• What is the IGCSE?

 

International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), General Certificate of Education (GCE) and General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)/A Level are balanced international curricula designed to encourage high academic standards through practical approaches to teaching and learning. The curricula are suitable for students of all nationalities and are ideal preparation for higher education.

 

Students begin learning the syllabus at the beginning of Grade 9 and take IGCSE/O level examinations at the end of Grade 10.

In Grade 11 students take AS level and lastly A2 level Examinations next year, when they are in Grade 12.

 

• Who administers this exam?

 

The British council is responsible for administrating these exams and giving licenses to schools to teach the curriculum. The British council deals directly with the school’s administration and in turn, the schools administrations are responsible for the teachers, students and parents.

 

• Exams Boards:

 

• Cambridge Internatiional Examinations (CIE)
• Pearson Edexcel (Edexcel)
• Oxford Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA)

 

There are a number of similateries as well as differences between the three boards.

Each board offers a number of subjects and in concept, the method of examination is the same.the differences may be in curricula of certain subjects and examination time.

Some subjects are more popular in one board than others but that depends on many factors such as level of difficulty.

 

 

• Examination times:

 

• CIE: May/June and October/November sessions

 

• Edexcel : January , May/June and October/November (IAL)

 

• Oxford: May/June and October/November sessions

 

 

 

 

• Registration fees

 

Registration fees are not part of the school fees 

 

• Grading System:

 

 

      Core and Extended Curricula  

          To take account of different abilities, there is a choice between Core and Extended

           papers in some IGCSE subjects           

• Core curriculum

The core curriculum in each subject 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 E. Students are not able to achieve above C for their syllabus grade if they entered for the core curriculum.

 

• Extended curriculum

The Exended curriculum, made up of the Core curriculum and the supplement, has been designed for the more academically able and leads naturally into higher education or professional training. It is targted at those expected to achieve grades A* to E. The supplement describes the extra topics in depth which must be added to the Core curriculum to produce the Extended curriculm.  

 

• Important Notes

 

• Every 2 AS equals one A2 and two A2’s are required (All A level students should have 2 full A levels)
• Students are advised to check with the universities they are applying for before choosing their options.
• Students can do the re-sit exams as many times as he / she requires before obtaining the Tawjihi Equivalency.
• Since IGCSE is a prepration for A level study, parents and students should ensure that they carefully select the subjects required to make sure that any future A level subject is included in the IGCSE options. For instance, a student who does not study Chemistry or Art at IGCSE level will not be allowed to select these subjects in AS or A level.