Today, apart from CBSE and ICSE, the IB Diploma and the IGCSE are some of the favored curricula in schools worldwide. The IGCSE curriculum is considered as the model curriculum that helps high school students develop their overall personality. It offers students an ideal platform to showcase their varied talents and achieve exceptional success in academics.
IGCSE means International General Certificate of Secondary Education. It was created by Cambridge International Education 30 years ago. Popular among 14 - 16-year-olds, it is a student-centric curriculum with an application-oriented approach. It encourages creativity and focuses on the assimilation of knowledge.
An IGCSE school provides a conducive atmosphere for students to develop their intellectual expertise and communication skills. It helps in developing their perspectives of different cultures around the world and transforming them into future-ready global citizens.
The IGCSE curriculum offers a study program that includes subjects in areas, such as languages, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, technical, creative, as well as vocational.
Besides this, the students are offered value-added programs to bolster their learning through targeted studies. The vast curriculum helps the students develop a solid foundation and instills in them the confidence to use their knowledge to its optimum.
Students are offered a choice between two IGCSE levels:
● ‘O’ Level, or Ordinary Level: Here, students learn the basics of a subject they choose.
● ‘A’ Level, or Advanced Level: Here, the students perform an exhaustive study of the subject.
● The Advanced Level consists of two sub-levels: Advanced Structured Papers, and Advanced level 2.
This two-year program is popular in more than 2,300 schools in over 130 countries as it aims at tapping the potential of every student and introducing them to diverse global cultures.
Let us take a look at the recognition, course load, and grading system of the IGCSE curriculum.
The IGCSE is equivalent to the GCE O Level as well as the UK GCSE. It is a high-profile qualification that is recognized among international schools of repute, worldwide.
Universities in the United Kingdom, the United States of Australia, Canada, and other countries acknowledge the IGCSE certificate. At the time of university placements, the IGCSE results are given due consideration in the absence of local degrees, or diplomas.
The IGCSE background of prospective candidates gets preference during job placements, too. Those students who wish to find employment immediately after finishing high school in the hope of gaining work experience can take advantage of their IGCSE background. They can also find interesting work opportunities for their career growth at Fortune 500 companies.
The IGCSE curriculum offers more than 70 subjects, which include 30 languages. The IGCSE syllabus has an international perspective but is relevant to the local japan schools that follow the curriculum. Choice of subjects depends upon which university and country are selected by the students for further studies.
The subjects offered by the IGCSE curriculum for grades 9 and 10 are:
● English
● Literature English
● Foreign Language French
● Environmental Management
● Global Perspectives
● Mathematics
● Chemistry
● Biology
● Physics
● Hindi as Second Language
● Computer Science
● Business Studies
● Economics
● English as Second Language
● GCE ‘O’ Level, Ordinary Level
● Physical Education
Apart from this, IGCSE offers an English Language Support (ELS) Programme and English as Second Language (ESL) Programme that helps students become fluent communicators. This program helps non-native English speakers acquire the necessary proficiency in the language. It increases their understanding of the language to perform better in academics.
It aims at assisting students in acquiring a practical knowledge of English for everyday conversations, which can also help them in furthering their language study. And, finally, this program helps students gain a wider international perspective and improve their future prospects.
Besides these subjects, the IGCSE curriculum offers a wide range of extracurricular and co-curricular activities to foster their physical and emotional growth. It helps in honing their talents and develops their personality.
At the school in Japan, for example, games, such as tennis, soccer, badminton, table tennis, volleyball, karate, and chess, and creative activities, such as classical dance, Carnatic music, tabla, painting, craft, needle art, Spanish club, science club, and math club are offered to help students discover their latent talents, give vent to their creativity, and develop a well-rounded personality.
The IGCSE grading system is well-apprehended by students and parents and recognized by universities and colleges worldwide.
7 letter grades are used in the IGCSE grading system: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, with A being the top grade.
The IGCSEs are graded A*- G in IGCSE schools all over the world.
● IGCSE offers inquiry-based learning that helps students develop their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
● The IGCSE curriculum is recognized in colleges and universities all over the world.
● The curriculum aims at helping students understand cultural perspectives and broaden their learning horizons.
● There are two levels offered at IGCSE: ‘O’ or Ordinary Level, and ‘A’, or Advanced Level.
● Students are offered a wide choice of more than 70 varied subjects.
● Choice of subjects depends upon the university and the country where they wish to study further.
● Apart from the regular syllabus, students are offered the ESL (English as Second Language Programme) to acquire proficiency in the language.
● Students are graded on a scale of A* - G.
The IGCSE curriculum follows a student-centric approach to education. It is one of the best curricula that offers students the opportunity to develop their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
It is recognized all over the world and follows international perspectives on education. The curriculum is application-based and focuses on creativity and assimilation of knowledge with an aim at broadening the student’s global perspectives.
It offers numerous opportunities to students through a wide range of subjects and activities that prepare them for their university education. Lastly, it is one of the most reliable qualifications for students as it is recognized by all the major colleges, universities, and companies, worldwide.
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GROSS FAMILY INCOME : Below 3,000,000 YEN to 12,000,000 YEN
If you are applying for the IB Diploma Programme currently or in the future in a school in Japan, you should definitely check these tips so that you choose your subjects wisely.
If you are applying for the IB Diploma Programme currently or in the future in a school in Japan, you should definitely check these tips so that you choose your subjects wisely.
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