SCHOOL Tag

The Key Subjects of IGCSE: What Should Students Expect?

The IGCSE is a reputed education qualification that’s awarded by Cambridge International and offered by top schools throughout the world.  It’s designed for students aged 12 to 16. While the demand for IGCSE education has grown progressively year-on-year, some students still struggle to select the best subjects. With other options to choose from, depending on what they want to study in the future.  Below are the subjects offered in the IGCSE Curriculum

Lower secondary (Year 7-9)

In the Lower Secondary level students are required to do the following subjects.

• English Language
• Mathematics
• Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
• ICT
• History
• Geography
• French
• Kiswahili
• Art and design
• Music
• E and Swimming

After sitting for the Year 9 checkpoint exams, we guide our students through a career talk and subject selection based on their career of choice. At this point, students can now choose their subjects of choice as per their career aspirations. In years 10 and 11, the following subjects are compulsory.

• Maths
• English language
• Information & Communication Technology (ICT)

 

In addition, 5 subjects are to be selected from the following Optional Subjects offered, of which one must be a science.

• Physics
• Geography
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Business Studies
• Swahili
• French
• English Literature
• Art & Design
• Accounting
• History

When choosing subjects, it is recommended to read the subject syllabus overview of that particular subject which gives one an overview of the areas of study of the subject. IGCSE is preferred by many because it teaches students how to think critically and expands their knowledge. Not only do the exam questions test the student’s ability to understand key concepts but also test the student’s creative and innovative abilities.

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8 SIMPLE WAYS TO STUDY MORE EFFECTIVELY

 

While there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ study technique,  there are methods that one can use to ensure a better understanding of concepts and the ability to recall. What works for one person will not necessarily work for another. Through consistency and planning your study time accordingly,  you are bound to achieve your full potential by developing your memory and academic excellence.

1. Plan

Making a realistic schedule will help you avoid cramming and procrastination.  Use a planner to keep track of deadlines, dates, and times so you do not forget anything important. Studying in small bits over time will help in remembering unlike staying up all night to cram before exams. Aim to schedule some study time each day.

2. Study In An Appropriate Environment

Pick a quiet corner in your room/ house or in the school library that is properly lit and well-ventilated away from distractions and preferably on a desk. Keep your phone away and on silent.

3. Prioritize

Start with the hardest tasks first. Incorporate flash cards if possible as they are excellent in boosting memory. Use applied learning if you are having trouble remembering.  You can do this by thinking about something that applies to your subject of study in real-life situations. Find out what works best for you.

4. Take Care Of Yourself

Eat well, sleep, and exercise. Getting enough sleep is crucial for good memory. A balanced diet with lots of water helps your brain in absorbing new information, while exercise helps reduce stress. Nuts, dark chocolate, grapes, and apples are supper foods for the brain. Avoid sugar, carbs, and processed foods.

5. Break It Up

Tackling individual parts is much easier than tackling the whole. Breaking a big assignment into smaller bits will make it easier to manage and understand. Always save your least challenging tasks for the end of your study session.

6. 30-40 Minutes Per Study Session

Our brain only absorbs information from the first and last 15 minutes of studies. This means that anything studied outside that time frame will likely be forgotten. Breaks are good for your mental health. They also improve your attention span, your creativity, and your productivity.

7. Join A Study Group

Forming study groups with your friends is a great way to help each other and challenge each other to better. It helps develop good study habits, teamwork and boosts confidence.

8. Reward Yourself

Reward yourself for a job well done after every study session. This in turn prevents burnout, uplifts your mood, and makes you look forward to the next study session. You could go for a walk, take a nap, indulge in your favorite snack, or hang out with your friends.

Why The IGCSE System Is The Best Option For Your Child

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Why The IGCSE System Is The Best Option For Your Child

Why the IGCSE system is the best option for your child.

4 years after the introduction of the CBC curriculum in Kenya, most parents are yet to comprehend and understand its structure and what it entails.  With most parents not ready to embrace the CBC curriculum, many have started looking into the IGCSE system in trying to decide which of the 2 is the better option for their children.

Below is why IGCSE is the best choice for your child.

