What Cambridge Assessment does

Cambridge Assessment is the assessment division of the University of Cambridge, founded in 1858 as the Local Examinations Syndicate and rebranded in 1998. In 2013 it merged with Cambridge University Press to form Cambridge University Press & Assessment, operating as a non-profit educational syndicate rather than a conventionally owned company. Its core operating subsidiaries include Cambridge English (English language assessment), Cambridge International Education (international school programmes), OCR (UK school examinations), Cambridge CEM (evaluation and monitoring), Cambridge Mathematics, and The Assessment Network (professional development). The Assessment Network is the division through which Cambridge Assessment sells CPD-accredited training directly to practitioners and institutions.

The product portfolio centres on The Assessment Network, which delivers four foundational CPD-accredited online courses (A101–A104) covering assessment principles, practice, data/statistics, and psychometrics, plus specialised on-demand courses (Classroom Assessment for Teachers, Embedding EDIB in Assessment Practice), short workshops, the Assessment Practitioner Programme, and the flagship Postgraduate Advanced Certificate in Educational Assessment (PGCA) delivered jointly with the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education. Delivery runs on a proprietary Virtual Learning Environment supporting scheduled and on-demand formats, discussion forums, and a digital badge credentialing system. Customised assessment learning solutions are sold to awarding bodies, ministries, and schools through a dedicated bespoke team.

Revenue is generated through individual course fees (typically £295–£395 for A10 courses), memberships (£115/year), workshop fees (£95 single sessions or £265–£375 for series), group pricing tiers for schools (£350–£15,000), postgraduate tuition (£5,730–£13,465), and bespoke enterprise contracts. The customer base spans individual teachers, schools and trusts, awarding bodies, professional associations, and government education ministries across 100+ countries, with 1,000+ organisations cited as customers of The Assessment Network. The go-to-market combines a self-serve website booking portal for individual learners with email-based consultative sales for organisational and bespoke engagements, supported by an annual Assessment Horizons conference, research publications, and a global ambassador programme.

Name

Cambridge Assessment

Legal name

Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Website

https://cambridgeassessment.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1858

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Cambridge Assessment, founded in 1858 and part of the University of Cambridge, delivers educational assessment and professional development through The Assessment Network, serving teachers, schools, awarding bodies, and government ministries across 100+ countries with CPD-accredited courses, postgraduate qualifications, and bespoke consulting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Assessment Training

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

National/State Examination Boards & Testing Agencies (EDADAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classroom Assessment & Grading (Formative/Summative) (EDAJAFAC), Digital Assessment Platforms & Computer-Based Testing Authorities (EDADAFAK), Assessment & Item Writing / Test Content Development (EDAGAKAE), Portfolio, Performance & Rubric-Based Assessment Platforms (EDAFADAL)

Keywords

• Educational assessment training
• CPD accredited courses
• Assessment professional development
• Postgraduate assessment qualification
• Assessment practitioner certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Online Courses: CPD accredited online courses (A101-A104) sold individually at £295-£395 per course with on-demand and scheduled options. Certification and digital badges awarded upon completion.
2. Practitioner Workshops: Short practical workshops sold at £95 for single sessions or £265-£375 for workshop series. 90-minute online workshops and multi-session series available.
3. Annual Membership: £115 per year membership providing 10% discount on courses, free access to Assessment Horizons conference, professional awards access, Ask the Experts sessions, networking community, newsletter, and resource library.
4. Postgraduate Advanced Certificate (PGCA): 15-month part-time qualification priced at £5,730 (Home students) or £13,465 (Overseas including EU). Worth 90 credits at Master's level (Level 7).
5. Classroom Assessment for Teachers: On-demand course at £75 per individual (or £67.50 for members), with group pricing tiers available for schools and trusts (up to 500 people at £15,000).
6. EDIB in Assessment Practice Course: On-demand course at £195 per individual (or £175.50 for members), with group pricing available for organizations.
7. Bespoke Training Solutions: Customized assessment training solutions for organizations including end-to-end consultancy, assessment design expertise, capacity building, and in-house/online training. Priced based on organizational requirements.
8. Cambridge International Study Programme: 5-day face-to-face programme in Cambridge at £2,500 per delegate, with 20% organizational discount for additional delegates. Covers assessment strategy, standards, and future of learning.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Cambridge Assessment operates The Assessment Network as its professional development division, delivering CPD-accredited online courses (A101-A104), assessment practitioner workshops, a Postgraduate Advanced Certificate (PGCA) in partnership with the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education, bespoke training solutions, and professional certification awards. Offerings serve individual teachers, schools, awarding bodies, and government education ministries across more than 100 countries.

