We are very pleased to present our GCSE and IGCSE options for 2023/24. It aims to give both parents and students a complete picture of life in Key Stage 4 at The British International School, Cairo.

Our options information contains a student perspective section in most subjects. Our Sixth Form student leaders have produced these sections in order to provide further help for students when they are making their choices. Sixth Form prefects will also be playing a greater role in the options process this year by speaking to parents and students about their experiences in Key Stage 4.

We hope you find this guide useful and informative. Please do let us know if you require any further information.

In Years 7 - 9, students have been studying the English National Curriculum Key Stage 3. As they move into Year 10 they start two-year courses leading to General Certificate of Secondary Education examinations (GCSEs) at the end of Year 11. In some subjects, students will follow International GCSE.

These Key Stage 4 courses in turn lead to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme course in the Sixth Form at BISC. They will also lead to admission to other courses at other schools, such as A-Levels. 

I/GCSEs are highly valued by schools, universities and employers, so they will be useful whatever students are planning to do afterwards. IGCSEs have less British content than GCSEs so in many cases they are more accessible to international students who do not have knowledge of the UK.

There have been significant changes in GCSE courses based on a review of the qualifications by the UK government. All I/GCSE subjects will receive grades using the 9-1 Grading System which has been introduced throughout the school.

The GCSE qualification mainly involves studying the theory of a subject, with some investigative work. Some subjects also involve practical work. I/GCSEs are studied full-time at school taking five terms to complete.

I/GCSEs are assessed mainly through written examinations, although in some subjects there are also elements of coursework. Some subjects, like Art and Design, have more coursework and fewer examinations. 

The UK Government use a nine-level numerical system to grade GCSEs, going from 9 (the highest score) to 1 (the lowest score). 

All British, American, Canadian and European universities recognise these grading systems.

To study the IB Diploma at BISC, a minimum of 6 grades at level 6 (or better) is required.

Everyone in Year 10 and Year 11 will study:

• English Language IGCSE
• English Literature IGCSE
• Mathematics IGCSE
• At least one Science subject, although we expect most students to choose two.
• Students will also have two PE lessons a week and a single PSHE lesson – these subjects are not examined.

Students will also choose 6 additional subjects to study, one of which must be a language.

*  Subject to viability.

** At the end of Year 9 students complete a GCSE in Arabic. The Y10 and 11 IGCSE Arabic course above is designed for native speakers. Please note that students cannot take Arabic B (non-native) at IB level if they take this course. We may offer Arabic A (Native) at IB level subject to demand but cannot guarantee this.

After choices are made, a timetable is  produced. While every effort is made to ensure that students get to study their first choices, this is not always possible. Students who do not get their first choice will be contacted and alternatives will be discussed.

Some subjects at IB level do not require that the students will have studied the corresponding course at GCSE level. These subjects are listed below with requirements and recommendations. As always, these subjects will only be available if there is sufficient demand. It should be noted that most University courses linked to Economics and Computer Science do not require the student to have studied IB Economics or Computer Science.

Advanced information to help you choose your GCSE Languages options. At IB level:

• Arabic B, French B and Spanish B are designed for students who have studied the language at GCSE level.
• French and Spanish Ab initio are designed for beginners.
• Students who take IGCSE Arabic First Language are not permitted to study Arabic B at IB level.

Please note that the availability of all subjects is dependent on demand for the subject. If not enough students choose the subject at IB level then the subject may not be available.

For students:

You should choose:

• A modern foreign language other than English
• Students are not allowed to choose both Business and Economics. Choosing either subject will still allow you to study IB Economics or IB Business. 

We also strongly encourage you to choose a creative subject (Art, Drama or Music).

In addition, you will be offered a careers interview with the Careers Advisor, to help you make your choices.  Please make contact via email to make an appointment and encourage your parents to attend with you. You should also discuss your options with your form tutor, Head of Year and subject specialists.

Remember:

• Close as few ‘doors’ as possible – look ahead at what courses and careers may no longer be easy to do if you drop a subject now.
• Choose subjects that you enjoy – but think first; why do you enjoy them?
• Choose subjects that you are going to do well in – but do not just go by present grades.

For parents:

• Help your child to find out as much as possible about the courses and qualifications they can do. It will help your child if you also attend the careers interview.
• Gently challenge a choice they are thinking of that concerns you.  For example, if you feel that they have not done enough research, or if you feel they have underestimated their ability or are being influenced by what their friends are taking. Please email a subject teacher if you need more information.
• Your child is more likely to succeed if their choices fit their interests and abilities. 
• Help them to identify these by encouraging them to discuss how they feel about different lessons, spare time activities, tests, examinations and practical projects.
• If your child has no clear plans at this stage, encourage them to opt for a broad range of courses.  If they have a particular career in mind, they may need specific experience, subjects, qualifications and grades to do it. Look at course entry requirements in online prospectuses and, for higher education courses that interest them, on the university websites and www.ucas.com.

The Options Process is staged: 

• A Presentation Assembly for students and parents in early February. This is an introductory talk for the BISC cohort. We will explain what IB means, the subjects offered at BISC and some important deadlines. 
• Mr Raza will arrange for a Careers interview in February, and we encourage parents to attend. 
• There is a Parent-Teacher conference in February before final choices are made.
• Of course, during this period, we encourage students to talk to their teachers, and seek as much advice as possible before committing to their options.

