Cambridge Starters, Movers and Flyers: A Parent Guide
Understand Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers. Compare skills rather than ages, explore a preparation task and try an interactive parent quiz.
Quick answer: Cambridge’s paper-based qualifications for young learners are Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers. Do not choose solely by age or a completed textbook. Consider official sample tasks, teacher observations and your child’s willingness to take an exam together.
2026-10-13 · Stayeng parent guide
Key points
- Starters, Movers and Flyers are not age bands for one identical exam.
- A short quiz or textbook level cannot establish exam readiness.
- A Stayeng course-completion certificate is different from a Cambridge exam qualification.
Put this guide into practice
- We identified why we are considering an exam.
- We opened Cambridge’s official samples.
- We discussed different skills with the teacher.
- We planned to verify registration with an authorised exam centre.
Parent decision check
Check the qualification names and preparation decisions. This is not a placement test for your child.
Which level appears in the official Movers name?
- A2
- A1
- B2
Answer and explanation
A1: The official name is A1 Movers; A2 appears with Flyers.
Which is insufficient for choosing an exam?
- Teacher observations across several skills
- Observations from official sample tasks
- The child’s age alone
Answer and explanation
The child’s age alone: Children of the same age can have different language experience. Age alone does not establish exam level.
Is a Stayeng course-completion certificate the same as a Cambridge exam qualification?
- No; they have different purposes and issuing organisations.
- Yes; all English certificates are identical.
- Only when the child is ten.
Answer and explanation
No; they have different purposes and issuing organisations.: Completing a course and obtaining a separate organisation’s exam qualification are different processes.
What do the three names mean?
Cambridge’s official sequence is Pre A1 Starters, A1 Movers and A2 Flyers. These names indicate language levels. “My child is ten, so they should take Flyers” is not a sound conclusion. Consider what they can do in listening, speaking, reading and writing.
This guide covers Cambridge’s paper-based young-learner qualifications. If you are considering another exam or a digital option, consult the current official page for that format. Similar names do not establish identical preparation needs.
- Pre A1 Starters: the step before CEFR A1.
- A1 Movers: CEFR A1.
- A2 Flyers: CEFR A2.
Agree your reason for considering an exam
Are you setting a learning goal, obtaining a document requested by a school, or seeking an external assessment of current skills? If a school requires a document, ask that school what it accepts. Knowing an exam name does not mean it serves the same purpose everywhere.
A child who mainly wants more conversation practice may not need an immediate exam booking. Developing everyday communication tasks first is another option. Treating an exam as the whole learning programme can push practical speaking goals into the background.
How should you use an official sample task?
Open a sample for the qualification you are considering from Cambridge’s preparation resources. Keep the first attempt short and ask the teacher which skill to observe. Supplying or rehearsing all the answers makes it harder to understand the starting point.
Make three separate notes: help understanding instructions, help using English and help navigating the task format. These are not the same difficulty. A child who describes a picture clearly but does not understand where to write an answer may need support with the format.
The parent quiz below contains no official exam questions and does not assign your child a Cambridge level.
Try a short preparation conversation at home
Use a park picture you draw yourselves. First ask your child to point to familiar objects. Next, ask “Where is the bag?” and accept a short response. A more confident learner can describe what a character is doing and ask you a question. This is an observation activity to discuss with a teacher, not an official sample exam.
Discuss those observations and learning goals with your Stayeng teacher. This article does not establish Stayeng as a Cambridge exam centre or authorised preparation provider, and it offers no exam-result guarantee. Use an authorised centre listed through Cambridge for registration, current fees and available exam options.
Want to bring this practice into a one-to-one lesson?
Choose an activity from this guide to discuss with your teacher. For regular lessons, compare package lesson counts, lesson lengths and total prices. If you would like to meet a teacher first, choose a free trial.
Frequently asked questions
Is age enough to choose Starters, Movers or Flyers?
No. Consider language skills, comfort with the tasks and the reason for taking an exam together.
Does this article’s quiz assess my child’s level?
No. It helps parents understand exam choices and is not an official or diagnostic language assessment.
Does finishing a textbook mean a child is ready?
Not on its own. Observe listening, speaking, reading and writing separately, and discuss official sample tasks with the teacher.
Where can I check fees and registration?
Use Cambridge English’s official channels to find an authorised exam centre. Verify local dates, format and fees with that centre.