Product overview

Cambridge Assessment operates The Assessment Network as its professional development division, offering a comprehensive portfolio of assessment training products and services. The core offering includes four CPD-accredited online courses (A101-A104) covering assessment principles, practice, data analysis, and psychometrics, plus on-demand courses such as Classroom Assessment for Teachers and Embedding EDIB in Assessment Practice. The portfolio also includes Assessment Practitioner Workshops, the Cambridge International Study Programme (face-to-face), Bespoke Training Solutions, and the Assessment Practitioner Programme for certification. A flagship offering is the Postgraduate Advanced Certificate (PGCA) in partnership with University of Cambridge Faculty of Education. Professional recognition is available through Assessment Practitioner Awards and Advanced Assessment Practitioner Awards. Membership provides access to resources, conferences, and networking. The products serve teachers, examiners, assessment managers, and organisations across 100 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cambridge English: English language learning and assessment qualifications and resources
• Cambridge International
• OCR (Oxford, Cambridge and RSA Examinations)
• Cambridge CEM
• Cambridge Mathematics
• The Assessment Network

Products and services

• A101: Introducing the Principles of Assessment CPD accredited online course covering key assessment principles including validity, reliability, fairness, standards, comparability, and practicality. Available on-demand or scheduled over 9 weeks.
• A102: Introducing Assessment Practice CPD accredited online course guiding learners through the assessment cycle from start to finish, covering qualification design, assessment materials, and standardisation.
• A103: Assessment Data and Statistics CPD accredited online course exploring how to gather, interpret, and critically use assessment data to inform decisions and predict performance.
• A104: Psychometrics in Educational Assessment CPD accredited online course providing tools and understanding to analyse assessment data and ensure tests are reliable, valid, and fair using psychometric methods.
• Classroom Assessment for Teachers: Transforming Outcomes for Learners On-demand course equipping educators with evidence-based strategies and tools for classroom assessment, covering AFL, AOL, AAL techniques, feedback, and metacognition.
• Embedding EDIB in Assessment Practice On-demand course supporting practitioners to develop and apply strategies for inclusive assessment design using the Universal Design for Assessment approach.
• Postgraduate Advanced Certificate in Educational Studies: Educational Assessment (PGCA) 15-month part-time qualification worth 90 credits at Master's level (RQF Level 7), run in partnership with the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education.
• Cambridge International Study Programme Five-day intensive face-to-face programme for global assessment leaders covering assessment strategy, standards maintenance, and future of assessment, held in Cambridge.
• Assessment Practitioner Workshops Short, practical online workshops focusing on key elements of assessment design and practice, available as single 90-minute sessions or multi-part series.
• Bespoke Training Solutions Customised assessment learning solutions created in partnership with Cambridge experts for schools, awarding bodies, and organisations worldwide.
• Assessment Practitioner Programme 60-hour CPD programme leading to the Assessment Practitioner Award, combining A101, A102, and Question Writing workshops at discounted rates.
• Assessment Practitioner Awards Two-level professional recognition: Assessment Practitioner Award (60 hours learning) and Advanced Assessment Practitioner Award (3000-word assignment on assessment innovation, benchmarked to RQF Level 6 by Ecctis).
• Assessment Network Membership Annual membership providing free conference access, 10% course discounts, professional awards eligibility, expert sessions, and global networking community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,000+ organizations across 100 countries trust The Assessment Network
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• UNICEFflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUzbekistan has launched a comprehensive revision of its preschool and school educational programs in partnership with Cambridge and UNICEF. The initiative aims to establish a world-class education system with internationally recognized assessment standards and qualified teaching staff.
• University of Cambridge Faculty of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership to deliver the Postgraduate Advanced Certificate in Educational Studies: Educational Assessment (PGCA). The 15-month qualification is jointly led by experts from The Assessment Network and the Faculty of Education, part of the University's Practitioner Professional Development Programme.
• Professor Sally Everett (King's College London)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Sally Everett, Vice Dean Education at King's College London, supported the development of the EDIB in Assessment Practice course as an EDIB expert, contributing to the course's focus on culturally sustaining pedagogical tools and inclusive assessment design.
• Dr Rebecca Conway (NCFE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr Rebecca Conway from NCFE supported the development of the EDIB in Assessment Practice course as an EDIB expert, contributing expertise on practical and technical factors influencing learner interaction with assessments.
• EcctisminorOthersEcctis conducted benchmarking of the Advanced Assessment Practitioner Award and determined it is comparable to Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 6, providing external validation of the credential's quality and rigor.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Pearson Assessment: Pearson operates Edexcel and a global assessment portfolio serving schools, universities, and professional bodies. It is comparable as a large incumbent delivering high-stakes examinations, assessment qualifications, and credentialing across multiple markets.
• Educational Testing Service (ETS): ETS develops and administers standardised tests (TOEFL, GRE) and conducts major assessment research. It is comparable as a globally recognised assessment authority with deep research capability and standardised test offerings that overlap with Cambridge Assessment's exam board activities.
• College Board: College Board administers the SAT, AP, and other standardised assessments used by US and international students. It is comparable as a large-scale, mission-driven assessment organisation running high-stakes exams and credentialing programmes.

