2. All Students are entered to sit the
Cambridge English Language IGCSE in
June 2012
3. What's an IGCSE?
• An International General Certificate in Secondary
Education (IGCSE) is a qualification specifically
designed for use in international schools.
• The content of the qualification is developed by the
same exam board as the OIB:
4. Why are we changing to the IGCSE?
• The IGCSE is a more appropriate qualification for our cohort
of students than the current GCSEs.
• The IGCSEs still allow coursework, rather than making the
students sit Controlled Assessments; coursework better suits
the needs of our students.
• In Britain the IGCSE is seen as a more prestigious qualification
than the GCSE. Therefore UK and US universities will be more
impressed by students who have passed an IGCSE.
5. What coursework will my son /
daughter complete in 3eme?
• Three coursework assignments:
I. one creative writing.
II. one persuasive argument.
III. one analytical.
• Each piece will be drafted, marked by the teacher giving
pointers to the student as to how it can be improved and then
redrafted before being awarded a mark and grade.
• The coursework accounts for 50% of the total award.
6. What exams will my son/daughter
sit in June?
• All the 3eme students will sit the Cambridge IGCSE English
Language exam at the beginning of June.
• There is just one paper to sit that has a variety of Reading and
Writing tasks.
• The exam lasts for two hours.
7. What will the 3eme students be
doing after the IGCSE exam?
• We will begin work on the literature texts that the students
will be studying in 2nde.
• The whole of 2nde will be focused on preparation for the
Cambridge English Literature IGCSE.
• The students will complete 2 more pieces of coursework and
prepare for an exam that will test their critical appreciation of
drama, poetry and prose.
• The exam will be in June 2013.
8. What does my son / daughter gain
from getting good grades (C – A*)?
• A feeling of pride in their achievements, boosting their self-
esteem and confidence.
• They have had the experience of sitting a rigorous exam in
English – excellent preparation for the OIB.
• English Universities require students to have a C grade or
above at GCSE, irrespective of the course they wish to study.
• American Universities look very closely at anything on
applications that demonstrates extra effort on the part of the
students.
9. Where can I find out more?
For the Cambridge IGCSE English Language syllabus:
http://www.cie.org.uk/
Are there any questions?