Pastoral Care

There is a pastoral support structure based, in the first instance, around the Form Tutor. Every day there is a meeting between the Form Tutor and the Form; a ten-minute registration period is scheduled for the beginning of the day. It must be stressed that this is seen as an important contact period and parents are urged to ensure that all students are in the building in good time so as to attend registration at 8am.

There is a single PSHE lesson on one day of each week, thus giving scope for a developing relationship between student and tutor. The majority of teachers have been assigned to a tutor group and are in close contact with that group. This leads to a monitoring of progress, both academic and social, within the confines of the students' peer group.

In addition to the channels outlined, the Deputy Head, Pastoral takes overall responsibility for the pastoral care of students with the support of the Head of Year 10 and 11.

The table below outlines who parents should contact in case of concerns about their child:

The tutor is responsible for the overall welfare of the student, and has an overview of their academic and social progress at school. She/he is the link person between the parent and the school.

For academic concerns in any specific subject, parents are encouraged to contact the subject teachers/Head of Department.

Parents will receive regular reports on students’ progress and there are scheduled Parents’ Days where parents have the opportunity to discuss progress with the Form Tutor, subject teachers and the Head of Section.

Student Support

At BISC, we aim to support every student to achieve their full potential.  We offer a range of support strategies for students, including:

• Support sessions after school
• Coursework clinics
• Weekend workshops
• Supervised study

Details of these events will be published in the Bulletin and also emailed to students in advance.

A Student's Perspective of Key Stage 4

"Most students view entering this new stage of their lives as something to stray away from, in fear and lack of knowledge of what it holds. However, despite it sounding immensely grand and its monumental connotations, it isn’t really that much different from the years prior; same friends, same campus, same community.

In spite of its similarities with KS3, KS4 consists of syllabi with substantially more content and, as a result, requires the formation of a regime in which time is allocated and managed effectively in order to be able perform exceptionally well when it comes to the GCSE exams in the second year. Regardless of the existence of disparities in content size, it merely builds onto past knowledge, therefore making it a relatively easy transition.

Some students choose to neglect the first year of the course with the justification that the exams are at the end of the second year, however, owing to the fact that the course subtends over the course of two years, it may result in under-performing when the exams are sat. Many students only come to realise this as they approach their mock exams in the second year and have to relearn everything from the preceding year owing to their lack of focus, causing them to feel submerged under a pile of topics in which they must revise. In order to avoid this, students must focus in the first year and take notes which would enable them to save vast amounts of time when it comes to revising certain topics before the exams. 

For me, the most important takeaway from this course was building a salient skill in life - time management. This is key, not only for academic success, but for life in general, as it helps one find a balance between exercising, studying, socialising and overall personal development. To put it simply, it helps you climb the first steps to success, as without it, especially in IB, you may end up losing balance of these broad subsections of your life. In addition, swiftly coping with the workload of KS4 serves as indicator of readiness for IB as it further stresses the essentiality of time management through progressively escalating the size of the workload, stretching the students’ ability to retain balance.

KS4 will be a core memory and stepping stone in your life. I advise you to pick subjects which you enjoy and are genuinely interested in, not just ones that you think might be easy from your experiences with them in the past, as many of the ‘easy’ subjects turn out to be much more difficult than they seem. Be prepared for a truly revolutionary experience that will construct new relationships, skills and countless memories."

By Ahmed Medhat

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Arabic syllabus is designed for native speakers of Arabic. Students need a minimum of A* at GCSE Arabic to apply for this course. 

All students considering taking this course will be asked to sit an entrance test to assess their suitability for this course. Anyone interested in opting for this course should speak to Mrs. Riman for guidance.

Why Study Arabic IGCSE?

To be able to:

• Communicate accurately, appropriately and effectively in writing.
• Understand and respond appropriately to what you read.
• Enjoy and appreciate the language.
• Promote your personal development and an understanding of yourself and others.

Course Content

• Intermediate and advanced grammar skills.
• Comprehension concerning different aspects of literature and language.
• Study of media (newspapers – magazines – T.V. – Internet – computing – cinema).
• Writing formats: essays, letters (formal and informal), short stories and speeches.
• Study of literary texts from pre-Islamic periods to modern times.

Paper 1 (3 sections)

Section 1 (30 marks)

This section focuses on reading comprehension through a series of short-answer comprehension questions based on a non-fiction reading passage. 

Section 2 (20 marks)

In Part 1, candidates will be presented with a short text which they will be required to summarise. 

In Part 2, candidates will be required to produce a piece of directed writing based on the theme of the text from Part One. The task will require candidates to write in a given form for a specified purpose and audience. 

Section 3 (20 marks)

This section will test the candidates’ grammatical usage in a series of exercises.  The maximum mark for this section is 20.

Paper 2 (continuous writing)

Paper 2 will require candidates to produce two pieces of continuous writing. Candidates will choose two titles from a choice of six. Candidates are advised to write about 300 words on each of their two chosen topics. The six titles may include a range of writing styles and purposes, such as discursive, narrative, persuasive, descriptive, explanatory or informative. 

The Student Perspective

"IGCSE Arabic First Language is a rigorous and rewarding course where you study Modern Standard Arabic. During the course you will learn grammar structures and rules to have a more complete understanding of the language, understand how to analyse Arabic texts and the linguistic devices used to appreciate texts more and how to apply these devices and grammatical rules in your own writing. You will also explore a variety of themes and topics relating to the Arab world, ranging from social and cultural issues to issues about science and history. So not only do you improve your language skills, but you also expand your knowledge of the Arab world.

