Designed to assess the English language skills of children aged between seven and twelve, the Cambridge English: Young Learners (YLE) exams are available at three assessment levels (Starters, Movers and Flyers) that encourage children to work by monitoring their progress.
Young Learners
Cambridge English: Starters
Cambridge English: Starters is the first of three Cambridge English: Young Learners (YLE) tests for children between the ages of 7 and 12. This test will encourage your child to learn English from an early age and create a positive attitude to language tests.
Level of qualification: Preliminary
Who should take this test?
Children who take the test are usually between the ages of 7 and 8, and have had about 100 hours of English lessons.
In the test your child will need to:
- recognise colours in English
- answer very simple questions about themselves
- write short one-word answers to basic questions
What happens when my child takes this test?
There is no pass or fail for the test. Your child can get a maximum of five shields for each part of the test. The number of shields they are awarded for each part will be shown on their certificate. They will receive the certificate about a month after taking the test.
| Listening | Reading and Writing | Speaking |
| 20 mins | 20 mins | 3-5 mins |
| Maximum five shields | Maximum five shields | Maximum five shields |
Cambridge English: Movers
Cambridge English: Movers is the second of three Cambridge English: Young Learners (YLE) tests for children between the ages of 7 and 12. This test will encourage your child to communicate in real-life situations in English and create a positive attitude to language tests.
Level of qualification: Beginner = A1 on the Common European Framework
Who should take this test?
Children who take the test are usually between the ages of 8 and 11, and have had about 175 hours of English lessons.
In the test your child will need to:
- understand basic instructions in English
- fill out a simple form or respond to questions about themselves
- answer questions and write down simple facts (such as days of the week, times or names) they hear or read in a children’s story
What happens when my child takes this test?
There is no pass or fail for the test. Your child can get a maximum of five shields for each part of the test. The number of shields they are awarded for each part will be shown on their certificate. They will receive the certificate about a month after taking the test.
| Listening | Reading and Writing | Speaking |
| 25 mins | 30 mins | 5-7 mins |
| Maximum five shields | Maximum five shields | Maximum five shields |
Cambridge English: Flyers
Cambridge English: Flyers is the highest of three Cambridge English: Young Learners (YLE) tests for children between the ages of 7 and 12. This test shows that your child can understand simple English in everyday situations and can communicate in basic English.
Level of qualification: Elementary = A2 on the Common European Framework.
Who should take this test?
Children who take the test are usually between the ages of 9 and 12, and have been learning English as a second language for two to three years at school (about 250 hours of English classes). In the test your child will need to:
- explain the differences between two stories or pictures
- write or tell a short story in English
- ask questions and use the past tense. The Cambridge English: Flyers test is equivalent to the Cambridge English: Key for Schools (KETfS)
What happens when my child takes this test?
There is no pass or fail for the test. Your child can get a maximum of five shields for each part of the test. The number of shields they are awarded for each part will be shown on their certificate. They will receive their certificate about a month after taking the test.
| Listening | Reading and Writing | Speaking |
| 25 mins | 40 mins | 7-9 mins |
| Maximum five shields | Maximum five shields | Maximum five shields |