About Cambridge CEM

We are Cambridge Centre for Evaluation & Monitoring

We empower teachers to unlock their students’ potential. For the past 40 years, we have led the way in evidence-based, research-informed assessments so schools all over the world can put insights into action.

We are part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment and share its mission ‘to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence’.

We are not-for-profit, so our financial success is reinvested in the Cambridge mission, making sure we can continue to:

  • Help teachers turn data into knowledge
  • Bridge the gap between research and practice
  • Provide evidence to support good decision-making

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“Helping teachers help their students achieve success through insight was what started Cambridge CEM 40 years ago – that continues to be the driver for every assessment we develop today. We will always prioritise the needs of the classroom to create the innovative technologies necessary for improving future outcome for all students.”

Jonathan Ryder, Assistant Director of Product

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40 years of developing and delivering digital baseline assessments

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We work with schools, ministries and associations in 109 countries

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Known for rigorous, evidence-based approach, analysing 43 million data points every year

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327,000 students assessed each year

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600,000 assessments used to standardise each year, ensuring our data is as reliable as possible

“Over the years, I have seen time and again the impact that having the assessments has on our students. It tells you things that you just wouldn’t have known otherwise. They help you to identify potential issues early and it supports students across the whole spectrum of ability. [...] The tech support, the customer service, the quality of the data and the training have always been really good, but the new initiatives like the Cambridge CEM Networks and the Professional Development means that we get that additional layer of support with the data.”

Karen Barker, Deputy Head at Finborough School

History of Cambridge CEM

First monitoring system established in Newcastle: COMBES (Confidential Measurement Based Self Evaluation)

1983
1987

Technical Vocational and Educational Initiative Report published

Alis project

1989
1990

Yellis piloted

Primary (PIPs) assessment begins

1992
1994

PIPS early years assessment

Relocated to Durham to pilot MidYIS

1996
1997

Value-added National Project published

Primary PIPS goes to Australia

1998
1999

CEM assessments available in New Zealand

ASPECTS introduced

2000
2001

CEM assessments in Hong Kong

InCAS, a new primary assessment, introduced in schools

2002
2005

Fully computer adaptive MidYIS assessment

Over 1 million assessments delivered

2007
2010

CEM baseline assessments introduced into primary schools in Abu Dhabi

Working with 55 Chinese tutoring schools with over 23,000 students taking InCAS

2012
2013

CEM assessments used in over 70 countries

CEM joins Cambridge

2019
2020

CEM adapts and offers home testing during the pandemic

Research into students' and teachers' wellbeing during the lockdown published

2021
2022

Cambridge Wellbeing Check released

Cambridge Primary Insight Assessment launched

2023