Direct peers

• British Council: The British Council delivers English-language assessment and teacher training programmes worldwide, often in partnership with governments. It is directly comparable to Cambridge Assessment's English language assessment and international professional development offerings.
• AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance): AQA is one of the major UK awarding bodies offering GCSEs, A-levels, and vocational qualifications. It is directly comparable as a UK exam board operating in the same regulated assessment ecosystem as OCR (a Cambridge Assessment subsidiary).
• International Baccalaureate (IB): The IB delivers internationally recognised education programmes and assessments to schools worldwide. It is comparable as a globally operating assessment organisation serving international schools — a customer segment that Cambridge Assessment also targets through Cambridge International.

Regional players

• SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority): SQA is Scotland's national awarding body for qualifications. It is comparable as a national examination and qualifications authority with similar functions to Cambridge Assessment's UK examination subsidiaries, but operating in a separate UK jurisdiction.

Emerging players

• Questionmark: Questionmark provides an assessment platform for authoring, delivering, and analysing tests in enterprise and academic settings. It is comparable as an assessment technology provider addressing similar use cases (item writing, psychometrics, online testing) to Cambridge Assessment's A103/A104 training content.
• Prometric: Prometric operates a global test delivery network for high-stakes certification and licensure exams. It is comparable in the assessment delivery infrastructure layer, particularly relevant to computer-based testing and proctoring — areas adjacent to Cambridge Assessment's digital assessment strategy.
• Kryterion: Kryterion delivers a cloud-based assessment platform for certification and credentialing programmes. It is comparable as a technology-enabled assessment platform targeting awarding bodies and certification organisations — a customer segment Cambridge Assessment serves through its bespoke training solutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Cam_Assessment
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNnk0pi7n4Amd_2afMUoKGw
• Facebookfacebook.com/cambridgeassessment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cambridge-assessment
• Instagraminstagram.com/cambpressassess

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cambridge Assessment