The Cambridge IGCSE programme is an international curriculum designed for students aged 14 to 16. Its acronym stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education and is an English-taught curriculum designed to prepare students for both university and life itself.
How is it structured?
The programme is divided into 6 subject groups:
- English
- Maths
- Sciences
- Social Sciences
- Arts and Technology
- Languages
The number of subjects to be taken varies from school to school and depends also upon the student’s interests. Some subjects need to be taken at a “core level” and some others at an “extended level”.
At GSO, we offer a choice of 12 subjects: 3 of them to be studied at a “core level”, 7 at an “extended level”, and 2 of them to both “core” or “extended level”, depending upon the student’s choices. Each student will be evaluated in 6 subjects, by means of tests that take place at the end of the second year of IGCSE programme.
Why is it so special?
What makes IGCSE unique and extremely relevant is that students award a separate certificate on each subject they successfully pass at the exams. Moreover, the curriculum is based on the students’ own interestsand it brilliantly prepares them to pre-university studies which are usually very demanding.
How are grades assigned?
Students receive grades on an 8-point scale: A*-A-B-C-D-E-F-G. At the bottom there is U, that stands for “ungraded” and is assigned to those students whose tests are evaluated as insufficient.
What can students do once they have completed IGCSE programme?
Successful completion of the programme allows students to apply for pre-university studies. At GSO, students can continue their studies with the IB Diploma Programme. (offered by International School of Talents-Multicampus).
The combination of IGCSE and IB DP is highly recognised on a worldwide basis and gives students the opportunity to apply to the most prestigious universities all around the world.