This is recommended for those who want to further their knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the Arabic language, especially to those who wish to continue to study Arabic at university, study in an Arab country or live in one, where employment may entail a good understanding of formal Arabic.

This is a difficult but very rewarding course and is much harder than GCSE Arabic that is taken in Year 9. Before you decide to choose this subject, you should speak with your Arabic teachers so they can recommend and advise you whether you can advance with this course and if it’s suitable for you. If you choose to take this course, you cannot take Arabic at IB as this is taken as a first language, and Arabic at IB is taken as a second language."

Hanya Abdel-Hamid

GCSE Art and Design (Fine Art) is an exciting course concerned with visual and tactile ways of expression.  It offers a unique opportunity for students to communicate their own ideas and develop meaningful responses. Visual literacy is equivalent in importance to literacy and numeracy, and is highly valued by employers and universities. 

Throughout the two years of the course, students work on producing a personal portfolio that demonstrates the use of formal elements and creative skills.  They learn to give visual form to observations, thoughts, feelings and ideas. They become familiar with a process that allows them to take an idea from its inception to a high quality studio outcome.

They accomplish this by engaging in the following:

• Broad visual research and investigation of themes, directed by the teacher.
• Experimentation with various materials, equipment and processes including drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, digital art, photography and mixed media approaches.

• Development of ideas from inception to the production of well informed and resolved studio outcomes.
• Making connections between their own work and that of artists and designers from other times and cultures.
• Research artists work by taking part in national and international study trips. 

Students are graded from 9 to 1 (where 9 is the top grade)  Drawing is an explicit requirement in GCSE Art and Design, and students will be expected to use drawing to support the development process within their area of study.

There are four assessment objectives:

A01: Critical and contextual understanding, A02: Experimentation and refinement of ideas and processes

A03: Recording ideas and intentions, A04: Present a personal and meaningful response. 

There are two components to the course:

1. Personal Portfolio – 60% of the final grade is awarded for the Personal Portfolio.

• The visual investigation and research for this portfolio is done both at home and in the art studio, in both Year 10 and Year 11. This takes the form of a sketchbook, and may also include larger works and 3D experiments. The Portfolio consists of an in depth sustained project entitled ‘Identity’ and students work towards developing a large scale outcome of their own choice based on this theme. Students are encouraged to research artists of their own choosing, making this a highly personal and self directed project. 
• All Portfolio work done in Years 10 and 11 will be submitted before embarking on the Externally Set Assignment which will be handed out in late February/ early March of Year 11.

2. Externally Set Assignment (ESA) issued by Edexcel – 40%

• This assignment is issued by Edexcel towards the end of the second year of the course (Year 11), usually January of the final year.  It is worth 40% of the final grade.
• Students are presented with a paper giving a thematic title 10 weeks in advance of a timed test.
• Students will use this 10-week period to prepare a broad investigation of the given theme. (This takes the form of a sketchbook full of visual investigations which may be completed at home as well as in the art studio).
• At the end of this period students submit their sketchbooks containing the 10 weeks of investigative work.
• During the timed test, (10 hours usually held over two days), students go on to produce a studio outcome based on their 10 weeks of investigation. They make clear connections between their sketchbook investigations and the outcomes produced during this time.

The Personal Portfolio and ESA are marked by an Edexcel External Examiner who comes to Cairo in May (from the UK) to mark all the students’ work. There is an Annual GCSE Art Exhibition at BISC celebrating the creativity and skill of all the work completed by the Year 11 Art Students.

If you require any further information about this course or about careers in and using Art and Design please contact Janie Wheeler, Head of Art.

The Student Perspective – Art and Design

"I would recommend GCSE Art for anyone who enjoys creating and exploring new ideas. However, it is a lot of work, and you regularly need to put a lot of time into it outside class. I spent 2-4 hours every weekend completing my sketchbook, and I didn’t have any problem finishing my work on time. Working every weekend wasn’t tiring for me as I got to work on my own terms and express myself freely, so I enjoyed creating the work. In my 2 years of GCSE, I got to improve my drawing and painting skills the most.

I also got to use many different media and try different techniques that I never would have explored by myself, like embroidery, using a sewing machine, oil painting, charcoal, gouache, printmaking, and working with wire. I was also exposed to a wide range of different artworks by different artists, and I enjoyed learning about them and analysing them. If you are passionate about art, want to enrich and expand your skills, and are prepared to create and present a lot of your work, you should definitely choose Art."  

By Zahra El Ansary 

The Cambridge IGCSE Business Studies syllabus was created especially for international students, using international business examples and case studies, rather than focusing mostly on British examples and firms. The Cambridge IGCSE Business Studies course is comparable to a standard GCSE in the UK and is accepted as equivalent to UK GCSEs by leading universities worldwide.  Upon successful completion of the IGCSE Business Studies course, students will have a good foundation to study either Economics or Business Management, or both, at IB level.

