News Events

• Online Speaking Practice [13 January 2012]
• Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) - Countdown to New Exam [13 January 2012]
• Advanced notification for your diary - Seminar for Teachers [13 January 2012]
• Cambridge English: Proficiency - a brand new revision of a century-old exam [04 October 2011]
• Results Verification Service [22 September 2011]
• Test Day Photos (First phase - CAE) [22 September 2011]
• New version of First Certificate in English for school-age students [10 March 2011]
• Online Practice tests [10 March 2011]
• Extended certification [10 March 2011]
• New Microsite for Advanced [10 March 2011]

The first official Online Speaking Practice for Cambridge English exams is now available to buy. Candidates can buy Logins for the web-based Online Speaking Practice for Cambridge English: First can be bought using PayPal or ordered directly from us.

Online Speaking Practice for Cambridge English: First will give students authentic, interactive preparation for their Speaking test on a web-based platform.
Students will be able to:

• experience a real Cambridge ESOL examiner asking questions using video, and then record their own answers
• try each of the 4 parts of the Speaking test up to 10 times and save all of their recordings
• share their favourite recordings with their teachers and friends
• watch 'sample answer' videos of a student answering questions with Cambridge ESOL's feedback on the student's performance
• compare their answers with the sample answers and see how they can improve their performance.

We have also provided guidance for teachers using Online Speaking Practice Test More information, including a video, can be found via the Cambridge ESOL website.

The retail price for Online Speaking Practice for Cambridge English: First is £6.00 for six months' access. Preparation centres can benefit from 10% discount by using the Publication Order Form on Cambridge ESOL Online for preparation centres

To learn how the changes make the exam even more suitable for higher education and professional purposes, consult the regular bulletins. Click here.

The first live exam dates for the new Cambridge English: Proficiency are scheduled for March 2013, but you can still enter candidates for the current exam until December 2012.

Saturday, 15 September 2012

The focus of the three part seminar will be on:

1. Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE) 2013 revision
2. New to Proficiency? Teaching your first Proficiency courses(s)
3. Preparation and Assessment of the CPE Speaking Test

Further details and the possibility to reserve your place online will be available on this website from early May.

Cambridge English: Proficiency, also known as Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE), at nearly 100 years old, remains the most in-depth and thorough examination for those who need to demonstrate a high level of English.

Work has begun on a revision of the exam, which will conclude in time for Cambridge English: Proficiency’s centenary in 2013. See the new specifications for the exam, sample papers and listening materials on Cambridge English Proficiency - click here. Consult the regular bulletins produced by Cambridge ESOL at the bottom of the page. Next bulletin due in October.

There will be a teacher’s seminar in Bern focusing on the redeveloped Cambridge English:
Proficiency exam on Saturday, 15 September 2012.

Cambridge ESOL’s user-friendly online Results Verification Service gives authorised users free access to candidates’ Cambridge ESOL examination results anytime, anywhere to verify the results. A candidate can control who can access their results and view their photo by giving their

• unique Candidate’s ID number
• Candidate’s secret number

to universities, employers and other organisations they want to be able to verify their results.

This information is supplied to each candidate to enable them to also access their own results online and therefore should be retained and stored.
For further information visit: http://verification.CambridgeESOLonline.org

Second phase - After July 2012 PET, FCE, CPE, BEC P, BEC V, BEC H, ILEC and ICFE (but not for the ‘for schools’ versions of these exams)

The number of candidates wishing to use their Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) qualification for purposes such as immigration and access to work and higher education continues to increase. Therefore Cambridge ESOL has introduced a new regulation that will apply to all Cambridge English: Advanced candidates from 1st November 2011. Each candidate who takes Cambridge English: Advanced will be photographed on the day of the speaking test or the written exams. When candidates register to take the exam, they will be asked to sign to give their consent for the photograph. If candidates are under 18, their parents will need to give consent.

The photos will be taken using special software provided by Cambridge ESOL, and at all times the files and photos will be stored securely and will only be accessible by authorised centre staff. For additional security, all files will be encrypted. These photos, as well as results, will be available on the secure Online Results Verification website for use by organisations wishing to verify a result. Candidates will be able to control who can access their result and view their photo.

This new regulation is one of a series of measures that have been introduced by Cambridge ESOL in order to further enhance the security and integrity of the Cambridge ESOL exams.

Following the successful introduction of KET for Schools and PET for Schools, Cambridge ESOL is pleased to announce that a new version of the First Certificate in English will be available from 2011, designed for those who are learning English as part of their full time education.

The format for the new exam and the level of the question papers is the same as the existing First Certificate and covers the same range and level of English language skills. The only difference is that the content and treatment of topics in the exam will be designed specifically for this age group, particularly targeted at the interests and situations that they are likely to be familiar with.

A teacher’s comment: 'Most candidates taking FCE are still at school. For younger students topics which relate to their real life are more meaningful.'

A Handbook for teachers, including all the necessary information on the new exam as well as a sample paper together with audio files for the Listening Paper, is now available for download from the Cambridge ESOL website - http://www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/fce-schools/index.html

The first of a range of printed support items - The Speaking Test Preparation Pack for First for Schools – is available for purchase on the Cambridge ESOL eShop.

Free material is also available to help support preparation. There is an exam overview page on the Teacher Support website, whilst the Candidate Support website is being developed to include a page with explanations or each part of every paper, dos/don’ts, FAQs, a downloadable Information for Candidates booklet and one full sample paper.

The two versions of Cambridge English: First

Cambridge English First
and
Cambridge English First for Schools

will be available for you to choose from in your area from 2012.

Saturday 24 March 2012 will be the first sitting of First for Schools (note: a good 2 weeks later in the month than the standard version) with more sessions available in June and December, depending on interest.

! ! Make early contact with the exam centre, if you anticipate that your classes will change next year and will be entering instead for the version for schools ! !

Give your candidates the best exam practice designed by the experts.

NEW Online Practice Tests are currently available for purchase at the Cambridge ESOL eShop for KET, KET for Schools, PET, PET for Schools, FCE and CAE.

Each practice test contains:

• tutorials that explain how to complete the test
• a full practice test for Reading, Writing, Listening, Use of English
• automatic scoring for Reading, Listening and Use of English (sample answers are provided for Writing)
• a detailed score report and answer feedback once the learner submits their answers.

To find out more about online practice tests, click on the exam level of your choice and try the free samples at: www.cambridgeESOL.org/exam-preparation/index.html

New - an exciting initiative regarding the way Cambridge ESOL present candidates' results.

This initiative is called "Extended certification" and will give many candidates additional credit for the language skills they have demonstrated in a Cambridge ESOL exam. This will help universities, employers and other organisations have a clearer picture of how candidates' results relate to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

Extended certification applies to:

• Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
• Cambridge English: First (FCE)
• Cambridge English: Preliminary (PET) and Preliminary for Schools
• Cambridge English: Key (KET) and Key for Schools
• Business English Certificates: Preliminary, Vantage and Higher (BEC)

Extended certification will be rolled out for all the exams listed above during 2011, with most of the new certification arrangements in place for exams in March 2011.

Please read this Extended certification factsheet which will give you lots of additional information about extended certification and will help you answer your students' questions.

Check out Cambridge ESOL's new microsite, focussing just on Cambridge English: Advanced.

Its new features include:

• Why Cambridge English: Advanced?
• English for high achievers
• Exam overview
• Exam preparation
• FAQ's
• Sign up for the latest updates

In addition, there are links to the recognition database and eShop where you can purchase further resource materials.

Dedicated sites to the other exams will follow. We will keep you alerted on our new Noticeboard as soon as they become available.