A2 Flyers: the top Cambridge exam for kids

Yes. A2 Flyers is aligned with CEFR level A2 — the same level as A2 Key (KET), but with topics, pictures and tasks designed for children. A strong Flyers result shows your child can understand everyday written and spoken English and is ready to work toward A2 Key for Schools.

There is no pass mark — no child fails Flyers. Each paper earns up to five shields, 15 in total. Roughly 10 or more shields, with at least two in every skill, is considered a strong result and suggests your child is ready to prepare for A2 Key for Schools.

About 75 minutes in total. Listening lasts around 25 minutes with 25 questions, Reading & Writing is 40 minutes with 44 questions across 7 parts, and Speaking is a 7–9 minute face-to-face conversation with one examiner. It's the longest of the three Cambridge Young Learners tests.

Flyers is typically taken between ages 9 and 12, often in the final years of primary school. There's no official age requirement — readiness matters more than age. Children usually reach Flyers after a year or two at Movers level, though confident readers sometimes go straight to it.

The natural next step is A2 Key for Schools (KET), followed by B1 Preliminary for Schools (PET). Because Flyers already certifies A2-level English, a child with a strong shield score can usually move into Key for Schools preparation directly, building on the same vocabulary and skills.

It's the biggest jump from Movers. Part 6 asks children to write missing words in a letter or diary with no word list, and Part 7 asks for a short story based on three pictures. Regular short writing practice with feedback — our Story Writing game gives instant AI feedback — makes it manageable.

No. Like all Cambridge Young Learners exams, Flyers has no pass or fail. Every child receives a certificate showing one to five shields per paper, and the certificate never expires. A lower score in one skill is simply guidance on what to practise before moving toward A2 Key.

Speaking is a 7–9 minute face-to-face chat: describing differences between pictures, asking and answering questions, continuing a five-picture story, and personal questions. Daily English conversation helps most — and for pronunciation practice, the AI Speaking Coach at /speaking lets your child record a sentence and get instant feedback.