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Testing in the UAE

On this page you will find support for testing mandated in the UAE, tailored to each Emirate. This includes testing windows, which levels to test, and guides on filling out and uploading student records.

Additionally, you will find information on how to order, training for using Testwise, and product & technical support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the PT Series assessments be taken on an iPad or a tablet?

All digital Progress Test Series assessments are available as tablet-compatible tests. This includes PTE and PTM levels 7-15 and PTS levels 8-15, including Form B where this exists too.

Data Sharing Agreement and Declaration of Use

​All schools that carry out testing in the UAE are required to sign and return a data sharing agreement. This enables us to share assessment data with school inspectors and regulators to support school evaluation. Bespoke inspection reports cannot be shared with you until we have received a signed agreement. Please note that all testing data (including archived data) will be shared with the regulator.

Complete Data Sharing Agreement here.

If you have any queries about data sharing, please contact us on [email protected]

Abu Dhabi

Introduction

ADEK has issued guidance stating that all private schools in Abu Dhabi should administer “online standardised benchmark assessments”.

ADEK also recommend schools should administer cognitive ability tests.

Guidance for testing with GL Education’s assessments is set out below along with recommendations for additional assessments that will help schools in developing a more complete picture of their students’ learning needs.

Benchmark Testing with the PT Series

All schools are required to carry out standardised benchmark assessments with their students in mathematics, science, and English.

The testing should take place between 3 May and 11 June.

To support schools to meet these requirements, our Progress Tests in maths, English and science are available for schools following UK, IB, SABIS, Bangladeshi, Canadian, Pakistani, and Philippine curriculums.

Which students to test?

ADEK guidelines state that all students in Grade 3 / Year 4 to Grade 9 / Year 10 should carry out Progress Testing.

Refer to the table below to identify the appropriate test for each Grade / Year.

Year (UK) Grade (IB, Others) Progress Test Maths Progress Test English Progress Test Science
4 3 9 9 9
5 4 10 10 10
6 5 11 11 11
7 6 12 12 Not Required
8 7 13 13 13
9 8 14 14 14
10 9 15 15 15

Updating Student Records

During registration, schools must clearly identify all Emirati students and provide the eSIS ID for each student. Click here for further guidance on how to achieve this on the Testwise platform.

Please see the video below for guidance on updating your student records.

Dubai - Curriculum runs from April 2026 to Feb 2027

Introduction

To align with KHDA’s ‘External Benchmark Assessments Requirements’, all CBSE curriculum private schools in Dubai should be using cognitive ability tests and reading skills tests. These requirements have been developed to ‘support schools with their whole school self-evaluation and improvement planning; and facilitate KHDA’s role in monitoring and quality assurance of schools.’

The recommended components supplied by GL Education are:

  • Reading skills – NGRT - To be carried out 3 times in the academic year
  • Potential to learn – CAT4

Testing windows

Assessment Window Opens Window Closes
NGRT Form A 12 April 2027 30 May 2027
CAT4 1 April 2026 20 November 2026
NGRT Form B 31 August 2026 23 October 2026
NGRT Form C 4 January 2027 12 February 2027

Potential to Learn Testing with CAT4

KHDA expect schools to test students from the following Grades/Years: Grades 3, 5, 7 and 9 or Years 4, 6, 8 and 10. New schools that have not previously tested with CAT4 are advised to test all their students from grade 3-9 (years 4 -10).

CAT4 Level Grade Year
X 1 2
Pre-A 2 3
A 3 4
B 4 5
C 5 6
D 6 7
E 7 8
F 8 /9 9 / 10
G 10 / 11 11 / 12

Reading skills testing with NGRT

KHDA expects schools to test all Grades/Years from Grade 1/Year 2 up to Grade 9/Year 10.

Testing should be carried out using Form B in the August-October testing window, Form C in the January-February window, and Form A in the April-May window.

Updating Student Records

During registration, schools must clearly identify all Emirati students. Click here for further guidance on how to achieve this on the Testwise platform.

