CAT4 stanine table
| Stanine | SAS | Percentile | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 127 and above | 97th and above | Very high |
| 8 | 119-126 | 90th-96th | Above average |
| 7 | 112-118 | 78th-89th | Above average |
| 6 | 104-111 | 59th-77th | Average |
| 5 | 97-103 | 41st-58th | Average |
| 4 | 89-96 | 23rd-40th | Average |
| 3 | 82-88 | 12th-22nd | Below average |
| 2 | 74-81 | 5th-11th | Below average |
| 1 | 73 and below | 4th and below | Very low |
From GL Assessment's CAT4 quick data guide. Stanines 4-6 cover the middle 54% of students.
CAT4 measures reasoning ability, not what has been taught, so it doesn't need revision. Want help turning potential into grades? Two free classes.
What CAT4 measures
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT4), from GL Assessment, measures four kinds of reasoning: verbal (thinking with words), quantitative (thinking with numbers), non-verbal (thinking with shape) and spatial (thinking with shape and space). It measures ability rather than attainment, so it is curriculum-neutral, and three of the four batteries need little English.
It is used for ages 6 to 17+, taken on screen or on paper. Students aged 8 and over sit three sessions of about 45 minutes; younger children sit two of about 30 minutes. Many schools use it on entry, at the start of Year 7 and again in Year 9 or 10, and international schools use it in admissions.
The numbers on a CAT4 report
- ✓ Standard Age Score (SAS): the raw score adjusted for age in years and months and compared with a UK sample of the same age; 100 is average. Schools outside the UK use the same UK scale
- ✓ National Percentile Rank (NPR): the percentage of same-age students who scored the same or lower; 50 is average and 95 means the top 5%
- ✓ Stanine (ST): a 1-9 band; 4-6 is average, 7-8 above average and 9 very high
- ✓ Mean SAS: the average of the four battery scores
- ✓ Profile: a comparison of the verbal and spatial scores, described as a mild, moderate or extreme bias, or no bias
Reading the profile
The profile suggests how a student may learn best: a verbal bias points to learning through words and discussion, a spatial bias to diagrams, models and visual explanations, and an even profile to a mix. GL stresses that it suggests an underlying preference, not a fixed label, and it may not match what teachers see in class.
What CAT4 results are used for
- ✓ Indicators: the report estimates likely outcomes at Key Stage 2, GCSE, A level and IB, to set realistic targets
- ✓ Spotting underachievement: a high CAT4 score with lower school results suggests untapped potential
- ✓ Admissions and setting: schools use it to place new students, especially from different curricula
- ✓ Support: a much lower verbal score can flag a need for English language support
FAQs
What is a good CAT4 score?＋
The average Standard Age Score is 100. Scores of 112-118 are stanine 7 and 119-126 stanine 8 (above average), and 127 or more is stanine 9, the top 4% of students of the same age.
What is the CAT4 mean SAS?＋
The average of the four battery scores: verbal, quantitative, non-verbal and spatial reasoning. Schools often use it as a single summary of reasoning ability.
What does stanine mean?＋
Standard nine: a scale from 1 to 9 that groups scores into bands. Stanine 5 (SAS 97-103) is the middle 20% of students; stanine 9 (127+) is the top 4%.
Can you prepare for the CAT4?＋
GL Assessment describes CAT4 as needing no preparation: it measures reasoning ability rather than taught content. Being familiar with the question types can settle nerves, but heavy practice isn't the point.
Is CAT4 an IQ test?＋
No. It measures developed reasoning abilities compared with students of the same age. GL recommends stanines when talking to families partly to avoid SAS being mistaken for IQ scores.
Why is my child's verbal score lower than the others?＋
A lower verbal score alongside average or higher scores elsewhere is common for students learning in English as an additional language, as GL's admissions guide notes. The other three batteries need little English.
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