Aims and learning outcomes

The Business Studies course is designed to encourage students to:

• Apply their knowledge and critical understanding to current issues and problems in a wide range of business contexts.
• Distinguish between facts and opinions, and evaluate qualitative and quantitative data in order to help build.
• arguments and make informed judgements
• Develop knowledge and understanding of the major groups and organisations within and outside business, and consider ways in which they are able to influence objectives, decisions and activities.
• Develop knowledge and understanding of how the main types of businesses are organised, financed and operated, and how their relations with other organisations, consumers, employees, owners and society are regulated.
• Develop skills of numeracy, literacy, enquiry, selection and use of relevant sources of information, presentation and interpretation.

Syllabus summary

Unit 1: Understanding business activity

Unit 1 focuses on the purpose and nature of business activity and how businesses can be classified. There is emphasis placed on enterprise and entrepreneurs, and why some businesses grow while others remain small.

Unit 2: People in business

Unit 2 focuses on the area of human resources and includes the importance and methods of motivating a workforce. Students will investigate how businesses are organised and managed, and will learn about the methods of recruitment, selection and training of employees.

Unit 3: Marketing

Unit 3 focuses on the role of marketing, the distinctions between niche and mass markets and the techniques of market segmentation. The methods and importance of market research, and the central role of the marketing mix, (the four Ps), is made clear.

Unit 4: Operations management

Unit 4 focuses on production and includes the meaning and methods of production and how productivity can be increased. The different costs of production and break-even analysis are analysed, as well as the importance of quality and the methods used to achieve it.

Unit 5: Financial information & decisions

Unit 5 covers the need for, and sources of business finance, cash-flow forecasting and working capital. Simple income statements are covered as well as statements of financial position and the analysis of accounts.

Unit 6: External influences on business activity

Unit 6 covers the different external influences on business activity and how these impact on a business. It includes government influences on economic, environmental and ethical issues and how they impact on the functional areas of businesses. In addition, the international economy including globalisation and its effects on businesses and governments, multinational businesses and exchange rates are important issues.

Assessment overview

The external assessment for this course is in the form of two equally weighted written papers. The first paper consists of 4 questions and is a short answer and data response paper,  and the second paper is 4 questions based around a case study which will require analysis of information in a variety of forms.

The Student Perspective

"After completing the IGCSE course, I wholeheartedly believe that choosing Business as a subject was the right choice. It expanded my knowledge of the different types of business that we already know and hear about every day. It also helped me improve many of the skills necessary for other areas of the IGCSE course as a whole. Both my writing and analytical skills improved immensely. Business IGCSE provides you with a sound understanding of the basics of any business, which is absolutely essential; especially when business activity always has and will continue to, affect our daily lives. 

All of these factors have helped me develop a genuine passion for the subject, and I hope any future Business IGCSE students enjoy it as much as I did."

Salma Mohamed

The Cambridge IGCSE Economics syllabus was created especially for international students, using international  examples and cases studies, rather than focusing mostly on British examples. The Cambridge IGCSE Economics course is comparable to a standard GCSE in the UK and is accepted as equivalent to UK GCSEs by leading universities worldwide. Upon successful completion of the IGCSE Economics course, students will have a good foundation to study either Economics or Business Management, or both, at IB level.

Aims and learning outcomes

The Economics course is designed to encourage students to:

• Know and understand economic terminology, concepts and theories, in order to be economically literate.
• Use basic economic numeracy and interpret economic data.
• Use the tools of economic analysis.
• Express economic ideas logically and clearly in a written form.
  Apply economic understanding to current economic issues in our daily lives.

Syllabus summary

Unit 1: The basic economic problem

Unit 1 focuses on the essential economic questions of What to produce? How to produce? and for Whom to produce?, the economic factors of production, choices, scarcity, opportunity costs and production possibility curves. Students will gain an understanding of the essential mechanics that work together to create an economy.

Unit 2: The allocation of resources

Unit 2 focuses on the allocation of resources through the price mechanism in a market
economy. The market forces of demand and supply, market equilibrium and disequilibrium, and elasticity form the core of this section. Students will analyse graphs, and evaluate the effect of different factors on price, and quantity.

Unit 3: Microeconomics decision makers

Unit 3 focuses on the major microeconomic factors. Students will investigate the importance of banks, households, workers and firms. They will evaluate the role of trade unions, classify the size of firms, evaluate firm costs and revenues and analyse the characteristics of different market structures. 

Unit 4: Government and the macro economy

Unit 4 focuses on governments and their different macroeconomic aims, and conflicts often arise between the choice of measures used to achieve them. Variables must be measured to consider the causes and consequences of change, and appropriate policies applied.

Unit 5: Economic development

Unit 5 investigates how there will be changes in population, living standards, poverty and income redistribution as an economy develops. Therefore, the effects of changes in the size and structure of population and of other influences on development in a variety of countries are explored.

Unit 6: International trade and globalisation

Unit 6 focuses on the importance of trade between countries and the growth of globalisation is explored. Principles such as specialisation, the role of free trade, the role of multinational companies, foreign exchange rates and balance of payments stability are considered.

Assessment overview

The Student Perspective

"Economics was one of my personal favourites in KS4 as it is a subject that integrates theory into real-life practices, allowing it to become the perfect challenge for the logical mind. Additionally, it is one of the few subjects in which certain concepts can be logically deduced rather than memorised, making it a less burdensome subject when it comes to revision. 