Please see the video below for guidance on updating your student records.

Data Management training title card

Dubai

Introduction

To align with KHDA’s ‘External Benchmark Assessments Requirements’, all private schools in Dubai should be using a curriculum-specific assessment, along with cognitive ability tests and reading skills tests. These requirements have been developed to ‘support schools with their whole school self-evaluation and improvement planning; and facilitate KHDA’s role in monitoring and quality assurance of schools.’

The recommended components supplied by GL Education are:

  • Reading skills – NGRT - To be carried out 3 times in the academic year
  • Potential to learn – CAT4
  • Academic achievement – PT Series

Testing windows

Assessment  Window Opens  Window Closes 
NGRT Form A 31 August 2026 23 October 2026
CAT4 31 August 2026 20 November 2026
NGRT Form B 4 January 2027 12 February 2027
NGRT Form C 12 April 2027 30 May 2027
Progress Test Series  3 May 2027 11 June 2027

Reading skills testing with NGRT

The KHDA expects schools to test all Grades/Years from Grade 1/Year 2 up to Grade 9/Year 10.

Testing should be carried out using Form A in the first testing window, Form B in the second, and Form C in the third.

Potential to Learn Testing with CAT4

The KHDA expect schools to test students from Grades 3, 5, 7 and 9 or  Years 4, 6, 8 and 10. New schools that have not previously tested with CAT4 are advised to test all their students from grade 3 – 9 (years 4 – 10).

CAT4 Level Grade Year
X 1 2
Pre-A 2 3
A 3 4
B 4 5
C 5 6
D 6 7
E 7 8
F 8 /9 9 / 10
G 10 / 11 11 / 12

Benchmark testing with the PT Series

Students should be tested with the appropriate test for that grade / year. This will allow progress to be measured for the full academic year. KHDA expect all students in Grades 3 – 9 (Years 4 – 10) to take the Progress Test Series in mathematics, science, and English.. Our Progress Tests in maths, English and science are available for schools following UK, IB, Pakistani, Canadian, and Philippine curriculums.

Year (UK) Grade (IB, Others) Progress Test Maths Progress Test English Progress Test Science
4 3 9 9 9
5 4 10 10 10
6 5 11 11 11
7 6 12 12 Not Required
8 7 13 13 13
9 8 14 14 14
10 9 15 15 15

Updating Student Records

During registration, schools must clearly identify all Emirati students. Click here for further guidance on how to achieve this on the Testwise platform.

Please see the video below for guidance on updating your student records.

Data Management training title card

Northern Emirates

Introduction

Guidance for testing with GL Education’s assessments for Ajman, Fujairah, and Umm Al Quwain, as mandated by MOE,  is set out below. Additionally, there are recommendations for additional assessments that will help schools in developing a more complete picture of their students’ learning needs.

Testing windows

The MOE expect all schools carry out ability assessments with CAT4, and standardised benchmark assessments with their Progress Tests in mathematics, science, and English.

Assessment Window Opens Window Closes
CAT4 21 August 2026 20 November 2026
CAT4 CBSE 1 April 2026 20 November 2026
Progress Test Series 3 May 2027 2 July 2027

Ability testing with CAT4

The MOE expect schools to test with CAT4 this academic year in order to attain a reliable measure of their students’ ability. Testing with CAT4 will provide you with a unique profile of your students’ strengths and areas for development, ensuring that you know your students’ potential and can therefore set challenging but realistic targets.

CAT4 Level Grade Year
X 1 2
Pre-A 2 3
A 3 4
B 4 5
C 5 6
D 6 7
E 7 8
F 8 /9 9 / 10
G 10 / 11 11 / 12

Benchmark testing with the PT Series

The MOE expects all schools carry out standardised benchmark assessments with their students in mathematics, science, and English.

Which students to test

To support schools in the Northern Emirates, the MOE expect schools following the UK and IB curriculums to carry out testing using our Progress Tests in maths, English and science.

