Cambridge11plus.co.uk
The Cambridge 11+ is a name given to eleven plus tests provided by Cambridge Assesments following the joint aquistion of Durham University’s Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring by Cambridge Assessment and Cambridge University Press.
The tests are also known as CEM 11+ tests. CEM is are now part of Cambridge University.
CEM Select is an online assessment that forms part of the selection process at a number of independent and grammar schools. The test can be taken by students seeking entry at 11+, 12+ or 13+.
CEM Select computer assessments are claimed to have been designed for selective independent schools, selective state schools, and over-subscribed non-selective state schools. They are claimed to enable children to demonstrate their academic potential ensuring a fair school admissions process, which has not been evidenced.
The tests measure verbal, non-verbal and mathematical skills, where each child completes the assessment independently, working at a computer and guided by on-screen instructions.
CEM do not provide any commercially available practice materials (including practice or past papers). They do endorse any other commercially available resources or tuition services. However, all pupils receive standardised familiarisation materials.
The average duration of each test is 60-minutes (which includes the introductory questions and instructions).
The assessments support developed abilities in reading and maths that are claimed to rely on genuine understanding rather than learning through repetition. No evidence is available to substantiate this claim.
CEM Select Tests for Independent Schools
There are two versions of CEM Select for independent schools:
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CEM Select Evaluate provides year-on-year comparability. The results are age standardised and national norms are included.
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CEM Select Challenge offers a numerous of versions of the assessment, allowing reuse of the same test each year to provide year on year comparability or to choose a different test each year. Raw scores are reported, including sub-section scores and a total score to enable candidates to be ranked.
Areas
CEM Select assesses Verbal, Non-Verbal and Numerical Ability. Online tests contain a number of question types which can be completed via selection, drag and drop, auto-complete. It is effectivley a time pressured speed test lasting 60 minutes. There is an option for 25% extra time.
CEM Claims
CEM claim to have a Unique Selling Point (USP): provision of tests "more resistant to coaching influences" and that merely revealing how they process the raw test scores to arrive at the ‘standardised’ scores would prejudice their commercial interests
There is “compelling” and “provided evidence that the claimed USP of tutorproofing is highly questionable and that the public interest warranted close examination of this claim which could only be achieved through the disclosure of the disputed material.”
There are concerns whether CEM really does try to reduce the effects of coaching and whether it achieves this on some level.