CEM Assessment Tutors – CEM Tests
What is CEM?
CEM (The centre for Evaluation and Monitoring) is now part of the Cambridge University Press and Assessment. Running for over thirty years, CEM is used throughout schools by educational professionals in the UK (and in over ninety other countries) for its formative assessment methods. Previously owned by Durham University, CEM was jointly acquired by Cambridge Assessment and Cambridge University Press in June of 2019. CEM prides itself on its evidence driven methods, using research and market testing to determine the most effective assessment and testing practices in the education system. CEM was created to understand, measure and respond to individuals learning needs and is commonly used to assess the learning of children aged 3 to 19. Our CEM Assessment tutors can assess and guide you on how to prepare for this test.
Accurately measuring potential and enabling a child to progress in their learning means providing teachers with diagnostic assessments to establish academic growth in students and the implementation of entrance assessments to assist school admissions with their candidate selection processes. Commonly used as an alternative to GL (Granada Learning) CEM cover Verbal Reasoning (VR), Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR) and Numerical Reasoning in their tests. CEM exams enable educational professionals to assess learners aged between 3 and 19 on their core Mathematics and English skills, with content aligning closely to the content of the KS2 National Curriculum used in their 11 Plus (11+) examinations. CEM also offer assistance to educational providers, turning the data that they collect from schools into support that enables learners to succeed at higher rates as they continue on their educational journeys.
What are the differences between CEM Exam and GL Exam?
Similarly, to CEM, GL is a leading provider across the country for the 11+ assessment. Previously known as NFER, GL has become an established assessment developer across the majority of grammar schools in the UK, present for the past thirty-five years. CEM was formed in response to the growing belief that the 11+ exam system had become too predictable for some grammar schools, made to tackle the implementation of teaching student’s content simply because they would be tested on the content. CEM and GL are generally used in different counties, with a small selection of counties containing schools that use different assessment providers.
Counties using GL Assessment: Birmingham, Buckinghamshire, Cumbria, Dorset, Kent, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Medway, Northern Ireland, Warwickshire.
Counties using CEM: Berkshire, Bexley, Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Walsall, Wolverhampton.
Counties using GL and CEM: Devon, Essex, Hertfordshire, Trafford, Wiltshire, Wirral, Yorkshire.
It is worth noting that though both exam boards cover broadly the same 11+ content topics (including English comprehension, Mathematics, Verbal and Non-verbal Reasoning) the exam styles differ greatly, making it important to know which exam board your child will have for their 11+ examinations.
How are CEM tests resistant to predictability?
CEM tests are centred around the core skills:
– English & Verbal Reasoning (VR)
– Non-verbal Reasoning (NVR)
– Maths & Numerical Reasoning
Formatting of the CEM 11+ exam is mixed, with an English paper combining Verbal Reasoning (VR) and a Mathematics paper combining Non-Verbal Reasoning (NVR). Standard formatting and multiple-choice papers or a combination of the two can be used and vary depending on the area and the specific school that your child lives in and attends. CEM papers are likely to move question styles rapidly, meaning learners might answer a question that requires them to read a small graph and provide a short answer, to then having to solve a riddle using logic, or a longer problem exercise. It is important to remember that each section will have specific time allocations, so practicing with your child under timed conditions is a useful method when revising for your specific CEM test. In GL tests, having a good knowledge of spelling, mathematics, vocabulary and logic is key to passing, with a collection of past papers also making revising slightly more straightforward. With CEM tests, a very strong knowledge and comprehension of vocabulary, English and spelling and Mathematics is key to success, with a weight on vocabulary due to the tendencies of CEM testing. CEM often present verbal reasoning differently to GL, often requiring learners to have a wider knowledge of vocabulary.
CEM Assessment across the different age categories:
CEM offer tests for children aged between 3 and 19, covering Early Years, Primary, Secondary and Post-16 educational assessment. CEM Assessments are described as Adaptive, Baseline and Digital. It is the Adaptive nature of the tests which often present the larger challenge, with CEM using technology and data which enables them to increase the level of difficulty of questioning after a child answers a number of questions correctly. This is done to enable all learners to be challenged at a level appropriate to them, with the software also lowering question difficulty after a number of incorrect answers enabling this to be put into effect for every learner. CEM offer these tests virtually, online with testing categories made from age group:
Early Years –
- ASPECTS for ages 3 to 4
- BASE for ages 4 to 5
Primary –
- BASE for ages 4 to 5
- InCAS for ages 5 to 11
Secondary –
- MidYIS for ages 11 to 14
- Yellis for ages 14 to 16
Post-16 –
- Alis for ages 16 to 19
- CEM IBE for ages 16 to 19
ASPECTS is an Early Years assessment test, constructed for learners between the ages of 3 and 4, made to determine comprehension of effective early learning.