Taking economics at this level serves as an essential foundation for years to come if financially-related careers are to be pursued and if Economics is one of the courses you would like to study at IB level as it saves vast amounts of time and allows for other subjects to be focussed on to a greater degree. Not only does Economics give you an insight on how economies operate, it further constricts and widens its scope to view inter-firm and global transactions, thus additionally providing you with a sufficient skill set and background knowledge on how it would be to study business-related courses as well. Moreover, it can help describe many contemporary international interactions - whether that be conflict or alliance - as the world continues to develop and global interdependence intensifies.

I believe that studying Economics may even help students become more rational thinkers through many of its theories being based on rational behaviour in order to help simplify their respective outcomes. This unintentionally drives students to view decisions in a more cautious manner by considering opportunity costs and thus making the ‘best’ realistically attainable decisions such as those taken by the parties studied as a result of an immense focus on perfect information when simulating how an individual would behave."

Ahmed Medhat

This course reflects the growing importance of computing in the modern world and is designed to equip students with key skills for today’s changing workplace.

There’s more to Computer Science than simply programming. Computer Science is the study of how computer systems work, how they are constructed and programmed. It consists of a body of knowledge, a set of techniques/methods for solving problems, as well as practical programming skills. What this means is that a course in Computer Science has to cover a lot of theory teaching, as well as plenty of practical problem solving and programming. Computational thinking is a large part of the course and forms the bulk of what is taught.

Aims
The aims are to develop:

• Computational thinking, that is thinking about what can be computed and how, and includes consideration of the data required
• Understanding of the main principles of solving problems by using computers
• Understanding that every computer system is made up of subsystems, which in turn consist of
  further sub-systems
• Understanding of the component parts of computer systems and how they interrelate, including
  software, data, hardware, communications and people
• Skills necessary to apply understanding to solve computer-based problems using a high-level
  programming language.
  
  

Anyone interested in this course should see the Head of Computing for more details. 

Content Overview

Candidates study the following topics: 

1. Computer systems 
2. Data representation 
3. Data transmission 
4. Hardware 
5. Software 
6. The internet and its uses 
7. Automated and emerging technologies 
8. Algorithms, programming and logic 
9. Algorithm design and problem-solving 
10. Programming 
11. Databases 
12. Boolean logic

Assessment

There are two externally-examined papers:

The Student Perspective

"As a former IGCSE Computer Scientist, I can say with certainty that it helped optimise my train of thought whilst problem solving. As all the intricate algorithms you learn are put together, you learn to think differently and your outlook on life is completely different.

I have realised all of the doors Computer Science has opened up for me after completing the IGCSE course, as the world is progressing technologically so quickly. It is a necessity to choose this course if you want to progress with cutting-edge technology."

Noah Khalafalla

Why Study IGCSE Drama?

Cambridge IGCSE (9–1) Drama provides opportunities for learners to develop practical skills in performance, both as an individual and within a group. Learners will understand the artistic choices made by actors, directors and designers in presenting performances for an audience. They will also learn about theatrical styles and genres. Learners will explore how to develop their own ideas in creating original drama. 

Through practical and theoretical study, the Cambridge IGCSE Drama syllabus encourages students to understand and enjoy drama by: 

• developing their performance skills, both individually and in groups 
• understanding the role of actor, director and designer in creating a piece of theatre 
• considering ways in which ideas and feelings can be communicated to an audience 
• discovering the performance possibilities of plays and other dramatic stimuli 
• devising dramatic material of their own. 

Our programmes balance a thorough knowledge and understanding of a subject and help to develop the skills learners need for their next steps in education or employment. Our approach encourages learners to be engaged, confident, responsible, innovative and reflective. 

The IGCSE Drama Course at BISC aims to: 

• develop candidates’ understanding of drama through practical and theoretical study
• enable candidates to understand the role of actor, director and designer in creating a piece of theatre
• develop candidates’ acting skills, both individually and in group
• enable candidates to develop their skills in devising original drama
• help candidates communicate feelings and ideas to an audience
• foster understanding of the performance process and enable candidates to evaluate the various stages of that process
• encourage enjoyment of drama. 

Content Overview
Learners develop an understanding and enjoyment of drama through practical and theoretical study. Candidates will study: 

• the elements of practical drama 
• how to work with extracts from published plays as an actor, director and designer
• how to devise, develop and structure their own original dramatic material from stimuli such as short titles, poems, pictures, songs, historical events and stories
• how to evaluate their contribution to the devising process and the success of the final piece •
• how to use staging and design as part of a dramatic performance
• individual and group performance skills and how they are applied to create character and communicate meaning to an audience.

Assessment Overview 

All candidates take two components.

The Student Perspective

"Despite the implications of talent as a requirement for Drama in general, IGCSE Drama is a brilliant course, which is gratifying to all as one watches themselves gain confidence and fluency. Drama allows exploration and self expression through practical work, however it also features written work, which focuses on thorough understanding and appreciation of published play extracts. Drama is a well-paced, refreshing course and favours the fervent and eager. Drama can extend to benefitting anyone’s future aspirations as it is able to improve one’s confidence, public speaking skills, self-reflection, and expression. Personally, Drama helped me gather more self-assurance and provided me with an overall unparalleled experience."

By Hannah Ahmed

English is a compulsory subject for all Year 10 and Year 11 students. The English Department offers an integrated Language and Literature course for all students, leading in most cases to IGCSE certification in English language and English Literature. The integrated course reflects the fact that the two qualifications cover complementary skills.

