Cambridge levels for elementary students

Cambridge English certificates help assess children’s language proficiency and foreign language learning capabilities, thereby providing advantages in both their educational journey and future careers. To accompany your beloved child through exam preparations and help them achieve these certificates, parents need to have a clear understanding of the Cambridge English levels. The following FLYER article will help parents learn about what Cambridge offers for children, which levels are included, how the scoring works, and how to prepare your child for a bright future.

1. Why should you study English according to the Cambridge program?

Cambridge English exams are a highly objective assessment system designed to evaluate a child’s English language skills. They have multiple levels and are administered by the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Therefore:

1, Cambridge English certificates are recognized in most countries worldwide. From school to the workplace, Cambridge certificates continue to offer significant advantages, opening doors to the best opportunities for success.

2, The content of Cambridge English learning and testing allows children to develop all four language skills simultaneously. These skills are not only relevant for future learning but are also directly applicable in daily life.

3, These certificates are permanent. Children only need to take the exam once and do not have to retake it when it expires, unlike some other English language certificates.

4, Furthermore, many high-quality secondary schools either award extra points or admit students directly if they possess a Cambridge Flyers certificate. Therefore, a Cambridge certificate is also a valuable asset for primary school students, helping them advance further in their educational journey.

2. Cambridge levels for elementary children

Cambridge English certificates includes various levels to suit learners at different proficiency levels. For elementary school students, Cambridge offers the following levels: Starters, Movers and Flyers

2.1. Starters level

Starters is one of Cambridge’s English levels for primary school children. It is the first level in the Cambridge exam series and is suitable for children between the ages of 6 and 8.

Starters level exams typically revolve around speaking and writing in English related to everyday life. This helps children gain confidence and improve their English-speaking skills.

Benefits after a child completes the Starters level:

• The child can understand and use simple communication sentences related to familiar things like home, animals, ages, etc.
• The child can comprehend simple instructions, listen and repeat words or phrases as directed by the teacher.
• The child can read and write English alphabet letters and can also spell simple words like clothing, animals, toys.
• The child can write simple sentences, such as self-introduction and family introduction.

2.2 Movers level

Movers is the second level in the Cambridge English levels designed for children, intended for children aged 8 to 11. Movers level exams typically focus on speaking and writing in English related to everyday life.

Benefits after a child completes the Movers level:

• The child can confidently engage in a basic conversation on familiar topics. For example, asking and using fixed phrases like “How much is/are,” “I’m good at,” etc.
• The child can understand anyone talking about their family and friends using simple sentences.
• Understanding some of the teacher’s instructions in class, such as “Take off your coats” or “You must do this.”
• The child can read and write simple sentences about time, dates, hobbies, etc.

2.3 Flyers level

Flyers is the third level in the Cambridge English exam series designed for children. The exam is suitable for children aged 10 to 14 who have already completed approximately 250 hours of English language learning.

At this level, students can confidently communicate in English in familiar, slow, and clear situations. Additionally, they can understand brief spoken sentences and instructions.

Benefits after passing the Flyers exam:

• Since Flyers is the highest level in Cambridge’s classification and assessment system for children, and is equivalent to level A2, students at this stage can write relatively long phrases and sentences on their own.
• They can understand short dialogues when listening at a slow pace.
• They can flexibly apply vocabulary and simple sentence structures in everyday communication on topics closely related to life.

3. How to score Starters, Movers, Flyers

All three levels of Cambridge English, Starters, Movers, and Flyers, do not distinguish between passing and failing. This approach encourages children to have a positive attitude towards examinations, learning, and improving their English proficiency.

Furthermore, Cambridge exam results are not measured in numerical scores but are represented by shield icons printed on the certificates. The 4 skills – Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing – correspond to 5 shields each. An average score is considered “pass,” which is a total of 10 shields or more, with each skill having a minimum of 2 shields.

4. Assessing English proficiency at Cambridge levels

FLYER provides FREE online placement tests for parents to quickly determine their child’s English proficiency level. As soon as the child completes the test, the system will immediately score and assess their proficiency level.

5. Practicing Cambridge exams in the FLYER Virtual English Testing Platform

To help children become more interested in learning English and achieve high results in Cambridge exams, parents can explore the FLYER Virtual English Testing Platform.

The FLYER Virtual English Testing Platform is designed with vibrant materials and offers over 1000+ practice exams closely aligned with the three levels of the Cambridge English Young Learners (YLE) program. These practice exercises are developed by an academic team according to the exam framework and are continually updated, providing questions and exercises similar to real exams.

• These exams have been carefully compiled to match the format (up to 90%) following Cambridge’s latest standards. 
• The automatic scoring system and answer key will help students review and study effectively at home.
• Interactive exercises and game simulations stimulate children’s brain activity and interest in learning.
• It offers various fun learning features such as challenges with friends, short practice exercises, and vocabulary reviews.

Moreover, a helpful feature for parents is the Learning Report, which makes it easy to track the progress of their children’s studies. The system automatically stores all test results and uses them to provide feedback on the student’s current proficiency level, strengths, and areas that require improvement. 

More significantly, parents who use FLYER’s virtual testing platform can save up to 80% on their kids’ exam preparation expenses! Check it out for detail information about Cambridge levels