Ages 14 to 16 years

Cambridge Upper Secondary

  • In years 10 and 11, students prepare their GCSE exams. These are the first formal record of your academic ability and potential, so they act as a gateway to higher education or professional studies in the student’s home country or overseas. In other words, they can help get a place at college or university anywhere in the world and find better career opportunities.

  • Students must take a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 12 subjects from a list of over 40 choices. These should be decided by Spring Term the year prior. However, in order to guarantee that students acquire a balanced set of skills, we made some core subjects compulsory. These are Mathematics, English Language and Literature, Science (combined or separated, depending on the student), History and Critical Thinking. All compulsory subjects are assessed externally in May/June of Year 11 with continuous internal and termly assessments throughout years 10 and 11. Optional subjects may be assessed internally provided the student continues their studies to Sixth Form (A Levels).

    The syllabuses are international in outlook but retain a local relevance. They have been created specifically for an international student body and avoid cultural bias.

  • We build a programme around their specific needs. Starting from a foundation of core subjects, it is easy to add breadth and cross-curricular perspectives. Encouraging learners to engage with a variety of subjects, and make connections between them, is fundamental to our approach.

    Cambridge IGCSE offers a flexible and stimulating curriculum, supported with excellent resources and training. It also helps improve performance by developing skills in creative thinking, enquiry and problem solving. It is the perfect springboard to advanced study.

A programme of study designed to open doors

Cambridge IGCSE assessment takes place at the end of the course and can include written, oral, coursework and practical assessment. This broadens opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning, particularly when their first language is not English.

Grades are benchmarked using eight internationally recognised grades, A* to G (or 9 to 1), which have clear guidelines to explain the standard of achievement for each grade.

Ahead of their final examinations, our students spend at least 2 months practising with past papers and mark schemes for each subject.

Core and extended pathways are available

To take into account differing abilities, there is a choice between Core and Extended curriculum papers in some subjects. The Core curriculum is within the ability range of a large majority of students. It provides a full overview of the subject and is targeted at students expected to achieve grades C to G. The Extended curriculum, on the other hand, has been designed for the more academically able. It is targeted at those expected to achieve grades A* to E.

Globally recognised qualifications

Cambridge qualifications are recognised and valued by universities all around the world, including in the US, the UK, Australia, Canada, Germany and beyond. In places such as the United States and Canada, good grades in carefully chosen Cambridge International A Level subjects can result in up to one year of university course credit.

Over 970 universities in the US formally accept Cambridge International iGCSEs, AS and A Levels, including all Ivy League and Ivy Plus universities. These universities include Brown, Harvard, MIT, Stanford and Yale. Many more US universities accept Cambridge qualifications on application. In the UK, all universities accept Cambridge qualifications.

In a 2018 survey of higher education admissions tutors at the world’s leading universities, 100 per cent of respondents said Cambridge programmes give students excellent preparation for university.

Protecting Wellbeing

IGCSEs are a stressful cycle of examinations. Building strong life and study habits is crucial to staying happy and healthy in the long term.