Built on success
Every child receives a certificate — results are shown as shields, with no pass or fail.
Young Learners
Pre A1 to A2 — a child's first Cambridge exams, building confidence in English
Cambridge English exams for primary-school-age children. Results are shown as shields rather than pass or fail, so children take the exam without pressure and feel a sense of achievement. The exams progress in three steps: Starters → Movers → Flyers.
Not sure of your level?
Take the Placement Test to check your current English level and get a recommended exam.
Levels
Three levels
Results system
The Shield results system
Young Learners exams are encouraging assessments with no pass or fail. Each of the three areas — Listening, Reading & Writing, and Speaking — is awarded 1–5 shields; closer to 5 means the area was performed well.
- • Every candidate receives a Certificate and a Statement of Results.
- • Digital candidates have their own avatar printed on the certificate.
- • The Statement of Results shows strengths and areas to improve, ideal for planning the next steps.
- • The back of the certificate shows the CEFR scale, so you can see where you stand against the international standard.
Highlights
YLE highlights
A step-by-step ladder
Pre A1 Starters → A1 Movers → A2 Flyers — natural progress one step at a time.
Paper / Digital
Starters and Movers are available on Paper and Digital; Flyers is Paper only.
Plenty of official materials
Cambridge Wordlist, Fun for and Storyfun, and more official resources for each level.
For parents
9 tips for parents
A guide to help you prepare for Cambridge YLE in Korea.
01Start with Pre A1 Starters
Motivation matters most at this stage. Let your child experience the Cambridge exam environment with the low-pressure Starters.
02Try Paper and Digital in advance
Younger children used to games and tablets may prefer Digital (Starters/Movers only); those who work calmly by hand may prefer Paper. Try an official sample once before deciding. A2 Flyers is Paper only.
03Both British and American English appear
If your child learns mainly American English at an academy, expose them to British pronunciation and vocabulary in advance (lift/flat/biscuit, etc.).
04Use the official Wordlist first
Exam vocabulary is drawn from Cambridge's published level Wordlists. Mastering this PDF first is more efficient than commercial wordlists.
05Practise speaking with videos
Watch official candidate videos with examiner comments (Tommaso, Paolo, Rebecca / Sole / Giorgia) together to learn answer length and manner.
06Use the Mock Test Toolkit
In the 1–2 weeks before the exam, we recommend mock tests timed like the real thing.
07Check your digital test setup
For a Digital test (Starters/Movers), check screen resolution (1024×768 or higher), a single monitor, working headphones, and typing speed (mostly lowercase input) in advance.
08Coordinate with the academy curriculum
If your child is already preparing for YLE at an academy, time the exam to match the academy's progress. Sharing mock test results with the academy helps review areas to improve together.
09Official materials in Korean bookshops too
Official Cambridge materials (Storyfun, Power Up, Fun for Starters, etc.) are available at Kyobo, YES24 and Aladin. Some editions include a Korean teacher's guide, so parents can study along too.