The CE1D is an exam for your child, but it also raises plenty of questions for you as a parent. What does it involve? When does it take place in 2027? Will your child be ready? Understanding the exam better and setting a few simple landmarks will help you support your child calmly.
What is the CE1D?
The CE1D (certificat d’études du premier degré, the first stage certificate) is a common external exam set by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, which runs French-speaking education in Belgium. It closes the first stage of secondary school: every pupil in the second year of general secondary (2e commune) takes it, as do other pupils finishing the first stage.
The questions, instructions and marking criteria are the same for every school. The CE1D covers four subjects:
- French;
- mathematics;
- science;
- modern languages: Dutch, English or German, depending on the language your child studies.
The good news: the CE1D contains no new material. It covers what has been taught in class, mainly in the first and second years of secondary, and builds on the foundations of primary school.
Some schools also organise an exam in “étude du milieu” (EDM, history and geography). It is not one of the four external CE1D exams: each school decides whether to hold it.
CE1D 2027: the exam timetable
For the 2026-2027 school year, the exams run from 18 to 24 June 2027:
- modern languages: written part on Friday 18 June, oral part between 18 and 24 June, on a day chosen by the school;
- mathematics: Monday 21 June;
- French: Tuesday 22 June;
- science: Wednesday 23 June.
The written exams start in the morning. French and mathematics last 200 minutes of actual exam time, science and the written languages part 150 minutes, always split into blocks with breaks in between.
The pass mark rises to 60% in June 2027
This is the big change for this session. Until 2026, pupils needed 50% in each exam. From June 2027, your child must score at least 60% in each of the four exams to pass the CE1D.
Failing one exam does not close every door. The class council can still award the certificate on the basis of a file: school reports, teachers’ opinions and the pupil’s record. Even so, it is better not to count on this safety net and to aim to pass every exam.
Is the CE1D difficult?
It is an important exam, but well within reach with proper preparation. It checks that the foundations of the first stage are in place, with no trick questions and no unfamiliar material. The real difficulty often lies elsewhere:
- shaky foundations, sometimes going back to primary school;
- managing time over long blocks;
- reading the instructions carefully;
- stress, which costs marks even to pupils who are ready.
Your own attitude matters too. An anxious parent passes that anxiety on; a parent who presents the CE1D as a normal step that can be prepared for helps their child approach it with confidence.
Where does your child stand? Take stock before preparing
Before starting to prepare, take the time to assess your child’s real level. Parents, like pupils themselves, sometimes overestimate it and often underestimate it.
With the school
Your child’s teachers are best placed to advise you. Go to parents’ evenings or ask for a meeting. Ask precise questions: which subjects are secure, which still need work, and what can you do at home?
With your child
Talk openly with your child about the CE1D. How do they feel? Confident, worried? Start with their state of mind, then, in another conversation, ask them where they think they stand and which subjects they feel less sure about.
With a past exam paper
Past exam papers are published by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, together with their marking schemes. Suggest that your child sits one in each subject, seriously and under timed conditions. They will spot their own weak points.
To save you time, we have gathered the CE1D papers from 2017 to 2026 and their answer keys in the My Sherpa student area. Access is free: you just need to create an account.
Access past CE1D papers for free
One thing to check: a subject that goes badly is not always a gap. It may simply not have been covered in class yet at that point in the year.
How can you help your child fill the gaps?
Once the weak points are clear, draw up a realistic revision plan together. A few guidelines:
- Start early: from the second term, one practice exam every two or three weeks, then a faster pace in May and June.
- Correct rather than pile up: it is the marking, with the official marking scheme, that leads to progress.
- Go back to the basics: a concept misunderstood in the first year often blocks a whole chapter in the second.
- Ask the teachers for exercises on the points that still need work.
To go further subject by subject, we have written guides to preparing for the CE1D in French, the CE1D in Dutch and the CE1D in English.
You can also brush up on some topics yourself. You will be able to answer their questions, and your perseverance will set an example.
What if your child has a learning disorder?
A pupil with a learning disorder (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, attention disorder…) can receive adjustments during the CE1D. The disorder must have been diagnosed by a qualified specialist.
These adjustments usually follow on from those the school already provides during the year. So start early: talk to the school, the PMS centre (school guidance service) or your speech therapist well before June.
Is outside support needed?
Your role as a parent is above all to set a routine, reassure and recognise progress. Sometimes that is not enough: long-standing gaps, falling motivation, study skills that are still fragile, or tension at home over homework.
A coach can then take over the subject work. At My Sherpa, an educational adviser analyses your child’s needs and chooses the coach who suits them, for example in mathematics or in several subjects. The private lessons in secondary school take place at home, anywhere in Belgium, or online.