Age: 3 to 4 years
Test Length: 20 minutes
Assessment types: Adaptive, Baseline, Digital
Subject / areas tested: Communication, Early Numeracy, Language Development, Motor Development
BASE (Baseline assessment) is an Early Years and Primary level assessment test, constructed for learners between the ages of 4 and 5, made to determine comprehension of Kindergarten/ Pre-school, Reception early learning.
Age: 4 to 5
Test Length: 20 minutes
Assessment types: Adaptive, Baseline, Curriculum independent, Digital
Subject / areas tested: Communication & Language, Literacy, Numeracy, and Personal Social & Emotional Development
InCAS is a Primary level assessment test, constructed for learners between the ages of 5 and 11, made to determine and support learners building a foundation of skills and knowledge.
Age: 5 to 11
Test Length: 20 minutes per section
Assessment types: Adaptive, Digital
Subject / areas tested: Attitudes, Developed Ability, Mathematics, Mental
Arithmetic, Reading, Spelling. These subject areas are highlighted by CEM, with research highlighting these skill areas as links to academic progression.
MidYIS is a Secondary level assessment test, constructed for learners between the ages of 11 to 14, made to determine learner’s academic strengths and to promote progression routes in correlation to GCSE and IGCSEs.
Age: 11 to 14
Test Length: 50 minutes
Assessment types: Adaptive, Baseline, Curriculum independent, Digital
Progression: GCSE and IGCSE prediction, this test is designed to challenge learners using the adaptive assessment method, creating data that will set realistic, yet inspirational targets for learners as they approach their GCSE and IGCSEs.
Yellis (Year Eleven Indicator System) is a Secondary level assessment test, constructed for learners between the ages of 14 to 16, made to determine learner’s academic strengths and potential, identifying individual strengths and weaknesses as learners approach their GCSE and IGCSEs.
Age: 14 to 16
Test Length: 50 minutes
Assessment types: Adaptive, Baseline assessment, Digital
Subject / areas tested: Non-Verbal (NV), Mathematics, Vocabulary
Progression: GCSE and IGCSE prediction, this test is designed to identify strengths and weaknesses in learner’s individual knowledge, assessing and identifying areas for improvement to create reasonable progression.
Alis (A Level Information System) is a Post-16 level assessment test, constructed for learners between the ages of 16 to 19, made to determine learner’s academic strengths and potential, identifying individual strengths and weaknesses as learners approach their A Levels.
Age: 16 to 19
Test Length: 50 minutes
Assessment types: Adaptive, Baseline assessment, Digital
Subject / areas tested: Mathematics, Non-Verbal (NV), Skills, Vocabulary
Progression: A Level prediction, this test is designed to identify strengths and weaknesses in learner’s individual knowledge, assessing and identifying areas for improvement to create reasonable progression.
CEM IBE (CEM International Baccalaureate Evaluation) is a Post-16 level assessment test, constructed for learners between the ages of 16 to 19, made to determine learner’s academic strengths and potential, identifying individual strengths and weaknesses as learners approach their IB Diploma.
Age: 16 to 19
Test Length: 50 minutes
Assessment types: Adaptive, Baseline assessment, Digital
Subject / areas tested: Mathematics, Non-Verbal (NV), Skills, Vocabulary
Progression: A Level / IB Diploma prediction, this test is designed to identify strengths and weaknesses in learner’s individual knowledge, assessing and identifying areas for improvement to create reasonable progression and improvement in learner confidence.
CEM Assessment tutors
Mayfair Consultants offers at-home, one-on-one private tuition in a wide variety of subjects and the CEM Exam as a whole to clients living across the London area and online, preparing students for secondary school. We will help with understanding content outlined in syllabi, gaining specific skills required to effectively tackle the questions and how to score on the examinations. Our fully-qualified CEM Assessment tutors are experienced and skilled specialists, with many holding postgraduate degrees (Master’s and PhD) in specific subjects you want to focus on. They offer clear, concise explanations and stimulating approaches, helping to support the needs of every student.
If you would like to arrange CEM Assessment tutors, schools entrance consultancy or enquire about our schools placement service in England as well as independent schools entrance tests please call us on Tel: +44 (0) 207 665 6606 or you can send us an email via our contact form.
Useful CEM Assessment tutors Links:
https://www.bond11plus.co.uk/news/148-11-plus-cem-gl
https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/about-us/cem/
https://www.theschoolrun.com/parents-guide-cem-11-test
https://evidencebased.education/training-cem-cambridge/
https://www.teachwire.net/products/edu-qa-cem-at-durham-university