From the moment they are born, you want nothing but the best for them, including the best education, so you give them a good head start in the future. Whether you aim for an A-Level, AP, IB Diploma, or even your home or host country’s curriculum, IGCSE will have you covered. If you aren’t sure what to expect with IGCSE, this article will take you through the ABCs of what you should know before you settle for this curriculum.
What is IGCSE?
First, IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. The curriculum is based on the famous British Curriculum or GCSE, but with one distinct differentiation. IGCSE is crafted to suit international students. Like other systems, IGCSE is an exam based, and the host school chooses the exam body they want to work with. Most schools usually opt to use the Cambridge Assessment Intonations Education and Edexcel.
Cambridge is mainly preferred because they offer over thirty languages and seventy subjects and is said to be inclusive, having a wide variety of linguistic backgrounds. Thus, students can continue studying in their mother tongue no matter where they are in the world. Like other curriculums, IGCSE also has its fair share of extracurricular activities your child can get involved in.
IGCSE syllabus
When studying in an IGCSE school, your child will have the liberty to choose between taking one subject at a time and handling an individual examination or take several exams as qualifications to receive their International Certificate of Education or ICE.
To get the certificate, your child must have passed in at least seven subjects. If they are high achievers, they will also qualify for the Cambridge awards for their outstanding performance. The awards are categorized according to countries and the subjects each student was undertaking. Your child will also be tested in:
- Knowledge
Most examination test students on reading and writing, but IGCSE also tests your child’s understanding of what they have covered in class. If they are to pass the exam, they need to master problem-solving, know how to apply what they learned, answer questions on skills they have acquired, and critical thinking queries.
This challenges your child not to cram for exams, but to understand what they are learning, so it sticks. They also learn how the new-found knowledge can be applied in different areas. Because the syllabus offers over seventy subjects, your child will have options to pick from, so they focus on the areas they are interested in, and those that will propel their career development.
- Skills
Kids need a variety of skills to thrive in the challenging, fast-paced world we live in today. For instance, they must learn how to think creatively while solving problems, ask questions, and the right questions to ask, and how to apply the knowledge they have learned to create long-lasting solutions. These skills allow your child to be confident, innovative and engaged.
Through IGCSE, teachers work closely with students to help them develop these skills. Since international school nagoya are usually for expatriate families, you can expect the number of students per class to be small, which gives the teachers enough time to focus on each student.
- Different grading system
Each student is gifted uniquely and will have strength in different areas. The syllabus caters to each student’s abilities with the grades ranging from A* to G. A* is the highest and G the lowest. If your child ranges anywhere between C and G, they are taken through a core curriculum while the overachievers are taken through an extended curriculum. Your child may be in an extended curriculum in one subject and in the core curriculum in the next, deepening on how gifted they are in each.
- Stellar reputation
Cambridge is an Ivy League university, and one of the most famous for producing top achievers and brightest students worldwide. Because of their association with IGCSE, students can get into some of the best universities in the world. Your child won’t be affected if they want to go into A-levels or International Baccalaureate exams. The standards set are recognized worldwide and is said to be a stepping stone for kids to take this syllabus.
Is IGCSE suited for all students?
Definitely not. Because the syllabus doesn’t follow certain coursework, it may not work for all students. Some kids thrive where there is time-bound recall during exams, so that they may find this curriculum a bit challenging. Such students may be best suited in International Baccalaureate exams instead. This is because it offers a diverse coursework kind of learning that’s spaced such that each student can pursue their interest through personal projects.
IGCSE offers an all-rounded approach to education compared to other systems and is best suited for international students. With what you’ve learned, you are better informed to decide if studying in an IGCSE school suits your child.
