“Education is a passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X

Parents try their level best to give their children the best of education. And taking the right decision while opting for the right Board for education is as crucial as selecting a school. Among the most common boards like CBSE, ICSE, IB, Cambridge IGCSE is gaining a lot of popularity.

While choosing the right board of education for the child, the two most important things to be considered are, whether –

 

• the further education of the child is aimed abroad or in India, (as it benefits is the child desires to continue his studies in a foreign land)
• the stream or subject the child wishes to choose as a career option

 

The various other aspects like syllabus, knowledge of concepts and their practical application, subjects offered, foreign languages, exam pattern, focus areas, learning medium etc.

It is said that focus is more important than intelligence. And, that’s exactly what the IGCSE board follows. Let’s explore more for a better level of understanding about IGCSE board and what it offers:

Globally recognised education - IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and was developed by Cambridge International Examination (CIE) in 1988. Also known as Cambridge Board, it is a content rich programme based on British Curriculum (GCSE), which could be an asset to a student’s portfolio, if he or she is certain about pursuing studies in the UK. One must also take into consideration the fact that many universities in the UK accept IGCSE results for university placement, especially when one doesn’t have IB Diploma or A-Level results.

Broad based education - IGCSE board is favoured by students who want to pursue their studies abroad. The focus is on the major streams like Science, Commerce, Language and Humanities with more emphasis on English and technical subjects than Indian school boards. It is one of the most popular international qualifications with more than 70 subjects designed with global perspective for students which gives them a wide variety of learning options to choose from, than in any other international qualification. The subjects can be combined as per the student’s choice. The more the subjects, the more there is to learn and explore.

Holistic and experiential nature of learning – The content of subjects reflects global context to give students a wide perspective about everything they learn. The focus is to encourage critical and analytical approach to study along with equal emphasis on problem solving skills.

Class Structure – The other distinguishing feature of IGCSE board is the class structure. Unlike CBSE, students are categorized in levels as per their age. IGCSE levels are Cambridge Primary (5 – 11 years), Cambridge Secondary 1 – (11 - 14 years), Cambridge Secondary 2 (14 - 16 years), Cambridge Advanced (16 - 19 years).

Grades – As the focus of IGCSE board is on maximising the learning ability of students through a wide range of subjects and curriculum, the grading criteria is also exclusive. The grading system of IGCSE board ranges from grade A (highest) to G (lowest). The students are awarded one certificate for every subject.

Since IGCSE is found only in metropolitan or Tier-1 cities in India, quality education for children choosing this board is a challenge. However, Thakur International School, Mumbai brings one of the best IGCSE qualified teachers to give children the best learning experience required for a strong foundation. Teachers at TIS (IGCSE & A Levels), Mumbai are trained to identify and work on student’s strengths and weaknesses right from Cambridge primary stage. And this makes learning and development of children a seamless process.