1. IGCSE is internationally recognized

IGCSE is an internationally recognized system developed by Cambridge University and considered the baseline for employment in most countries. It consists of early years, junior school and senior school. IGCSE certificate is recognized in any part of the world which makes it excellent preparation for further study in any University worldwide.

2. A wide scope of subjects to choose from

IGCSE offers a broad scope of more than 70 subjects to choose which are both applicable in life and offered at the universities such as law and psychology. Among the 70 subjects, 30 are languages. Learners select their subjects of choice based on their interests and abilities.

3. IGCSE is ability based

Unlike CBC, where all learners are equally tested, IGCSE exams cater to different learning and interpretation abilities as it considers that milestones are different in every individual. The exam board separates questions as per difficulty level.

4. Extended curriculum

IGCSE offers its learners an option to extend the curriculum. It mostly applies to students that are academically advanced and wish to take a supplement paper to support the core subject. This makes them become more advanced.

5. IGCSE is multicultural

Being an internationally recognized system, students from different cultures easily fit into the IGCSE system of Education which offers 30 different languages to choose from. Children whose English is not their first language are allowed more time to familiarize themselves with it before sitting for the exam.

6. Development

Learners gain skills that include listening skills, problem-solving skills, logical thinking skills, and practical skills among many others which they can apply in their day to day lives.

7. University scholarships to the UK

The IGCSE certificate is given preference in UK’s university placement. It is held with high value among the European Universities thus, increasing the chances of being selected to pursue higher education in their institutions.

 In conclusion, the IGCSE education system offers an all-rounded, in-depth, internationally recognized and quality education for learners of all abilities.  It is easy for a child to transition into IGCSE from the CBC curriculum since it is learner-based and the child is allowed to pick subjects that they have an interest in and would wish to pursue in Universities. IGCSE nurtures students into capable and fully equipped individuals ready to take on the world.

You should also read is the 844 system better than IGCSE?

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3 Reasons Spending Quality Time With Your Children Is Important

Once again, the half-term break is here with us.

For students, it is usually a time to relax, meet up with their friends, catch up on their favourite shows, go for their favourite recreational activities and lastly, binge eating junk food. On the other hand, most parents find half-term to be unnecessary in terms of time and money because of the fear of truancy.

But the real question is how do you spend quality time with your children?

Half term is meant to be a time for bonding, reflection and relaxation for families.

However, most parents dread half-term breaks as it means them having to dig deeper into their pockets to finance the activities for the short break. For other parents, their main concern is the amount of unsupervised time that their children get during the half-term breaks, considering most parents are either full-time employees or have their own businesses to run, which translates to not enough time to keep an eye on the activities of their children.

Below is why you should spend more time with your child not just during half term, but all year round.

1. Cognitive development

The term cognition means the ability to use your conscious and subconscious parts of the brain to think, reason, remember and make decisions. Spending positive time with your children improves their Problem solving and decision-making skills.

2. Mental development

In this time and era, mental illness has become a global pandemic. Absent parenting is among the leading causes of mental health illness in school-going children. According to the Institute of Health Equity “lack of secure attachment, neglect, lack of quality stimulation, and conflict, negatively impact future social behaviour, educational outcomes, employment status and mental and physical health”.

Children’s exposure to neglect, direct physical and psychological abuse, and growing up in families with domestic violence was particularly damaging. This can all be restored through positive parenting, being there for your children, praising them, encouraging them and most importantly loving them. This in turn boosts their self-confidence and desire to succeed and make you proud.

3. Socio-cultural and spiritual development

The home being the first school, children learn the art of interaction through observing their parents. They tend to copy a lot from their parents and that is why a healthy and peaceful environment is needed at home, to build them up with good values and morals. Teach them to pray, to be thankful and liberal in such a way that they accept everyone regardless of their race, colour, religion, heritage or social status.

Considering that these are young developing minds, parents’ involvement in their children’s life is key to their growth . They should fully embrace the half term as it creates an opportunity for families to spend time together. Take it as an opportunity to understand your child’s wants and needs, listen to them, guide, support their goals and aspirations and also engage in activities that involve every member of the family such as board games.

Celebration of little wins and words of affirmation go a long way! As the old African proverb states, it takes a village to raise a child. Therefore if the parents and teachers work together, the society will become a better place.

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