Students will be assessed by terminal examination (100%) for both courses.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE - Edexcel

Aims

The syllabus is designed to develop a student’s ability to understand and to write English effectively. Additionally, it aims to encourage the enjoyment of, and a lasting interest in, literature; an ability to understand and respond to a wide range of literary and non-literary material in an informed, personal and critical manner; and to enable students to write fluently and accurately in different styles for a variety of audiences and purposes.

Course Content

Material will include extracts from literature, and extracts from non-literary sources such as newspapers, advertisements, brochures, etc. Students will be required to read, discuss, and analyse these unseen texts and respond to them in a variety of ways.

Assessment

Paper 1: Non-fiction Texts and Transactional Writing: Paper code 4EA1/01

Externally assessed Written examination: 2 hours 15 minutes: 60 % of total English grade worth 90 marks

Assessment overview Section A: Reading – a mixture of short- and long-answer questions related to a non-fiction text from Part 1 of the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Anthology and one previously unseen extract. Total of 45 marks. Section B: Transactional Writing – one 45-mark writing task, from a choice of two involving a given audience, form or purpose. Candidates will be provided with the anthology text in the examination.

Coursework: Poetry and Prose Texts and Imaginative Writing

Internally assessed and externally moderated: 40 % of English grade worth 60 marks 

Assignment A: Poetry and prose texts – one 30-mark essay question based on any three poetry or prose texts from Part 2 of the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE English Anthology. At least one poetry text and one prose text must be discussed in the assignment. Assignment B: Imaginative writing – one 30-mark imaginative writing task.

ENGLISH LITERATURE - Edexcel

Aims

The syllabus encourages students to develop an appreciation of literature, both classic and contemporary.  It seeks to develop reading for enjoyment; the ability to analyse and comment on key aspects of literary technique; to expose students to literature from various cultures and traditions and to promote emotional and intellectual growth through reading. This course is a compulsory prerequisite to the English A course offered at IB at BISC.

Course Content

The texts will allow students to explore several aspects of literature through in-depth studies and wider reading in the three main genres: prose (novels/short stories and biography), poetry and drama.

Texts to be studied are chosen from a list of Literary Heritage Texts and Different Cultures Prose Texts set by the Examining Board; there is also the choice of an Anthology of materials selected by the Board. Naturally, a certain amount of reading will have to be done outside class and students will be encouraged to maintain good personal reading habits.

Assessment

Paper 1: Poetry and Modern Prose (60%) 120 minutes

• Three exam questions - one poetry from an anthology studied in class, one unseen poem and one prose based on text studied in class

Paper 3: Modern Drama and Literary Heritage (40%) Coursework 

• Two essays to be worked on in school and at home on set texts 

The Examinations

As the IGCSE examination papers are untiered, all students at BISC have the opportunity to aspire to the highest grades in English Literature and Language, with a grade 9 representing the highest achievement.

Some students will be offered the option of IGCSE second language qualification in English, as an alternative to the GCSE first language courses. Decisions regarding this course will be based on the student’s progress in Key Stage 3 and will be discussed with parents at the end of Year 9.

The Student Perspective

"In every IGCSE English lesson I was confronted by a new challenge. This allowed me to push myself and take that extra step so that I could do even better than my best. At the start of Year 10, I struggled with writing clear and analytical essays and I never took the time to understand the language used by authors to convey meaning. IGCSE English helped me develop new skills that could be applied to every aspect outside of school; not only did I gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of literature, I gained confidence in my writing, I gained critical thinking skills that would help me in university, and I gained a wider perspective of the world around me. English is extremely useful as a subject because the curriculum encourages students to discuss and debate. English helps students broaden their understanding, and it helps develop vital communication skills–it even introduces them to new stories that they never knew they’d love!"

Noor El Sonbaty

Why Study Geography IGCSE?

Geography is a subject that engages students in a contemporary and unique perspective of the world. It is the study of places, landscapes, environments and people and how they interact, encompassing local, national and global issues relevant to our changing world.  As an IGCSE Geography student, every individual will learn about the physical and human processes we see around us every day and the challenges people face in managing these interactions. 

Geography students are up to date with current affairs and explore contemporary issues such as sustainability, climate change, immigration and globalisation, as well as natural disasters and economic development. These topics are set in the context of both local and international case studies, allowing students to relate to diverse societies, cultures and landscapes.   

In addition to the knowledge they gain, Geography students also learn a wide variety of skills.  These include map skills, practical fieldwork techniques, investigation, data presentation and analysis (including graphical, statistical and mapping techniques), problem solving, decision making and the ability to interpret various sources of information.  

The broad and contemporary nature of this course and wide range of transferable skills that students will learn, makes the Cambridge IGCSE Geography course excellent preparation for further education at IB and University level. Geography graduates are among the most employable and qualified for an extensive range of future careers including tourism, travel, eco-engineering and education. 

The IGCSE Geography course at BISC

Students will study the Cambridge International GCSE (IGCSE) specification in Geography at BISC. The subject content is arranged into three themes;

• Population and Settlement

• including population growth, migration and urbanisation

• The Natural Environment 

• including earthquakes and volcanoes, rivers, coasts, weather, climate and ecosystems.

• Economic Development 

• including development, food production, industry, tourism, energy, water and environmental risks of economic development.

