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What are CEM Assessments?
CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring) assessments are entrance exams used by grammar schools and some independent schools in the UK to determine admission for Year 7 and Year 9 entry (11+ and 13+). These tests are designed to assess a child’s natural academic ability and potential rather than their ability to memorise or recall specific knowledge.
What areas do the CEM exams assess?
The CEM 11+ typically tests three main areas:
Verbal Reasoning
This focuses on vocabulary, comprehension, and logical thinking using words. Example topics: synonyms, antonyms, close passages, and word pair relationships.
It is broader in scope than traditional verbal reasoning tests and aims to test both a student’s innate verbal ability and their understanding of language.
Vocabulary
Synonyms: Selecting words with the same or similar meanings.
Antonyms: Identifying words with opposite meanings.
Word definitions: Understanding and applying meanings of words in context.
Cloze Passages
These are texts with missing words, and students must fill in the blanks with appropriate words.
There are two common types…
- Word Bank Cloze: Students are provided with a list of possible words to use.
- Missing Letter Cloze: Students complete words where some letters are missing.
Comprehension
Reading a passage and answering questions based on it.
Questions may focus on…
Literal understanding (e.g., facts stated in the text).
Inferences (e.g., what is implied but not directly stated).
Vocabulary in context (e.g., “What does the word ___ mean in this passage?”).
Odd One Out
Identifying the word that does not belong in a group.
For example: Which word is the odd one out? apple, orange, banana, chair.
Word Pairs / Analogies
Finding relationships between words or completing analogies.
For example: Cat is to kitten as dog is to ___.
(Answer: puppy)
Choose the pair that has the same relationship as “hot: cold”
-
- a) wet: dry
- b) up: sky
- c) fast: run
- d) soft: pillow
Spelling and Grammar
Identifying correctly spelled or grammatically correct sentences.
Jumbled Words or Sentences
Rearranging letters or words to form meaningful ones.
For example, rearrange the letters “IPTLE” to make a word (Answer: PETAL).
Logical Deduction
Solving puzzles or problems based on linguistic clues.
For example: Sarah is older than Tom but younger than John. Who is the oldest?
Non-Verbal Reasoning
Assesses the ability to analyse and solve problems using visual information. Example topics: pattern recognition, spatial awareness, and sequences of shapes.
Pattern Recognition
Identifying patterns and relationships between shapes or images.
Spatial Awareness
Understanding how shapes move or fit together.
Logic and Deduction
Applying rules systematically to solve problems.
Attention to Detail
Spotting small changes or differences between figures.
Common Question Types for Non-Verbal Learning
Odd One Out
Identify the image that does not belong in a group based on shared characteristics. – Example features: – Shape type (e.g., squares vs. circles). – Shading (e.g., solid vs. striped). – Orientation (e.g., rotated shapes).
Sequences
Find the next shape in a sequence by spotting patterns. Patterns can involve: – Movement (e.g., clockwise rotation). – Adding or removing features (e.g., extra lines or shapes). – Alternating designs.
Analogies
Determine the relationship between two shapes and apply it to a new pair. Example: “Shape A is to Shape B as Shape C is to ____?” What relationships could this involve? Transformations (e.g reflection, rotation, enlargement) or changes in shading, size, or orientation.
Embedded Figures
Find a specific shape hidden within a larger, complex diagram. This requires scanning for partial or rotated matches.
Matching Pairs
Identify which shape matches or completes another shape based on given criteria. This often involves: symmetry or reflection, or fitting pieces together.
Shape Grids
Complete a grid where rows and columns follow a logical rule. May include progressions (e.g increasing number of sides or dots). Or alternating colours or designs.
Rotations and Reflections
Identify how a shape changes when it is rotated, flipped, or mirrored. Requires understanding spatial manipulation.
3D Shapes
Work with cubes, nets, or other three-dimensional figures. Example questions…
Which net folds into a given cube?