Year (UK) Grade (IB, Others) Progress Test Maths Progress Test English Progress Test Science
2 1 7 7 n/a
3 2 8 8 8
4 3 9 9 9
5 4 10 10 10
6 5 11 11 11
7 6 12 12 Not Required
8 7 13 13 13
9 8 14 14 14
10 9 15 15 15

Updating Student Records

During registration, schools must clearly identify all Emirati students. Click here for further guidance on how to achieve this on the Testwise platform.

Please see the video below for guidance on updating your student records.

Data Management training title card

Ras Al Khaimah

Introduction

Guidance for testing with GL Education’s assessments, as mandated by Ras Al Khaimah Department of Knowledge (RAKDOK),  is set out below along with recommendations for additional assessments that will help schools in developing a more complete picture of their students’ learning needs.

Testing windows

RAKDOK expect all schools carry out ability assessments with CAT4, and standardised benchmark assessments with their Progress Tests in mathematics, science, and English.

Assessment Window Opens Window Closes
CAT4 31 August 2026 20 November 2026
CAT4 CBSE 1 April 2026 20 November 2026
Progress Test Series 3 May 2027 2 July 2027

Ability testing with CAT4

RAKDOK expect schools test with CAT4 this academic year in order to attain a reliable measure of their students’ ability. Testing with CAT4 will provide you with a unique profile of your students’ strengths and areas for development, ensuring that you know your students’ potential and can therefore set challenging but realistic targets. New schools that have not previously tested with CAT4 are advised to test all their students from grade 3-9 (years 4 -10).

CAT4 Level Grade Year
X 1 2
Pre-A 2 3
A 3 4
B 4 5
C 5 6
D 6 7
E 7 8
F 8 /9 9 / 10
G 10 / 11 11 / 12

Benchmark testing with the PT Series

All schools must carry out standardised benchmark assessments with their students in mathematics, science, and English.

Year (UK) Grade (IB, Others) Progress Test Maths Progress Test English Progress Test Science
2 1 7 7 n/a
3 2 8 8 8
4 3 9 9 9
5 4 10 10 10
6 5 11 11 11
7 6 12 12 Not Required
8 7 13 13 13
9 8 14 14 14
10 9 15 15 15

Updating Student Records

During registration, schools must clearly identify all Emirati students. Click here for further guidance on how to achieve this on the Testwise platform.

Please see the video below for guidance on updating your student records.

Data Management training title card

Sharjah

Introduction

To align with SPEA’s standing policy on assessment and effectively use GL Education’s assessments, schools should follow these guidelines to develop a comprehensive understanding of their students’ learning needs.

Testing windows

Assessment Window Opens Window Closes
CAT4 31 August2026 20 November 2026
CAT4 CBSE 1 April 2026 20 November 2026
Progress Test Series 3 May 2027 2 July 2027

Ability testing with CAT4

SPEA expect schools to test students with CAT4 for Grades 3, 5, 7 and 9 or Years 4, 6, 8 and 10. Schools may opt to take CAT4 for other grades.

New schools that have not administered CAT4 before are advised to test all their students from Grades 3 to 9 / Years 4 to 10.

CAT4 Level Grade Year
X 1 2
Pre-A 2 3
A 3 4
B 4 5
C 5 6
D 6 7
E 7 8
F 8 /9 9 / 10
G 10 / 11 11 / 12

Benchmark testing with the PT Series

SPEA expect schools to carry out standardised benchmark assessments with their students in mathematics, science, and English.

Year (UK) Grade (IB, Others) Progress Test Maths Progress Test English Progress Test Science
4 3 9 9 9
5 4 10 10 10
6 5 11 11 11
7 6 12 12 Not Required
8 7 13 13 13
9 8 14 14 14
10 9 15 15 15

Updating Student Records

During registration, schools must clearly identify all Emirati students. Click here for further guidance on how to achieve this on the Testwise platform.

Please see the video below for guidance on updating your student records.

Data Management training title card