International Field Trip

Throughout the three themes students are also taught map skills and techniques for geographical investigation, including practical fieldwork.  This element of the course may also be supported by a trip to the Barcelona Field Studies Centre in Spain (subject to interest and availability, and COVID restrictions).

Assessment

The Student Perspective

“When I first started my geographical journey I was extremely excited to learn about the world; its people and its environments. We covered topics that include: population, the natural environment and development. Personally, I enjoyed learning about population. While it is quite a specific topic, it's extremely interesting because it allows you to open your mind to learning about countries that face issues due to population sizes and distributions as well as learning about countries who have gone through stages of mass development both economically and environmentally. When it comes to thinking about the future and how Geography could benefit our knowledge,  I would say that Geography is definitely one of the most diverse subjects out there. As someone who takes Biology and Business IGCSE along with Geography, I have noticed that Geography applies to elements in both subjects, which is extremely helpful as it aids me to remember useful information and apply it where I need to. I would recommend Geography to anyone who is interested in studying the natural, economic and social world.”

Christina Demian

 “I really enjoy taking Geography and would recommend it if you want to get a much deeper understanding of the world, why many things we see everyday happen and what they result in for people and the environment.  This is a great subject if you are a curious person who enjoys learning about the world and its wonders and people”

Hanya Abdel-Hamid

Why study History?

“How do you know who you are unless you know where you’ve come from? How can you tell what’s going to happen, unless you know what’s happened before? History isn’t just about the past. It’s about why we are who we are –  and about what’s next.”  Tony Robinson, Actor and Television Presenter.

History is the study of real people living real lives and experiencing real situations. It helps us to understand the world today, people around us and also those from different backgrounds and cultures.

History challenges us to form solidly based arguments and to share our opinions with confidence, all crucial skills in the modern world and workplace.

History has consistently remained a relevant and well respected subject that is recognised by leading universities and employers throughout the world. The Russell Group, which represents the 24 leading UK universities, classifies History as a ‘facilitating subject’. These are the academic subjects most commonly required or preferred by universities to access a range of degree courses.

The knowledge, analytical and evaluative skills developed in History are applicable in a vast range of jobs and History graduates have entered into all kinds of careers. History is a subject that can be used for entry into the fields of law, civil service, politics, diplomacy, journalism, teaching, computer science and management of all descriptions.

Subject Content

Through the study of this course, students will develop knowledge and understanding of:

• The key individuals, societies, developments and issues in the periods studied.
• The links between the events of the past and current events.
• Historical events at different scales.
• The process of change, both long and short term.

Knowledge and Understanding

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Make connections and comparisons between different aspects of the periods, themes and topics studied.
• Describe, analyse, and evaluate the causes and consequences of historical events and situations.
• Describe, analyse, and evaluate changes and developments in the periods, themes and topics studied.

Core content for Section A - Available modules

• Was the Treaty of Versailles fair?
• To what extent was the League of Nations a success?
• How far was Hitler’s foreign policy to blame for the outbreak of war in Europe in 1939?
• Who was to blame for the Cold War?
• How effectively did the United States contain the spread of Communism?
• How secure was the USSR’s control over Eastern Europe, from 1948 to1989?

Course content for Section B - Depth Study on Germany

• Weimar Germany, 1919-1933.
• The Rise of the Nazis, 1919-1934.
• Nazi Germany, 1934-1945.

Paper 1 is a written examination. It is 40% of the total IGCSE and is 2 hours long. It involves studying up to 6 key questions from the core content of Section A and a Depth study on Germany.

Paper 2 is a written examination. It is 33% of the total IGCSE and is 2 hours in length. The paper consists of one unit of study and six different types of source based questions. It will be chosen by the exam board from one of the core content key questions in section A.

Paper 4 is a written examination. It is worth 27% of the total IGCSE and is 1 hour in length. The students will answer two essay questions that focus on writing a descriptive account and the concept of significance. The content from which the question will be drawn from is the Germany Depth Study.

The Student Perspective

"Cambridge IGCSE often sets the standards for international education. The IGCSE History course has worldwide recognition and makes the students confident learners. Studying the IGCSE History course is a great opportunity for students to understand how events in the past made things the way they are today. With lessons from the past, we not only learn about ourselves and how we came to be, but also develop the ability to avoid mistakes and create better paths for our societies. The course teaches students to raise questions and to develop and deploy historic skills, knowledge and understanding to provide historical explanations. Students explore history from a variety of perspectives, including social, economic, cultural and political perspectives. Honestly, I would really recommend students taking the GCSE History as even though it requires hours of reading, essay practice and structure; I believe it is all worthwhile as it helps you develop an analytical and precise writing style and achieving a strong IGCSE History grade would set you apart from the rest as it is one of the most respected subjects that you can have on your portfolio when applying to college."

Ali El Far

Aims

The general aims of the programme are to develop logical thought; develop skills in devising, using and presenting mathematical arguments and critical analysis; develop creativity and persistence in the approach to problem solving; and to gain confidence in applying and using mathematical skills acquired.  It is also to prepare students for the study of Mathematics post sixteen.

Course Content

The IGCSE Mathematics syllabus has two levels of entry – Foundation and Higher, and it does not feature any Controlled Assessments. This course starts formally at the start of Year 9.

Students at BISC are usually entered for Higher level, Foundation level being used only in exceptional circumstances. For all levels of entry, the syllabus is split into four sections - Number, Algebra, Geometry and Statistics - but there is significantly more content in the Higher level than there is in the Foundation level.

