1.
The International General Certificate of Secondary
Education (IGCSE) Programme – an evolving,
globally relevant educational opportunity:
The IGCSE Programme, administered
by the University of Cambridge International
Examinations (CIE), is firmly established
and recognized world-wide. Students in over
157 countries pursue the CIE qualifications.
The IGCSE has always emphasized adding value
within a national context whilst also contributing
to internationalism. The development focus
is to safeguard distinctive cultural identity
through specific language and literature syllabi,
for example, or to include study of regional
geography or history, whilst also encouraging
an international outlook. Thus, the importance
of an appropriate mix of global and local
contexts is well recognized as an essential
dimension of IGCSE.
2. The IGCSE Curriculum
and its Assessment – beyond knowledge
recall, emphasizes a strong skill development
orientation:
The IGCSE curriculum emphasizes the development
of habits of critical enquiry and individual
research and encourages a problem-solving
approach – applying what one has learnt.
The assessment process goes beyond just knowledge
recall and emphasizes other skills like a
student’s ability to use and apply knowledge
appropriately, to handle information and use
it to solve problems, and to acquire experimental
and investigative skills. This encouragement
to go beyond rote learning or memorization
is the key in all IGCSE syllabi. This approach
recognizes that ‘recall’ becomes
a relatively less useful skill for individuals
in today’s world of rapid change. Instead,
the development of skills of application,
analysis, evaluation and creation become important
in encouraging students who are able to take
their learning beyond the confines of the
classroom and examination hall.
The IGCSE approach is rooted
in active learning and its assessment models
have been designed to reflect this orientation.
They include not only terminal examinations
but also the assessment of fieldwork skills
or practical investigations in the lab, oral
and listening skills in foreign and second
languages, and project or coursework completed
during the course of study. Throughout, the
key criterion is ‘fitness for purpose’
and skills are assessed in the most appropriate
way possible.
IGCSE assessments are also designed to be
accessible to candidates of widely differing
abilities. For most subjects, the IGCSE reflects
the approach of using tiered or differentiated
papers but within the simpler structure of
a core and extended curriculum. The design
of the IGCSE curriculum and assessment recognizes
the individual needs of students and provides
encouragement of the highest possible achievement.
3. The IGCSE Programme – key features:
- Provides an ideal foundation for higher-level
courses such as the International Baccalaureate
Diploma Programme, A Levels and the North
American APT (Advanced Placement Test);
- Has worldwide recognition and is equivalent
to the Certificate of Secondary Education
from Indian education boards, General
Certificate of Secondary Education, and
O Levels;
- Offers syllabi which reflect local
economies and cultures within a global
context, hence ensuring that students
gain a wide perspective while recognizing
and valuing their own environment;
- Develops key learning, problem-solving
and investigative skills by encouraging
an active, critical and questioning approach
to study;
- Ensures a broad-based education, while
encouraging a degree of choice.
4. The Curriculum
for the IGCSE Programme at Dhirubhai Ambani
International School:
 The
IGCSE is a two-year course of study available
to students at Dhirubhai Ambani International
School in classes IX and X. The IGCSE Class
VIII serves as a preparatory year designed
to meaningfully progress to the courses of
study in IGCSE classes IX and X.
|
Subjects in IGCSE Class VIII |
| First Language English
|
English Literature
|
Foreign Language
French, or Hindi as a Second Language |
| Geography |
History |
Physics |
| Chemistry |
Biology |
Mathematics |
| Computer Studies |
Students
are also offered lessons in Indian
Music, Indian Dance, Western Music,
Yoga, Art & Drama, and Physical
Education. |
In addition, students must
also choose from a range of sporting and non-sporting
activities. Such co-curricular experiences
encourage them to develop a well-rounded personality.
| Subjects in IGCSE Classes
IX and X |
|
| Group 1
(Languages)
|
Group 2
(Humanities & Social Sciences)
|
Group 3
(Sciences)
|
Group 4
(Mathematics)
|
Group 5
(Creative, Technical & Vocational)
|
First Language
English |
Geography
|
Physics |
Mathematics |
Art & Design |
English Literature |
History |
Chemistry
|
Additional Mathematics
|
Computer Studies
|
Foreign Language
- French |
Economics |
Biology |
|
ICT |
Second Language
- Hindi |
|
Coordinated Sciences |
|
Physical Education |
| |
|
|
|
Business Studies |
| |
|
|
|
Drama |
Students in classes IX and
X will normally select a total of 9 subjects.
They will all study First Language English,
English Literature, and either French or Hindi
from Group 1; and Mathematics from Group 4.
If they choose split Sciences from Group 3
they will choose a subject each from Group
2 and 5. If they choose Co-ordinated Sciences
(which is treated as two subjects) from Group
3 they will choose three subjects from Group
2 and 5. Normally, students will take 9 subjects
in the IGSCE and only in exceptional circumstances
they will take 8 subjects.
All students qualify for the ICE (International
Certificate of Education) Award as long as
they select subjects from all five groups.
The ICE is an additional award, in recognition
of their quest for knowledge and the breadth
of subjects studied. The ICE Group Award grading
scheme gives a:
- Distinction to students
who receive grade A in 5 subjects and
grade C or above in two subjects;
- Merit to students
who receive grade B or above in 5 subjects
and grade G or above in two subjects;
and
- Pass to students who
receive grade G or above in 5 subjects.
5. IGCSE Results:
In the examinations held in 2010, all our 61 students, who represent the fifth batch of IGCSE Class 10, have achieved excellent results. Following are the highlights of their impressive achievements:
- 58.2% of all grades earned were A*'s, as compared to 52.7% in 2009 and 45% in 2008.
Globally, around 7% of all candidates entered for a given subject earn an A*;
- 27.1% of all grades achieved were A's, as compared to 34.5% in 2009 and 40% in 2008; world average is typically around 18%;
- 10.3% of all grades achieved were B's;
- A mere 3.6% were C's, as compared to 2% in 2009 and 2% 2008; world average is typically around 22.5%;
- Our students are way above the world average in all the 16 subjects they entered.
Their level of performance as a group is reflected by the fact that 85.3% of all grades achieved were A*'s and A's. The corresponding position was 87.1% in 2009 and 85% in 2008. The world average is typically around 25%.
Of the 61 students, 93% of them achieved 'Distinctions' (surpassing the level of 92% in 2009 and 89% in 2008) and the remaining 7% earned 'Merits'. None of the students have performed below the 'Merit' category. On an individual level, two students achieved 10A*s - the top score of A*s in all the 10 subjects appeared; 8 students earned 9A*'s; 8 students achieved 8 A*s. On the whole, 42% of the students achieved 7A*'s or above in the subjects they entered (either 9 or 10 subjects per candidate.)
 Year after year, through such spectacular accomplishments our IGCSE Class 10 students have built on the tradition of excellence demonstrated by our previous batches - receiving A*'s or A's in 87.1% of the grades they earned in year 2009. Our first batch (year 2006) had achieved A*'s or A's in 81.4 % of the grades; the second batch (year 2007) had earned A*'s or A's in 84% of the grades; the third batch (year 2008) had earned A*'s or A's in 85% of the grades; the fourth batch (year 2009) had earned A*'s or A's in 87.1% of the grades.
|