Pre A1 Starters exam-day guide
Pre A1 Starters · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission letter or registration confirmation
Print or download the confirmation your test centre or school sent you. It shows the test level, date, time and venue. If you registered through a school, ask your teacher which document you need to show at the door. If you are unsure whether a printed copy is required, confirm with the provider.
Valid ID as specified by the test centre
Pre A1 Starters is usually taken by children, so centres often accept a student card, passport or birth certificate, or rely on the school's own records. Ask the centre well in advance exactly which document they accept for your child's age and whether a photocopy is allowed. Confirm with the provider; do not assume a passport is mandatory.
Two sharpened pencils and an eraser
The Listening and Reading and Writing papers are answered on paper in most centres. Bring at least two HB pencils and a clean eraser. Check with the centre whether pencil cases are allowed at the desk or must stay in a bag.
Coloured pencils or crayons
Young-learner papers often include colouring, drawing lines or writing a word tasks. Bring a small set of coloured pencils (red, blue, green, yellow, black, brown are the usual colours). Confirm with the provider whether the centre supplies them.
A pencil sharpener
A blunt pencil slows down young candidates. Bring a small sharpener, but check whether it may stay on the desk or must be kept in the bag.
Water bottle with the label removed
A small clear water bottle is often allowed, but rules vary by centre. Remove any printed label if the centre asks for it. Confirm with the provider whether drinks are permitted at the desk.
Know the venue, room and arrival time
Do a practice journey or check the route the day before. Arrive earlier than the stated time; centres usually ask candidates to arrive 15 to 30 minutes before the start. Confirm the exact arrival time with the provider.
Plan for a parent or guardian to stay nearby
For very young candidates, centres often ask the adult to remain on site until the test finishes. Ask the centre about drop-off and pick-up arrangements and who is allowed to collect the child.
Leave phones and smart watches at home or with the adult
Electronic devices are normally not allowed in the test room. Hand them to the accompanying adult before entering. Confirm with the provider what happens to devices that are brought to the venue.
A light snack for after the test
The papers are short, but young children are often hungry afterwards. Keep the snack in the adult's bag, not at the desk, and check any centre rules about food.
A calm, early night and a normal breakfast
No last-minute cramming. A familiar breakfast and a relaxed morning help more than extra practice. Avoid a heavy or unusual meal.
A short, friendly talk about what will happen
Explain that there will be a listening part, a reading and writing part, and a short speaking conversation with an examiner. Tell the child it is fine to ask the examiner to repeat or speak more slowly. Confirm with the provider how the speaking test is organised at your centre.
Plan the day
Check the admission document, the venue and the start time. Confirm the ID requirement and the arrival time with the centre or school. Pack the pencil case with two pencils, an eraser, a sharpener and coloured pencils. Do one short, light practice activity per day, for example one listening task and one reading task, and stop if the child is tired. Keep bedtime normal.
Do a practice journey to the venue or check the route and travel time. Lay out clothes and the packed pencil case. Re-read the confirmation for the room number and arrival time. Talk through the format briefly: listening, reading and writing, then a short speaking conversation. Reassure the child that mistakes are normal and that they can ask the examiner to repeat. No new topics and no long practice sessions. Aim for an early night.
Give a normal breakfast and leave home with extra time. Bring the admission document and the ID the centre asked for. Hand phones and smart watches to the adult. Arrive at the stated arrival time, not the start time. Keep the mood light; avoid quizzing the child in the queue. Go to the toilet before entering the room. Say goodbye calmly if the adult is not allowed inside.
Listen to the instructions and follow the examiner's directions. In the Listening paper, look at the pictures before each recording starts and write or colour the answer while listening. In Reading and Writing, read each task carefully, answer the easy ones first and go back to the harder ones. Write clearly and use the coloured pencils only where the task asks for colour. In the Speaking paper, greet the examiner, look at the picture, and answer with short, clear words; it is fine to ask for a question to be repeated. If a pencil breaks or something is unclear, raise a hand and wait quietly. Do not talk to other candidates or look at their papers.
Rules to check
Follow the centre's instructions at all times. The examiner or invigilator controls when candidates enter, sit, start and stop, and their directions take priority over anything you read elsewhere.
Bring the identification the centre has specified for your age and registration type. Because Pre A1 Starters candidates are usually children, the accepted document is often a student card or the school's own record rather than a passport. Confirm with the provider before the test day.
Electronic devices, including phones and smart watches, are normally not permitted in the test room. Hand them to the accompanying adult before entering. Confirm with the provider what the centre does with devices that are brought to the venue.
Do not talk to other candidates, copy from them or share answers during the papers. If you need help, raise your hand and wait for the examiner.
Breaks are set by the centre. Young-learner sessions are short, and centres may or may not schedule a break between papers. Ask about toilet breaks and supervision arrangements in advance, and confirm with the provider.
The Speaking paper is a short, friendly conversation with an examiner, usually conducted one candidate at a time. It is fine to ask the examiner to repeat a question or to speak more slowly. Confirm with the provider how speaking tests are scheduled at your centre.
Results are reported by the centre or through the official results service. The exact release date, the format of the certificate and how to request it vary, so confirm with the provider rather than relying on a fixed date.
If the child is unwell or cannot attend, contact the centre as early as possible. Rules on transfers, refunds and medical evidence differ between centres. Confirm with the provider.