01/12/2014
The French Ministry of National Education (MEN) has extended its contract with Cambridge Assessment English for the Cambridge English Certificate (CEC), a bespoke English language test developed for state secondary school students across France.
CEC was first introduced into the curriculum in 2008, part of a long term strategy to improve language teaching and learning by increasing access to external assessments from internationally recognised organisations. The contract will be extended for an eighth year, and covers the ongoing development and administration of CEC, teacher training, and teacher support. CEC maps against Levels A2 to B1 (basic to independent) on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), giving students the English skills required to communicate in simple situations, and providing a solid basis for further language study. Students sit the CEC exam during their first year of upper secondary school education, and since 2008 almost 230,000 students have taken CEC, around 70 per cent of those attending special forms with complementary English. CEC student numbers are now 50 per cent higher than in 2008 (and continue to rise annually). 93 per cent of students successfully achieve the CEC qualification, 60 per cent of them at Level B1 of the CEFR (independent user).
‘Since its launch, CEC has been a great success,’ says Cécile Loyer, Head of Marketing for Cambridge Assessment English in West Europe. ‘Teachers use CEC as a source of motivation in the classroom, while students see CEC as a way to improve their language ability and enhance their CV, making them more employable when they leave education.’