University of Cambridge
International Examinations
City Impact Church School
Who we are
•  Department of the University of Cambridge
•  World’s largest provider of international curriculum and
qualifications for secondary school students
•  International Qualifications based on UK structure and standards
•  Recognized globally as equivalent to UK qualifications
•  Offered in over 150 countries including Singapore, USA,
Canada, Middle East, United Kingdom and New Zealand
•  More than one million students will sit Cambridge in 8000+
schools in 2011
•  Not for profit
The Cambridge Pathway…
•  Primary Curriculum – Years 1-6
•  Lower Secondary Programme – Years 7-9
•  IGCSE – Years 10 & 11
•  Advanced Level (A/AS) – Years 12 & 13
International General Certificate of
Secondary Education - (IGCSE)
•  Aimed at students in Year 11
•  International curriculum – allows teaching of local culture
and environment
•  Develops students' skills in creative thinking, enquiry and
problem solving
•  Wide range of subjects available
•  Grades Available:
A*, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, U
IGCSE – Flexible Options
•  Subject Course = 160 hours
•  Practical examinations in Science subjects
•  Coursework - allows further representation of environment
•  Available in June and November
Expanding Student Choice
Year 11: IGCSE
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English Language
English Literature
Mathematics
Co-ordinated Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Geography
History
Global Perspectives
Art & Design
Physical Education
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Design & Technology
Drama
Music
Accounting
Business Studies
Economics
Information Technology
Design & Technology
French
Japanese
Spanish
AS and A Levels
•  Aimed at students in Years 12 & 13
•  International curriculum – allows teaching of local culture and
environment
•  Develops students' skills in creative thinking, enquiry and
problem solving
•  Subject Course = 160 hours
•  AS (Year 12) + A2 (Year 13) = A Level
•  UE qualifications recognized throughout the world
•  Grades A*, A, B, C, D, E, U
AS and A Levels – Flexible options
•  Sit all A Level examinations at the end of 2 years
•  Follow a staged assessment e.g. A Level = AS (year 12) + A2
(year 13)
•  Sit AS qualifications only in year 12 and/or year 13
•  Sit a combination of AS and A Level over 2 years
•  All go towards University Entrance
Developing successful students
Students build:
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Knowledge
Learning skills
Critical thinking
Problem solving
Cambridge students become independent learners
Building skills in English
•  Knowledge: of a range of set texts - classic and modern drama, poetry
and prose
•  Learning skills: articulating ideas clearly and accurately in writing and
speaking
•  Critical thinking: supporting personal interpretations of texts with
relevant textual reference
•  Problem-solving: learning deduction and inference skills (e.g. by
writing a summary)
Building skills in Science
•  Knowledge: of scientific facts, laws, vocabulary, concepts
•  Learning skills: manipulate data, carry out investigations
•  Critical thinking: interpret experimental observations and data
•  Problem solving skills: identify patterns in data and make predictions
University Entrance in NZ with Cambridge
•  General Standard
120 points (see table on next slide) in at least 3 AS
Levels - minimum D Grade
•  Literacy Standard
Grade E in AS English subject
•  Numeracy Standard
Grade D in IGCSE Mathematics
Grade
A Level
AS Level
A
120
60
B
100
50
C
80
40
D
60
30
E
40
20
Curriculum and Teacher Support
•  Full curriculum
•  Past papers, examiners’ reports, standards booklets, mark
schemes & schemes of work
•  In-Region teacher training workshops
•  Accreditation packs for coursework marking
•  Online training & Cambridge subject specific websites
•  Professional Officers in Cambridge to answer queries
•  Range of subject specific text books
•  Subject specific cluster groups
•  Cambridge Regional Manager – simonhiggins@cie.org.nz
•  Association of Cambridge Schools – www.acsnz.org.nz
How Cambridge works…
•  Only registered schools can offer Cambridge examinations;
students can sit only at a registered school
•  Examination papers are sent to Cambridge to be marked by
expert examiners
•  Results are provided as Grade and Percentage, plus grades
for all individual papers
•  No scaling occurs
•  Cost – around $80-$90 per subject depending on exchange
rate.
Cambridge in NZ
50+ NZ schools including:
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Auckland Grammar
Macleans College
4x ACG Colleges
King’s College
Westlake BHS & GHS
Pinehurst School
Carey College
Pukekohe Christian School
Rangiora New Life School
Middleton Grange School
10000+ NZ students in 2011