What is the difference between CEM and GL Assessment?
The difference between CEM (Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring) and GL (Granada Learning) Assessment is to be found in the design of exams and the approach taken. One of the key comparative factors is adaptation. CEM exams (at primary level for comparison) are adaptive, which means the questions constantly adjust to the child’s level. GL Assessment exams (at Year 6 level for comparison) are non-adaptive and standardised, which means all children sit the same exam with the same questions. CEM assessments are completed online for this reason, where GL assessments are primarily paper-based (although some use online platforms to deliver their materials).
Basics re CEM: What is CEM?
CEM stands for the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring. CEM measure potential rather than current achievement, although a CEM test will give you an insight into how your child is currently performing. The Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring is part of Cambridge University Press and Assessment and is a not-for-profit organisation, so all income is fed back into research. CEM assesses potential using the child’s current skills in spelling, reading and mathematics.
Basics re GL Assessment: What is GL Assessment?
GL Assessment is the main provider of school entrance exams in the UK. Originally known as National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER), GL Assessment now offers a range of standardised tests that assess English, Mathematics, Verbal Reasoning, and Non-Verbal Reasoning. These exams, which include the CAT4 exam used by many schools to assess pupils, are predictable in their format and are designed to evaluate students on their understanding of the age-specific national curriculum.
What are CEM and GL Assessment exams used for?
CEM and GL Assessment exams are used for assessing pupils, whether within schools at the start of the year, or to assess potential pupils to a new school. Both GL and CEM provide material for 11+, 13+ and 16+ exams for schools in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Additionally, both CEM and GL work with schools in around 100 countries worldwide to assess and establish the potential of pupils. CEM assessments are often specifically utilised by parents and teachers to determine whether a child possesses the potential required for admission into academically selective schools, including grammars.
