GL Assessment and CAT4 in Dubai schools: what the tests measure and how to read your child's report
In short
CAT4 measures how a child reasons rather than what they have learned, so read it as a map of strengths and do not drill for it.
- CAT4 has four batteries: verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial reasoning.
- KHDA requires a reasoning test in Grades 3, 5, 7 and 9.
- Scores are age standardised: 100 is average, and stanines run 1 to 9.
Most families in Dubai and Sharjah meet GL Assessment through a school email: a CAT4 sitting next week, a Progress Test in maths, a reading test, or a short survey about how a child feels about school. The names are unfamiliar, the reports use statistics nobody explains, and the advice online ranges from "ignore it" to "buy a practice pack".
The short version: CAT4 measures how a child reasons, not what they have been taught. GL itself advises against practising for it. The useful part is the report, which shows where a child's thinking is strongest and, set beside the subject tests, where teaching can make the biggest difference.
The facts below come from GL's own pages (CAT4, testing in the UAE, standardised scores) and KHDA's External Benchmark Assessments Requirements for 2026-2027, checked on 1 November 2026. Schools set their own testing calendars, so your school's letter is the final word on dates.
The GL tests your child may take
GL makes several different tests, and schools in the UAE use them for different jobs. The first question to ask about any result is which test it came from.
| Test | What it measures | Ages (GL) |
|---|---|---|
| CAT4 (Cognitive Abilities Test) | Reasoning in four areas: verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial | 6 to 17+ |
| Progress Test in English (PTE) | Spelling, grammar, punctuation and reading comprehension | 5 to 15+ |
| Progress Test in Maths (PTM) | Maths for the child's age, including mental maths from age 8 | 5 to 15+ |
| Progress Test in Science (PTS) | Science content and working scientifically | 8 to 15 |
| New Group Reading Test (NGRT) | Reading: sentence completion and passage comprehension | 6 to 16 |
| PASS | Nine attitudes linked to learning, such as feelings about school | 4 to 18+ |
CAT4 is the odd one out. The Progress Tests and NGRT measure what has been taught and learned, and report each child as at, below or above the expected level. CAT4 measures the reasoning a child brings to new material.
Why Dubai and Sharjah schools set them
In Dubai, the requirement comes from KHDA. Its benchmark assessment rules for 2026-2027 ask private schools to set a cognitive test that measures at least four areas of reasoning (verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial) in Grades 3, 5, 7 and 9, which is Years 4, 6, 8 and 10 in UK curriculum schools. They also ask schools to assess reading for every student aged 6 to 15 at three points in the school year. KHDA uses the results to monitor schools; it does not name a provider, and CAT4 is the test GL says UAE schools use.
GL's UAE guide gives Dubai's CAT4 testing windows for this school year as 1 April to 20 November 2026 for CBSE schools and 31 August to 20 November 2026 for other schools. In Sharjah, GL's guide says SPEA expects CAT4 in the same grades, and SPEA's school reviews look at how schools use international benchmarking data.
Schools can test other year groups as well, so a child may sit CAT4 more than once.
What CAT4 measures
CAT4 has four batteries. In GL's words, they cover:
- Verbal reasoning: expressing ideas and reasoning through words.
- Non-verbal reasoning: solving problems using pictures and diagrams.
- Quantitative reasoning: using numerical skills to solve problems.
- Spatial reasoning: thinking and drawing conclusions in three dimensions.
None of these is a school subject. A child can be a strong spatial reasoner and still find geometry homework hard, because nobody has taught the method yet.
The test is set at a level for the child's year group. GL's UAE guide maps them like this:
| CAT4 level | Grade | Year (UK curriculum) |
|---|---|---|
| X | 1 | 2 |
| Pre-A | 2 | 3 |
| A | 3 | 4 |
| B | 4 | 5 |
| C | 5 | 6 |
| D | 6 | 7 |
| E | 7 | 8 |
| F | 8 or 9 | 9 or 10 |
| G | 10 or 11 | 11 or 12 |
From age 8 the test is three sittings of 45 minutes, 2 hours 15 minutes in all; for ages 6 to 8 it is two sittings of 30 minutes.
