Deciding whether your child is ready to take World Class Tests is important, as the tests are aimed at young people who are gifted and talented in the areas of mathematics and problem solving - those who are in the top 10 per cent or above ability range.

To benefit from taking World Class Tests, your child should be able to:

• think creatively and logically;
• use their thinking skills to solve problems and answer questions on
  subjects that s/he may not have studied at school;
• work out and respond to unfamiliar information; and
• demonstrate clearly how s/he thinks through and solve problems.

One way teachers might select young people to take part is to choose those they expect to do well in any assessment tests done in their school. For example, if your child is at school in the UK, their teacher may want to enter them if they think they will achieve a high Level 5 in the end of Key Stage 2 statutory tests or a high level 7 in the end of Key Stage 3 tests. However, there may be other children who may not do well in Key Stage tests, but demonstrate keen insight, creative thinking and good problem solving and mathematical skills. If your child demonstrates these abilities you may want to speak to their teacher about entering them for World Class Tests. You and your child could also have a look at the Example questions on the website to get a feel for the types of questions they would be expected to do.

World Class Tests are designed to meet the needs of gifted children, and can also challenge and extend their abilities. Trials show that very able children enjoy the high-level questioning of World Class Tests, and having their achievements recognised can give a valuable boost to their self-esteem.

If your child lives and is at school in England, s/he can also use his/her test grade to apply for entrance to the National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth's talent search.