For international students attending preparatory classes in schools in England , Europe and USA , one of the most suitable programs is IGCSE: it is an opportunity to improve the language and academic level, adapt to new academic Rules and reality. According to statistics, IGCSE students come to more ranked and prestigious universities than those students who entered the 12th form without preparation.
12-13 grades in UK are considered graduation: the mastery of the middle-class program usually starts at age 13 (GCSE-course), high school - from 16 years (stage Sixth Form - A-level or IB ). If a student from countries is 15 years old, we advise him to enter the International GCSE program, or IGCSE: this is a full-fledged specialized training a year long, which will help qualitatively prepare for training in the senior classes. IGCSE in different institutions of Great Britain can be called differently: Pre-IB, Pre-A-Level, Development Year and One Year GCSE. Let's consider these variants separately.
Pre-A-Level
As the name suggests, this is a specialized preparation for a two-year A-level program, one of the most popular Sixth Form programs in high schools in UK . Here are some examples of the successful work of this course:
- Queen Ethelburga's College (Queen's School of Ethelburga)for many years is considered one of the best schools in the country based on the results of A-level. Foreign students here often enter the GCSE year of preparation (15-16 years), then passing to the A-level. Academic achievement of students helps to enter the best universities in the UK:Oxford , Cambridge , Imperial College London , The London School of Economics and Political Science . The school administration emphasizes that in Queen Ethelburga's College, children are given complete freedom in choosing electives, the most academically interesting subjects, and teachers tend to practice an individual approach to each student.
- In the curriculum of the Wycliffe College , the Pre-A-Level course (here it is called the Development Year) has been included for more than 20 years: annually it is selected by more than 30 foreigners, including 5-8 students. At the same time, there is a quota - no more than 30% of foreign students: it optimizes the process of overcoming the language barrier (all children speak only English). Foreigners and British subjects do not share themselves: joint lessons and electives, living in residences and extra-curricular activities enable foreign students to quickly get used to living on a traditional campus.
Pre-IB
The year of preparation for the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, the certificate of which opens the doors of the best world universities. Who is particularly successful in teaching Pre-IB?
- St. Leonards School is considered one of the first schools in Scotland to begin teaching the IB program for high school students. According to statistics for the past year, the average score was 34 out of 45 possible - a very good result! Foreign students most often go to school at 15 years for the IB program to have a full year of preparation for the international baccalaureate program. Conveniently, the preparatory classes are engaged in the same program as the basic IB course: students are offered 6 groups of subjects - mother tongue, history, mathematics, English literature, natural sciences (chemistry, biology, physics) and 1 elective subject Can be art, a second foreign language, etc.). The course prepares students for life on a traditional campus, allows you to quickly join a new cultural, linguistic and academic environment.
- St. Clare's College Oxford is also one of the first schools in England to begin teaching IB: today, students help the school enter the TOP-10 on the results of this exam, and graduates enter the best universities in the world (Oxford, Cambridge, London School of Economics and Political Science, Harvard, Stanford, Yale and others). Especially worth noting is the "English as a foreign language" course, which significantly helps foreign students to improve the language course. The remaining subject modules correspond to the national standard and cover practically all fields of knowledge: English, music, theater, medicine, world literature, art, mathematics, humanitarian courses, natural sciences.
Are you planning to enter the IGCSE ?
If your child is already 15-16 years old in September , then it's worth thinking about About entering the English school - the stages of preparation are as follows:
- Preliminary testing (academic knowledge and English, mathematics). Collection of a report card with grades in recent years, a portfolio with certificates and certificates, characteristics and letters of recommendation from teachers, class teacher. Choice of schools and specification of vacancies (usually January)
- Preparation for admission: search for tutors, beginning of collection of documents (January-February)
- Entrance exams for school: usually English and math, often offered to pass a personal interview or interview with a representative of the school Or Director (February)
- Study visit to the school (by prior arrangement, March).
Contact our managers - and we will do everything to ensure that the enrollment process in the senior school of England, the US or Europe is maximized Quickly, comfortably and effectively!
