While various English assessment tests are available to adults, the same can happen to younger learners!
PTE Young Learners is one of the English tests designed specifically for young students. PTE Young Learners is a friendlier exam than others, featuring games and activities kids can play with their peers.
This post will talk about the PTE Young Learners test, including its purposes, benefits, structures, and upcoming test dates.
(Click here to read our Vietnamese version)
Related: Check out our FREE PTE academic mock test today!
What is the purpose of the PTE Young Learners (PTE YL) test?
The PTE Young Learners (PTE YL) is offered by Edexcel, the UK’s largest examining body. It is a fun, stress-free English test for young students between 6 and 13.
PTE Young Learners tests do not focus on knowledge of specific language items and vocabulary. Instead, tests assess young students’ abilities to use English communicatively through oral and written communication in real-life situations.
The test is suitable for students with English proficiency levels from pre-A1 level to A2 level on the Common European Framework of Reference.
Related: PTE full form and its modules
What are the benefits of it?
Here are several benefits of PTE Young Learners:
- The tests prepare children for real-life situations instead of focusing solely on knowledge from school.
- The tests are designed to be entertaining and enjoyable, making children’s initial experiences with English memorable and motivating.
- The tests help young students to confidently demonstrate their English abilities in a more formal exam setting.
- The relaxing testing setting offers name-to-picture matching, story-writing, participation in a discussion, and a group speaking part delivered as playing a board game.
- The test offers engaging and familiar content following the adventures of the Brown family through all test levels.
- PTE Young Learners grants young students an English certificate accredited by Pearson Edexcel, regardless of performance and scores.
What’s the structure of the test?
The test consists of two sections:
- A written section measuring listening, reading, and writing skills.
- A spoken section.
These two parts are conducted separately.
Moreover, PTE Young Learners tests have four different test levels:
Level 1 – Firstwords (Pre-A1): Kids at this level can read the English alphabet and understand simple words and phrases in both written and spoken English. This level is suitable for test takers under 8.
- Written test: 60 minutes
- Spoken test: 20 minutes
Level 2 – Springboard (A1): Children at this level can express their feelings, habits, likes, and dislikes. This level is suitable for students between 8 and 10.
- Written test: 60 minutes
- Spoken test: 20 minutes
Level 3 – Quickmarch (A1-A2): Children at this level can read texts and understand the main ideas in familiar listening contexts. This level is recommended for students aged 8 to 10.
- Written test: 60 minutes
- Spoken test: 20 minutes
Level 4 – Breakthrough (A2-A2+): Children at this level can explain feelings, offer instructions and explanations, express ideas and preferences, and cope with hypothetical scenarios. This level is suitable for students aged 11 to 13.
- Written test: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Spoken test: 20 minutes
All test levels have the same question types at increasing length and difficulty levels.
| Written section | |||
| Tasks | Levels | Skills | Task types |
| One | L 1-4 | Listening | 3-option picture-based multiple-choice |
| Two | L 1-3 | Listening | Match the name to the picture |
| L 4 | Listening and Writing | Answer question | |
| Three | L 1 & 3 | Reading | Match question to answer |
| L 2 & 4 | Reading and Writing | Dialogue completion | |
| Four | L1–4 | Reading | Match utterance to picture |
| Five | L 1 & 3 | Reading | Match the word to picture |
| L 2 & 4 | Reading and Writing | Gap-fill | |
| Six | L 1 & 3 | Reading and Writing | Gap-fill |
| L 2 | Writing | Write sentence | |
| L 4 | Writing | Write sentence | |
| Spoken section | |
| Task | Task Types |
| Seven | Question and answer – board game |
| Eight | Short talk |
Unlike other English tests, grammar is covered throughout all sections; therefore, students do not need to memorize PTE grammar rules.
With a focus on real-life contexts, skills assessed in a child’s performance include literacy, flexibility, language ability, and confidence in English.
More information about test centers & exam dates
Test dates for young PTE learners are set by each test center. If you are a test-taker, please get in touch with your nearest exam center for further information.
The table below gives the reference exam dates 2023 for all levels of the International Certificate Young Learners test.
Click here to get the latest PTE exam dates for PTE Young Learners.
October 2023
| Session | October 2023 |
| Access arrangements request deadline | 16 Sep |
| Deadline for submission of interlocutor/assessor application forms | 16 Sep |
| Entry window opens | 11 Aug |
| Entry deadline | 08 Sep |
| Test taker withdrawal deadline | 29 Sep |
| Oral test period | 30 Sep – 14 Oct |
| Written test | 14 Oct |
| Deadline for completed tests to be received by Pearson | 19 Oct |
| Upload LWT audio submission period | 30 Sep – 21 Oct |
| Deadline for special consideration requests to be received by Pearson | 21 Oct |
| Results available via Edexcel Online | 27 Nov |
| Results despatched by post from the UK | 27 Nov |
| Review of marking submission window | 04 Dec – 18 Dec |
| Performance reports sent by email from the UK | 04 Dec |
| Certificates dispatched by post from the UK | 04 Dec |
November 2023
| Session | November 2023 |
| Access arrangements request deadline | 14 Oct |
| Deadline for submission of interlocutor/assessor application forms | 14 Oct |
| Entry window opens | 08 Sep |
| Entry deadline | 06 Oct |
| Test taker withdrawal deadline | 27 Oct |
| Oral test period | 28 Oct – 11 Nov |
| Written test | 11 Nov |
| Deadline for completed tests to be received by Pearson | 16 Nov |
| Upload LWT audio submission period | 28 Oct – 18 Nov |
| Deadline for special consideration requests to be received by Pearson | 18 Nov |
| Results available via Edexcel Online | 08 Jan 24 |
| Results despatched by post from the UK | 08 Jan 24 |
| Review of marking submission window | 15 Jan 24 – 29 Jan 24 |
| Performance reports sent by email from the UK | 15 Jan 24 |
| Certificates dispatched by post from the UK | 15 Jan 24 |
December 2023
| Session | December 2023 |
| Access arrangements request deadline | 18 Nov |
| Deadline for submission of interlocutor/assessor application forms | 18 Nov |
| Entry window opens | 06 Oct |
| Entry deadline | 03 Nov |
| Test taker withdrawal deadline | 01 Dec |
| Oral test period | 02 Dec – 16 Dec |
| Written test | 16 Dec |
| Deadline for completed tests to be received by Pearson | 30 Dec |
| Upload LWT audio submission period | 02 Dec – 23 Dec |
| Deadline for special consideration requests to be received by Pearson | 05 Jan 24 |
| Results available via Edexcel Online | 05 Feb 24 |
| Results despatched by post from the UK | 05 Feb 24 |
| Review of marking submission window | 12 Feb – 26 Feb 24 |
| Performance reports sent by email from the UK | 12 Feb 24 |
| Certificates dispatched by post from the UK | 12 Feb 24 |
Conclusion
Thousands of young students worldwide are taking PTE Young Learners to prove their English skills.
Plan to book a PTE Young Learners test for your kids? First test them with our PTE practice tests.
Contact us today!