How to read the CAT4 report
The numbers look technical, but four ideas cover almost everything on the page.
Standard Age Score (SAS). The raw score is converted to a score that compares the child with others of the same age in years and months, so the youngest child in the class is not penalised for being young. The average is 100. CAT4 gives a SAS for each battery and an overall mean.
Stanine. The same result on a scale of 1 (low) to 9 (high). It is a broad band, useful for seeing at a glance where a child sits.
National Percentile Rank. The percentage of children in the comparison group who scored at or below this score.
Confidence band. The range within which the child's true score probably lies. Two scores whose bands overlap are not meaningfully different, which is worth remembering before reading too much into a few points.
The report also gives a profile, which compares verbal and spatial reasoning. When one is markedly stronger, GL describes a verbal bias or a spatial bias; many children show no bias at all. A profile is not a label. It suggests how a child may take in new ideas most easily, through words or through pictures and models, which is useful for teachers and tutors planning lessons.
Finally, CAT4 can give indicators: GL lists Key Stage 2, GCSE (9 to 1), A level, International Baccalaureate and CBSE indicators, and the CBSE edition gives indicators for Grade X and Grade XII. An indicator describes the outcome most likely for students with a similar profile. It is a starting point for a conversation, not a ceiling and not a prediction a school must hold to.
GL's individual parent report gives a plain-English overview of the scores, the indicators and suggestions for supporting a child at home. If your school has not shared one, ask whether it can.
Should your child practise for CAT4?
No. GL's position is direct: "We strongly advise against any kind of practice ahead of a CAT4 test", and it does not recommend or endorse any practice materials. Each section of the test already opens with untimed practice examples that show the question style.
The reason is practical. The school uses CAT4 to decide how to teach your child. A score inflated by drilling describes the drilling, not the child, and the plan built on it fits less well. A good night's sleep, and knowing it is not a test to pass or fail, is all the preparation it needs.
Where help does make a difference
The subject tests are a different matter. The Progress Tests and NGRT measure what a child has learned in English, maths, science and reading, and that is exactly what good teaching changes.
The most useful thing a parent can do is read the two reports together:
- Strong reasoning, weaker attainment. A child with a high quantitative SAS whose maths Progress Test is below the expected level probably has gaps in content or method, not ability, which is the kind of gap targeted teaching of the missed topics addresses.
- Attainment ahead of reasoning. A child working hard to stay at the expected level may need steadier pacing and more practice rather than more advanced material.
- A clear verbal or spatial bias. Teaching that leans on the stronger side, with diagrams for a spatial learner or worked explanations for a verbal one, can help new topics land.
Bring both reports to any conversation with a teacher or tutor. They say more together than either does alone.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good CAT4 score?
There is no pass mark. A Standard Age Score of 100 is average for the child's age, and a stanine of 5 is the middle band. The pattern across the four batteries usually tells you more than the overall mean.
Can my child prepare for the CAT4 test?
GL strongly advises against any practice before CAT4 and does not endorse practice materials. Each section starts with untimed practice examples, which is all the familiarity a child needs.
Which grades take CAT4 in Dubai?
KHDA requires a reasoning test of this kind in Grades 3, 5, 7 and 9, or Years 4, 6, 8 and 10 in UK curriculum schools. Schools can also test other year groups.
Is CAT4 the same as the GL Progress Tests?
No. CAT4 measures reasoning across four areas. The Progress Tests in English, Maths and Science measure what a child has learned, against the level expected for their age.
Does a CAT4 indicator decide my child's grades?
No. An indicator shows the most likely outcome for students with a similar profile. Effort, teaching and subject choices all move the actual result.
Where can I see my child's CAT4 results?
Ask the school. GL produces an individual parent report with the scores, indicators and suggestions for support at home, which schools can share.
Career Launcher UAE helps students in Dubai and Sharjah with the subjects the Progress Tests measure: maths tuition for every curriculum, and subject support for CBSE, IGCSE and GCSE and the IB. We do not run CAT4 practice; bring your child's reports to a first conversation and we will look at where teaching can help most.
Related reading: KHDA school ratings explained, How to choose a school and curriculum in Dubai and Revision that actually works.