A child's English level describes how well they can understand and use English across listening, reading, speaking, and writing. The most widely used framework for measuring this is the CEFR, which runs from Pre-A1 (complete beginner) through A1 and A2 up to B1 for young learners. Knowing where your child sits on that scale gives you a concrete starting point for choosing a course, briefing a tutor, or tracking progress at home.
Four ways to check your child's English level
Ask their teacher
Your child's English teacher is the most obvious starting point. A class teacher will have an informal sense of where each pupil sits, often mapped to the CEFR bands the school uses. Email or speak to them at the next parents' evening and ask which CEFR level or coursebook stage your child is working at. The answer takes five minutes to get and costs nothing.
Watch how they handle simple real-world tasks
Give your child small English tasks at home. Ask them to read a short English menu, listen to a children's podcast and summarise it, or write a few sentences about their weekend. Confident, unaided responses suggest A1 or above. Struggling with basic instructions points to Pre-A1. This approach is informal, free, and immediate.
Use a free self-assessment tool like Cambridge YLE descriptors
Cambridge publishes can-do statements for its Young Learners English tests: Starters (A1), Movers (A2), and Flyers (B1). These are available on the Cambridge Assessment website. Read through the statements with your child and see which ones they can honestly tick. The limitation is that self-assessment depends on your child's honesty and your ability to judge their answers, so treat the result as a guide rather than a verdict.
Take an online adaptive test with a certificate
The most reliable home option is an adaptive online test designed for children. Examinizer's kids test covers Pre-A1 to B1, takes around 20 minutes, and uses 20 questions that adjust to your child's answers so the difficulty matches their actual level. At the end, you receive a Young Learner Certificate with the CEFR level clearly stated. The certificate costs €8 and is available immediately after the test. It is not an officially accredited qualification like Cambridge YLE or DELF Prim, but it gives a clear, documented result that is useful for personal records, tutors, and language schools. You can start the test at examinizer.net/kids-test.
What CEFR level should my child be at?
There is no single correct answer. Exposure to English varies widely depending on the country, school system, and how much English a child encounters outside the classroom. The table below shows typical ranges for learners in average European school contexts. Children in bilingual programmes or English-speaking homes will often be ahead of these figures.
| Age range | Typical CEFR level | What they can usually do |
|---|---|---|
| 5 to 7 | Pre-A1 | Understand and repeat simple words and short phrases; name colours, animals, and numbers |
| 7 to 10 | A1 | Introduce themselves, follow simple instructions, read very short texts with basic vocabulary |
| 9 to 13 | A2 | Have simple conversations about familiar topics, write short messages, understand slow clear speech |
| 12 to 16 | B1 | Understand the main points of clear standard speech, write straightforward texts, handle most everyday situations |
What to do after you know their level
The result is only useful if you act on it. Here is practical advice for each stage.
Pre-A1. Focus on building a core vocabulary of everyday words through games, songs, and picture books rather than grammar exercises. Apps like Duolingo Kids or simple flashcard sets work well. Short daily sessions of 10 to 15 minutes are more effective than one long weekly session. If your child's class has already moved past this stage, speak to the teacher about additional support.
A1 to A2. At this stage your child can start to enjoy simple authentic English content. Easy readers, children's YouTube channels in English, and short graded audio stories all help build fluency. Encourage them to speak in full sentences rather than single words. A tutor is most useful here for conversation practice, where mistakes can be corrected in real time. Look for someone who knows the A1–A2 Cambridge YLE syllabus so their sessions are targeted.
B1. A child at B1 is ready for more demanding input: ungraded books, English-language films with English subtitles only, and written tasks with some complexity. If they are approaching secondary school or planning to study abroad, a formal Cambridge B1 Preliminary for Schools exam is worth considering. The Examinizer certificate can serve as preparation evidence while they work towards that goal.
FAQ
Free tests vary considerably in quality. Many are not designed for children, use adult vocabulary, and produce unreliable results. The most trustworthy free option is the official Cambridge YLE can-do descriptors used as a self-assessment checklist. For an adaptive result with a documented outcome, a low-cost test like Examinizer's kids test (€8) is a better choice than most free alternatives.
A 10-year-old in a standard European school English programme is typically around A1 to A2. A child with extra exposure, such as an English-speaking parent, a bilingual school, or regular tutoring, may already be at A2 or B1. The age ranges in the table above are averages, not targets, so do not be alarmed if your child is a band below.
Yes. Each attempt at the Examinizer kids test is a separate session, so your child can retake it after a period of study to measure progress. Many parents use the test at the start and end of a school year. Each certificate reflects the result of that specific sitting.
The Examinizer Young Learner Certificate is not an officially accredited qualification and cannot be used for visa applications, university admissions, or formal institutional requirements. It is suited for sharing with a private tutor, a language school doing their own placement, or for a personal learning portfolio. For official recognition, Cambridge YLE, DELF Prim, or equivalent exams are the right route.
