Cambridge ESOL exams: enhanced results information
Cambridge ESOL is pleased to announce two important enhancements to the results information provided to candidates. Both of these changes will make exam results more useful for candidates, teachers and other users.
The changes will be introduced in stages and will not affect all examinations in the same way.
1. Changes to Statement of Results
Following extensive consultation with centres and schools, it has been decided to provide candidates with a standardised score for the whole examination on a fixed scale out of 100. This will apply to the following exams:
- KET: Key English Test (and KET for Schools)
- PET: Preliminary English Test (and PET for Schools)
- FCE: First Certificate in English
- CAE: Certificate in Advanced English
- CPE: Certificate of Proficiency in English
- BEC: Business English Certificates
- ILEC: International Legal English Certificate
- ICFE: International Certificate in Financial English
This score is an additional element to supplement the information already provided on the Statement of Results. Scores will appear on the Statement of Results, but not on the certificate. The appearance of the Statement of Results will also be updated.
The benefit for candidates is that they will receive a more detailed description of their performance. A score on a scale of 100 allows candidates to see how well they performed within a grade boundary. So, for example, a candidate with a score of 62 on the FCE examination would have just succeeded in achieving a C grade, whereas a candidate with a score of 73 would have performed significantly better within the C grade band. Because this score is standardised, it also allows comparison across different sessions of an examination, and it means that the boundaries for each grade will be fixed year-on-year.
How are the overall scores reached?
The difficulty of an individual paper, or indeed the exam, may vary slightly from session to session. This means that the overall raw mark needed for a particular grade is not fixed, but variable. In order to ensure fairness and consistency from one examination session to another and for each candidate, we determine the exact grade boundaries following the scrutiny of pretest statistics, examiner reports and candidates’ performance, among other things.
In order to convey final examination results clearly and consistently, the overall raw mark has to be converted into a standardised score. Standardised scores are on a fixed scale to a maximum of 100 and remain unchanged year on year.
2. Changes to certification: BEC Preliminary, KET, PET, KET for Schools and PET for Schools
Most Cambridge ESOL examinations test candidates at a particular level of ability, e.g. Council of Europe Level B1. Candidates who pass an examination receive a certificate indicating their performance within that level.
Cambridge ESOL is now introducing changes to certification in order to acknowledge the achievements of those candidates who do not meet the requirements of the level at which they are tested, but demonstrate ability at the level below. This will only affect BEC Preliminary, KET, PET, KET for Schools and PET for Schools.
Under the new system of certification for the above exams, successful candidates will continue to receive a certificate marked with one of the two passing grades – Pass with Merit or Pass.
Those who do not achieve a passing grade but have demonstrated ability at the Council of Europe level below the examination they have taken will be awarded a certificate showing that level.
For example, a candidate may narrowly fail the PET exam (mapped to Council of Europe Level B1) but demonstrate ability at the level below (Council of Europe Level A2). They will not qualify for a PET certificate, but will be issued with a certificate for the level below (Council of Europe Level A2).
When will the changes take place?
These changes will be introduced in stages, as listed below.
| Examination | Standardised scores | Changes to certification |
|---|---|---|
| CPE CAE FCE |
December 2008 | N/A |
| KET/PET KET/PET for Schools BEC Preliminary |
March 2009 | March 2009 |
| BEC Vantage BEC Higher |
March 2009 | N/A |
| ILEC ICFE |
May 2009 | N/A |
All changes will include results for computer-based sessions, where relevant.
