Access to the archives

Access to the archives

Picture of the archive room

Visiting our archives and enquiries

The Assessment Archive is located in Cambridge and researchers are welcome to consult documents in person, by prior appointment, with no access charge. Written requests to visit are subject to the approval of the Group Archivist and must contain information about your research/intended use of the records.

We are not able to permit external parties the use of our past examination documents for any other purpose than non-commercial research, such as for training generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems. 

As well as our archive documents, some reference documents are available to browse in our reading room, including examination question papers from 1951 to 2006, annual reports and statistics and literature about educational assessment. Our archive catalogues are available online at ArchiveSearch - a single point of access to archival catalogues held across Cambridge.

Where visits are not possible, we are able to provide copies of up to 20 documents for non-commercial research, subject to completion of a copyright declaration form and payment of a search and copy fee. Orders for larger quantities require the written approval of the Group Archivist and are dependent on nature of research and use of copies, as well as available resources and condition of documentation. Such requests may take several weeks to complete. Archive staff are unable to carry out detailed searches for enquirers.

If you have an enquiry or would like to visit the archives in person please contact us at archivesassessment@cambridge.org.  This is our preferred method of contact. Alternatively you may write to us at:

The Assessment Archive
The Triangle Building
Shaftesbury Road
Cambridge
CB2 8EA

Requesting a copy of a syllabus or specification

A copy of a past syllabus may be supplied and is subject to a search and copy fee. Please contact the Assessment Archive at archivesassessment@cambridge.org for advice.

Data Protection

Your personal information submitted when making an enquiry is used and stored in accordance with the Cambridge Assessment Data Protection and Privacy Statement.

Research Matters

Research Matters is our free biannual publication which allows us to share our assessment research, in a range of fields, with the wider assessment community.

Research Matters 32 promo image