Testing in Dubai

For the academic year 2025-26, 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 

The 3 testing windows for this year’s literacy testing are 25th August to 17th October 2025, 5th January to 13th February 2026, and 13th April to 29th May 2026.

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.

Further information regarding NGRT can be found here.

The testing window for this year’s ability testing is from 25th August to 21st November 2025. 

The 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). 

Refer to the table below to identify the appropriate test level for each grade/year.

At the end of academic year 2025-26, students should be tested with the appropriate test for that grade / year. This will allow progress to be measured for the full academic year. Testing should take place between 27th April and 26th June 2026.

KHDA expect all students in Grades 3 - 9 (Years 4 - 10) take the Progress Test Series in mathematics, science, and English in May - June 2026.

Our Progress Tests in maths, English and science are available for schools following UK, IB, Pakistani, Canadian, and Philippine curriculums.

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

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. 

Email [email protected] with your testing requirements.