Cambridge C1 Advanced

• Students must have an Advanced level (C1) before the course starts
• Students' level will be checked before an exam place is confirmed
• Available at Lancing
• Dedicated Exam Preparation instead of English Skills and Enrichment lessons
• Exam taken on Fri 25 July 2025 at a London Cambridge exam centre
• 2 Weeks Preparation & Exam Fee £525
• Fee includes exam enrolment fee, preparation and certificate

Cambridge C1 Advanced Exam Leaflet

Cambridge English Scale Explained 

Course Summary 

Bede's two-week Cambridge C1 Advanced exam preparation course for students aged 13-17 will focus on refining their language skills and exam strategies, while helping them gain confidence in using advanced English in both academic and real-life contexts. The course will be intensive, addressing all four exam sections—Reading and Use of English, Writing, Listening, and Speaking—along with specific strategies to maximise performance. 

Week 1: Advanced Skills Development & Test Familiarisation

1. Familiarisation with the Cambridge C1 Advanced Exam Format

• Introduce students to the Cambridge C1 Advanced exam structure:
  • Reading and Use of English (1 hour 30 minutes)
  • Writing (1 hour 30 minutes)
  • Listening (approximately 40 minutes)
  • Speaking (14 minutes per candidate in pairs or 23 minutes per a group of three)
• Provide an overview of the scoring system and what is expected at the C1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
• Review the types of questions in each section (e.g., multiple-choice, gap-fill, essays, and collaborative speaking tasks).
• Discuss strategies for each section to maximise efficiency and minimise time pressure during the exam.

2. Strengthening Reading and Use of English Skills

• Develop skills for reading complex texts across different genres (e.g., articles, essays, fiction, and academic texts).
• Focus on techniques for skimming and scanning for key information while ensuring deep comprehension.
• Practise multiple-choice, word formation, and cloze (gap-fill) exercises using C1-level texts.
• Teach how to understand nuances of meaning, such as distinguishing between synonyms, interpreting idiomatic language, and recognizing subtle details in texts.
• Review grammar and vocabulary at the C1 level, including phrasal verbs, complex sentence structures, and advanced vocabulary.
• Work on inference and critical thinking in reading, helping students develop the ability to understand implied meaning and tone.

3. Developing Writing Skills for C1

• Focus on writing clear, structured essays with well-developed arguments and sophisticated language.
• Practise writing formal letters, reports, and essays (the two main writing tasks in the exam), ensuring correct format, style, and coherence.
• Teach strategies for organising ideas logically, developing arguments with clear topic sentences, and supporting them with relevant details.
• Focus on lexical range and accuracy, encouraging students to use a wide variety of advanced vocabulary and formal academic expressions.
• Work on complex grammatical structures (e.g., conditionals, passive voice, relative clauses) to enhance the sophistication of written responses.
• Provide feedback on students’ writing, emphasizing clarity, coherence, and error correction.

4. Listening Skills Development

• Familiarise students with various listening contexts: academic lectures, interviews, discussions, and broadcasts.
• Focus on listening for specific information, main ideas, and detailed comprehension in a variety of accents (British, American, Australian, etc.).
• Practise with multiple-choice, gap-fill, and short-answer questions from authentic C1-level listening materials.
• Teach strategies for dealing with distractors in listening tasks, where the answer may be misdirected or misleading.
• Encourage active listening, such as noting key ideas and recognising the tone, register, and opinion in the speech.
• Provide feedback on common listening challenges and strategies for overcoming them, like predicting content and focusing on keywords.

Week 2: Exam Practice and Advanced Strategies

1. Advanced Reading and Use of English Practice

• Provide full-length practice tests for Reading and Use of English to simulate the exam experience.
• Focus on time management strategies for completing the section efficiently.
• Review techniques for answering difficult questions, such as word formation, error correction, and reading comprehension questions with tricky answers.
• Provide feedback on vocabulary range, helping students to expand their understanding of advanced language use, including formal and informal expressions.
• Practise speed-reading techniques to improve time management without losing comprehension.
• Review paraphrasing techniques to enhance understanding of different word forms and phrases in texts.

2. Advanced Writing Practice

• Conduct timed practice of essay writing and report writing with an emphasis on argument structure, logical flow, and detail development.
• Provide individualised feedback on students' writing, focusing on sophistication of language, coherence, and grammar accuracy.
• Practise writing essays on abstract topics and problem-solution tasks, encouraging students to present clear opinions and support arguments with evidence.
• Review common mistakes in word choice, collocations, and sentence structure.
• Focus on cohesion and coherence through linking words, signposting phrases, and logical paragraphing.
• Work on improving writing fluency, including editing and proofreading strategies for exam situations.

3. Intensive Listening Practice

• Practise listening to longer, more complex recordings with multiple speakers (e.g., debates, panel discussions).
• Encourage active listening by focusing on key themes, specific facts, and the speaker’s attitude.
• Provide full listening tests under timed conditions to simulate the real exam experience.
• Focus on advanced strategies like listening for gist, specific details, and understanding tone or intent in spoken texts.
• Review answers together, offering strategies for identifying and correcting common mistakes in listening.

4. Speaking Test Preparation

• Review the four parts of the speaking test:
  • Part 1: Interview – talking about personal interests, experiences, and opinions.
  • Part 2: Long Turn – speaking for 1 minute on a given topic, with a prompt to expand upon.
  • Part 3: Collaborative task – discussing an abstract topic and exchanging ideas with a partner.
  • Part 4: Discussion - further discussion with the other candidate based on the topics or issues raised in the task in Part 3. 
• Encourage students to speak fluently and confidently by practising complex sentence structures, advanced vocabulary, and appropriate intonation.
• Focus on interactive speaking in Part 3, where students need to discuss ideas, agree/disagree, and express personal opinions.
• Conduct mock speaking tests to help students feel more comfortable in exam conditions.
• Provide feedback on fluency, pronunciation, grammatical range, and lexical resource.

5. Full Practice Test & Exam Strategy

• Simulate a full Cambridge C1 Advanced exam, including all sections (Reading and Use of English, Writing, Listening, and Speaking), under realistic exam conditions.
• Provide individual feedback on the practice test, reviewing areas of strength and weakness.
• Teach students how to stay focused and manage time effectively across all sections.
• Discuss test-taking strategies, such as dealing with difficult questions, staying calm under pressure, and ensuring the accuracy of answers.
• Review final exam tips for approaching the test day with confidence, such as preparing mentally, getting enough rest, and ensuring familiarity with the exam logistics.

6. Test-Taking Strategies & Stress Management

• Teach strategies for staying calm and focused during the exam, such as deep breathing, positive visualisation, and staying organised.
• Discuss the importance of time management in each section, especially Reading and Writing.
• Provide tips on how to handle difficult questions and keep moving forward without getting stuck.
• Offer advice on how to approach the exam day with confidence and be well-prepared for any surprises.

Overall Course Goals

• Enhance all five skills (Reading, Use of English, Writing, Listening, and Speaking) at the C1 level, focusing on academic and real-life language use.
• Build confidence and fluency in advanced English through targeted practice and feedback.
• Familiarity with the exam format and effective test-taking strategies to perform well under timed conditions.
• Refinement of writing and speaking skills, with an emphasis on coherence, complexity, and range of language.
• Increase reading speed and listening comprehension to handle more complex texts and recordings.
• Personalised feedback on each student’s performance to identify areas for improvement and maximise their score potential.
• Effective stress management and strategies for approaching the test day.

By the end of this two-week course, students will be well-prepared for the Cambridge C1 Advanced exam, with refined language skills, enhanced exam techniques, and the confidence needed to achieve a high score.