Cambridge IGCSE - What To Expect

Our IGCSE courses are appropriate for students between the ages of 14 – 16 and are commonly taken over a two year period. Students therefore begin their studies in Year 10 or are able to transfer to CHIS for the second year to complete their courses. Students take 8 subjects at GCSE level. For some students who have come from abroad, or who have studied a different system/ different subjects there is the option of completing the courses intensively over one year (join in year 11). These students are usually 15+ (Year 11 age) but are still supposed to take 8 subjects. However, this does largely depend on the student’s previous academic achievement.

The school also offers a one year retake course (Year 11 retake) for students looking to come to the school for a year to improve upon results. Students who are retaking their IGCSEs are required to take a minimum of 5 subjects, normally to include Mathematics, English and at least 2 sciences.

Students embark on their IGCSE career at the beginning of Year 10, the academic year in which they turn 15. Students normally choose between eight or nine subjects to study at GCSE level.

This combination allows a student to demonstrate an array of core skills and ensures they do not specialise too soon, keeping all doors open to them in future.

The same small class ethos which runs throughout the rest of the Lower School and the Sixth Form applies also to the IGCSE years. Students receive a large amount of individual attention. They have the opportunity to build a working rapport with the teacher and their peers and this fosters a secure and rich environment in which a students’ academic ability can be nurtured.

Students are taught by highly experienced teachers who are specialists in their field, many of whom have also worked as examiners. Our staff also brings with them a variety of experience from work in other sectors, in addition to their longstanding careers in private and state education.

Students are explicitly encouraged to consider the learning material in the context of the real world. They are taken on various trips and excursions, as well as partake in external workshops, to both consolidate and supplement the course material.

There is an additional focus at IGCSE on careers. The school therefore facilitates projects and arranges workshops which help build students’ academic and extracurricular CVs in advance for university applications.

To support the students’ learning and to promote independent study skills, students undertake supervised study during free periods. This builds their confidence in a supported environment, which in turn improves their ability to ask questions where they find difficulty and give them the tools to overcome difficulties where perhaps in the past they may have simply set the work aside.

We believe this is the best way to empower students and give them a real sense of what they are working towards. In doing this we hope to further encourage the students to take responsibility for their own education and become strong independent learners – which is the key to success at IGCSE, A level and beyond.

While many of our students continue on from Year 9 at Central High International School into Year 10, each year the institution accepts new students within the country and abroad wishing to enroll into Year 10 for IGCSE, many with the intention of later moving on to study A levels with us.

Students begin their school day at 07:00 AM where they register with their appointed Form Teacher. They then continue throughout the day, studying in a mixture of 35 minute (single) and 1 hour 30 minutes (double) lessons. The normal school hours for these students get over at 12:30 PM and after a break about 30 minutes from 12:30 to 1:00 PM, compulsory extra classes begins at 1:05 PM goes upto 2:40 PM.

In order to encourage students to be responsible young adults, all students including IGCSE and A Level children, are permitted to use the tuck shop during the morning break time. Tardiness will be dealt with via our disciplinary procedure. Our firm but fair approach to discipline promote and rewards good behaviour and are not designed to stifle. This and all procedures are outlined to parents at the time of enrolment. The school’s disciplinary procedure and other policies can be accessed in full via the school’s website.

Central High International School prides itself on maintaining a dialogue with parents. Parents are encouraged to support their children and attend school functions and parent–teacher meetings, but in addition parents can make interim appointments or call the school office to speak to a teacher/HOD/the Headmaster whenever the need should arise, be this related to academic or personal matters.

With academic excellence as its aim, Central High International School is a friendly and close-knit environment where students have the support and encouragement with which to strive towards their potential. If you are interested in enrolling your child for this or any other year group then please contact the School Office to arrange a time to visit and to discuss what the school has to offer further either with the admissions office or the Headmaster directly.