Secondary School, for students aged from 11 to 18, consists of three distinct curriculum sections:
Secondary 1 (in the UK known as Key Stage 3 or Lower Secondary) uses the first program of Cambridge curriculum provision targeted at secondary age students. The Cambridge Secondary 1 curriculum like the Primary curriculum covers only the subjects of English, Mathematics and Science. It consists of subject content, planning and resource guides, guidance for curriculum implementation and development, and support for classroom teaching and student learning. As a program developed with consistent standards that are externally benchmarked across thousands of students, it enables reliable structured reporting to parents about the performance of their children, which has validity beyond the school. It also enables the school to ensure that students are properly prepared for the demands of the IGCSE courses in these subjects.
It is followed by the Cambridge IGCSE in Year 10 and Year 11.
Secondary 1 students have 2 types of assessments as part of the Cambridge International Curriculum: Cambridge Secondary Progression Tests at the end of a stage (school Year), and Cambridge Secondary Checkpoint Exam at the end of the program (end of Year 9).
Each subject area in Cambridge Secondary 1 has a separate curriculum framework presenting the learning objectives for each stage of the program. This is designed specifically for an international audience. It provides a clear structure for planning each stage as well as the description of the learning expectations. The program may also offer optional testing structure for Cambridge Secondary 1. The whole program has its roots in the National Curriculum for England.
The English as a Second Language curriculum frameworks and progression tests are aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
Other subjects’ structures in Secondary 1have also derived from the English National Curriculum (with suitable adjustments to reflect our international image and geographic location). Yet, in reference to Russian and Armenian for natives, the programs are based on their own national curricula. Other subjects offered during these 3 years are Geography, History, Music, Art and Design, Design and Technology, Physical Education, ICT (Information and Communication Technology / Computers) and French as a foreign language.