Accurately measuring a student’s potential and progress can transform learning and help you make informed decisions about individual learners, their educational needs and where to focus your teaching efforts.
Many of our schools use the Cambridge Lower Secondary testing structure to assess learner performance and report progress to students and parents. Our assessments are optional, so you can use them in any combination to suit your context, culture and ethos.
Measure potential: Cambridge CEM 
Cambridge CEM’s computer-based assessments for 11-14 year olds help you identify and diagnose learning needs, measuring and benchmarking learners’ potential. The baseline and diagnostic assessments adapt to each student’s level, accurately and quickly identifying their abilities in core academic skills.
The tests measure learners’ aptitude in core skills and because they are computer-based, results are provided automatically.
- Understand students’ potential and what they are learning.
- Benchmark performance against students of a similar age.
- Plan your interventions to help students improve on areas of weakness and reach their potential in strength areas.
- Use at the beginning or the end of the academic year.
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Provide feedback: Classroom assessment
We encourage you to assess some subjects in the classroom through discussion, observation and lesson outputs.
We provide Assessment guidance to help you give formative feedback on the skills you want learners to develop so that they can reflect on, and improve their performance.
- Available for Art & Design, Digital Literacy, Music and PE.
- Feedback on ‘what went well’ and how students can improve further.
- Help students to reflect on and improve their performance.
- Use throughout the year.
Monitor progress: Cambridge Progression Tests
Cambridge Lower Secondary Progression Tests are internal assessments that help you to check learners’ knowledge, skills and understanding. Available for our core subjects, English as a first or second language, mathematics and science, progression tests are marked by teachers in your school and available for stages 7, 8 and 9.
- Provide detailed information about learner performance.
- Compare strengths and weaknesses of individuals and groups.
- Come with clear guidance, standards and mark schemes.
- Updated annually (from 2022 onwards).
- Download from our secure Cambridge Lower Secondary support site.
- Use any time, ideally at the end of the school year.
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Check achievement: Cambridge Checkpoint
Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint monitors individual and group performance at the end of the Lower Secondary programme. These external tests are marked by Cambridge International to give you extra confidence in the feedback you receive and share with parents.
- Available for English as a first or second language, maths, science and Cambridge Global Perspectives.
- See how learners are performing against an international benchmark, and in comparison to the rest of their class.
- Easily monitor group and individual performance.
- Schools receive a diagnostic feedback report and learners receive a Statement of achievement.
- Two exam series available: May or October.
- Use at the end of the Cambridge Lower Secondary programme (Stage 9).
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