Which cube matches a given flat pattern?
Numerical Reasoning (Maths)
Tests mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills. Example topics: arithmetic, word problems, and logical number patterns.
Arithmetic Skills
Covers basic operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. However, this often includes multi-step calculations requiring a mixture of operations.
Place Value
Ordering and comparing numbers, understanding digits’ values.
Fractions and Decimals
Conversions, equivalent fractions, adding/subtracting and multiplying/dividing fractions.
In particular, students tend to find converting fractions to decimals tricky, so we advise going over this!
Percentages
Finding percentages of numbers, converting between fractions, decimals, and percentages.
Negative Numbers
Operations involving negative values, especially in a number line context.
Number Reasoning
Questions that require logical thinking with numbers:
Sequences – Identifying patterns, completing missing terms, understanding arithmetic/geometric sequences.
Factors, Multiples, and Primes – Finding the least common multiples (LCM), the greatest common factors (HCF), and identifying prime numbers.
Rounding and Estimation – Rounding numbers and estimating answers for rapid calculations.
Geometry and Measures
Focuses on spatial reasoning and properties of shapes.
2D and 3D Shapes: Identifying, counting edges, vertices, and faces; symmetry; area and perimeter.
Angles: Estimating, measuring, and calculating angles, including those in polygons.
Transformations: Reflections, rotations, translations, and enlargements.
Units of Measure: Converting units (e.g., cm to m, kg to g) and applying them in problems involving length, mass, capacity, and time.
Data Interpretation
Involves analysing and interpreting information from charts, tables, and graphs.
Bar Charts, Line Graphs, and Pie Charts: Reading and drawing conclusions.
Tables: Solving problems using tabular data.
Statistics: Mean (average), median, mode, and range.
Algebra (Introduction)
Some questions may introduce algebra concepts, especially for top-level candidates:
Simple Equations: Solving for a variable.
Number Machines: Understanding input-output relationships.
Expressions: Simplifying and substituting into basic expressions.
Problem-Solving and Word Problems
Tests applied math skills in real-world scenarios.
Often involves multi-step problems requiring logical reasoning and interpreting the question carefully.
Understanding units, ratios, and proportions.
Applying concepts like speed, distance, and time, or simple financial mathematics (e.g. total costs, change).
Want to check whether the school you’re applying for uses the CEM Assessment?
Schools decide which exam board they’d like applicants to take. If you want to find out which exam board(s) your child will be sitting, please find the schools they are applying for below:
How is the CEM assessment formatted?
CEM exams are typically multiple-choice and often include separate sections for different subjects.
- Some schools administer CEM tests in two sessions: one focusing on Verbal Reasoning and English, and the other on Non-Verbal Reasoning and Maths.
- Each section is strictly timed, so speed and accuracy are critical for CEM.
What makes the CEM Papers different from others?
CEM papers focus on identifying the students’ skills across the board; they look at your child’s skills in reasoning and specifically their ability in problem-solving, rather than rote learning or knowledge of specific school curricula. Hence, there is a large emphasis on vocabulary breadth, logical thinking, and mental arithmetic.
Is your child an incredible problem solver?
Then this test could challenge them and allow them to prove their full potential to some of the most selective schools.
How can I best prepare my child for a CEM assessment?
CEM Assessments provide a fairer measure of innate ability rather than over-rehearsed knowledge. They aim to level the playing field by making the test harder to revise, and this is where a tutor can really pick out challenging and often multi-step questions that will be in line with the CEM style.
Focusing on reasoning skills, vocabulary building, and time management is essential.
Reading is a fantastic tool to develop their vocabulary, and practising synonyms and antonyms for words as they read would be a truly beneficial method to encourage in your child’s homelife.
Practice papers are important to practise in preparation.
Finally, make sure they are confident with the unpredictable format style, as CEM is known for varying its question styles and formats yearly, making it less predictable than other 11+ providers like GL.
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