Everything began in 1985 as a language school. What started as an educational project focused on English language teaching continued to grow and evolve, leading to a new chapter in 1997 dedicated to language assessment and Cambridge examinations.
Lewis School ES439 began examining candidates for the Key English Test (KET) and Preliminary English Test (PET) in Barcelona, marking the beginning of a journey dedicated to language certification and support for candidates and preparation centres.
The centre organised its first Young Learners English (YLE) exam sessions, expanding its offer for younger candidates and supporting the growing presence of Cambridge qualifications in schools.
The first exam sessions were held in schools, bringing Cambridge certification closer to students and making official exams more accessible.
The centre launched Spain’s first website dedicated exclusively to Cambridge exams, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and candidate support.
A programme of seminars and training was launched for teachers and preparation centres, supporting candidate preparation and promoting good practice in English language teaching.
The centre began organising First Certificate in English (FCE) sessions in schools, expanding the presence of Cambridge qualifications within the education system.
ES439 joined Cambridge’s National Schools Project (NSP), an initiative aimed at promoting the implementation of official qualifications within the Spanish education system.
The first Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) sessions were introduced in schools, expanding certification opportunities for students at advanced levels.
Cambridge ESOL granted ES439 Open Centre status for Catalonia, allowing the centre to offer open examination sessions across the region. That same year, the organisation adopted the Exams Catalunya brand, establishing a distinct identity as a specialist provider of language assessment services.
The first Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) session was held, completing the range of the main Cambridge English exams.
Exams Catalunya was selected to take part in the international pilot of the first generation of computer-based Cambridge exams, anticipating the sector’s digital evolution.
ES439 became one of the first Cambridge ESOL Partner Centres in Europe, strengthening its position within the international network of exam centres.
ES439 was recognised as one of the world’s first Platinum Exam Centres, acknowledging the excellence achieved in the management and organisation of Cambridge exams.
Exams Catalunya opened its new headquarters in Carrer Freixa Barcelona, strengthening its operational and service capacity.
Exams Catalunya received the Best Business Growth award at the first Platinum Centre Awards event.
The Universities Project was launched to make Cambridge exams more accessible to university students through special registration conditions.
The first Masterclasses for Candidates were held, designed to guide and support candidates in their exam preparation.
Exams Catalunya received the Outstanding Service to Preparation Centres award and was a finalist in the Excellence in Technology category.
A new web platform was launched, featuring the first online registration and payment system for Cambridge exams in Spain.
Exams Catalunya took part in the pilot project for digital Young Learners exams developed in Barcelona.
The centre organised its first exam sessions in Tarragona, Girona and Mallorca, progressively expanding its geographical coverage.
Exams Catalunya received the Innovative Technological Development award and was a finalist in the Outstanding Service to Customers category.
Exams Balears ES449 officially began operations in Mallorca, expanding the organisation's presence beyond Catalonia and bringing Cambridge examinations to the Balearic Islands through its first examination sessions.
The addition of Lleida completed Exams Catalunya's territorial presence across the whole of Catalonia. That same year, Exams Madrid took part in the Madrid Regional Government's Bilingual Education Project for the first time, marking the organisation's first activity in Spain's capital.
Exams Madrid ES459 officially began operations in the Madrid region, delivering its first open examination sessions. This milestone marked a new stage of growth for the organisation and reinforced its commitment to making Cambridge qualifications accessible to candidates and preparation centres across different regions.
Following the launch of Linguaskill, Cambridge granted our centres Authorised Linguaskill Agent status.
Exams Owl was launched, a digital platform created to provide resources, guidance and support to candidates, families and preparation centres throughout the certification process.
The AD439 Exams Catalunya–Andorra exam centre officially began operating in the Principality of Andorra, expanding the organisation’s geographical presence.
Exams Madrid opened its new headquarters on Calle Asura, strengthening its capacity to support candidates and organise exam sessions.
During the pandemic, an extensive programme of Webinars for Teachers was developed to support preparation centres in Catalonia, Madrid, the Balearic Islands and Andorra.
Exams Catalunya opened a new logistics centre in Barcelona to optimise the management and administration of exam sessions in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Andorra.
Exams Madrid was granted Platinum Exam Centre status, consolidating its position as one of the leading centres in the Cambridge network.
Exams Madrid was a finalist in the Outstanding Achievement category at the Platinum Centre Awards.
Our centres began offering the new Digital version of the Cambridge exams. That same year, Exams Catalunya was recognised by Cambridge English as the leading centre in Europe for Digital exams.
Exams Madrid received the Outstanding Growth and Expansion award, while Exams Catalunya was a finalist in the Outstanding Performance category.
Our Mobile Digital Lab was launched to provide preparation centres with the infrastructure they need to run Digital exam sessions at their own premises.
Exams Catalunya opened its new exam centre and candidate and preparation centre support office in Tarragona, strengthening its presence and service capacity in the region.
Our centres took part in the Linguaskill project developed for the Spanish State Agency for Tax Administration (AEAT).
1997 — 2026
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