Students who show sound mathematical ability will cover a variety of more demanding topics and problems, including the use of graphic calculators, to prepare them for the challenges of sixth form study of mathematics.

IGCSE CONTENT, Foundation (highest grade possible 5): revision of all work covered in Years 7-8; the use of approximation and choosing the appropriate degree of accuracy; using standard form; evaluating formulae; using symbolic notation to express the rules of sequences;  simple  algebraic  manipulations  and  equations;  interpreting  graphs  which represent particular relationships; loci; calculations in plane and solid shapes; organising and analysing data; basic probability; the design and use of a questionnaire to test a hypothesis; constructing and interpreting cumulative frequency curves.

IGCSE CONTENT, HIGHER( highest grade possible 9): As above  with the following additional material: sets and Venn diagrams, rational and irrational numbers; upper and lower bounds of calculations; expressing general laws in symbolic form; functions; solving equations using graphical methods; transformations of functions; equations of circles; non-linear simultaneous equations; investigating sequences including iteration; harder algebraic manipulation; vectors; trigonometry in three dimensions; histograms; function notation; calculus; conditional probability; the probability of two events happening.

IGCSE Further Pure: This is an additional higher level maths course offered to students who wish to study maths at IB Higher Level. It is an extremely demanding course that stretches the brightest of students.  It is, however,  a very good grounding for both of the IB HL Maths courses. The course consists of extensions of all pure mathematics topics outlined above. 

Further Pure is only suitable and offered to set 1 students.

Assessment

There are two written papers of equal difficulty and weighting.  Both papers are calculator papers. Both papers have equal weighting of 50%. Foundation Level allows students to gain grades 1 to 5 while entry at Higher Level allows students to gain grades 3 to 9. All examinations are sat in May/June of Year 11. Top set classes often aim to sit their final exams in year 10.

The Student Perspective

"Regardless of Mathematics’ apparent complexity, taking it at this level gives students a wider scope of what it truly holds. Pairing such a subject with the ability to apply its constitutions in, not only the vast majority of other subjects, but even at a quotidian frequency in real-life practices makes it remarkably interesting to learn. Starting off, it may seem difficult to grasp certain concepts, however after practice, it all seems to become exceedingly natural, thus causing one to grow as a thinker. The beauty of mathematics lies within its unique logical requirements which many other subjects that require memorisation lack. Thus for those who would much rather understand than memorise, it is exceptionally fitting and works to manufacture a logical mindset within the student, therefore making them a more rational and intellectual thinker.

Mathematics’ indispensability is conveyed through it being universally mandated owing to its role as the vital building block for academic and future success as a result of its innumerable applications in Physics, Chemistry, Economics, Biology and Computer Science. Additionally, even if the career in which you are aiming to adopt in the future may not seem to be Mathematically-based, it will almost inevitably include some degree of it when carrying out financial transactions.

Learning to accept Mathematics rather than evading it because of its preconceived notions of difficulty may well be the driving force to academic success as students continue to practise its laws for many years to come. Excelling in Mathematics opens students up to many, if not all, professional pathways which may later be pursued as lifelong careers."

Ahmed Medhat

Why Study French or Spanish at IGCSE level?

In our modern and global society, it is essential to study a foreign language. It is also a requirement should students wish to study a language at an advanced level (IB). Studying a foreign language enables students to communicate in a variety of contexts and demonstrates an understanding and appreciation of different cultures.

During this course, students will develop:

• Knowledge of vocabulary and grammatical structures.
• The ability to communicate effectively in a variety of contexts in the language.
• Transferable language learning skills.

• An awareness and understanding of countries and communities where the language is spoken.

The IGCSE French/Spanish course at BISC

Some aspects of the IGCSE have already been introduced in Year 9. The course in Years 10 and 11, which covers a wide variety of topics, both reinforces and builds on the vocabulary, expressions, and grammatical rules, enabling students to operate confidently in a range of work and social situations.

The IGCSE course follows the Edexcel Board and consists of three units based on the following skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.  The course provides breadth, stretch and challenge and it enables students to show what they know, understand and can do within a clearly defined list of topic and sub-topic areas.

Structure of the course

Sub-topics A3, C3, C5, D2 and E4 will not be assessed in Paper 3: Speaking.

Assessment 

The IGCSE provides: 

• written assessment in listening, reading and writing skills
• assessment of spoken language
• 100% external assessment.

The Student Perspective - French

"The IGCSE French course offered at BISC is fun and allows students to learn the French language at a basic level. French is a renowned language that is spoken around the world not just in France, but in many other countries as well. The course will teach students how to be conversational in French - an important skill that is fundamental and suitable for all BISC students as they will most likely need language skills for when they further their education in foreign countries. I really do recommend this course for everyone as it is really engaging and challenges everyone to get out of their comfort zone."

Zeina Abdel Hamid

The Student Perspective - Spanish

"This course allows you to develop crucial skills; speaking, reading, writing and listening. As well as improving these skills you will also have a better understanding on cultural knowledge as there are many countries with Spanish as their main language which will be looked at along this course. There are many topics the IGCSE Spanish course covers, some of the main topics are social activities, fitness and health, education and employment, home life and many more. This course is also extremely useful as Spanish is one of the most spoken languages, over 500 million people speak spanish, and therefore it makes it much easier to communicate with people in different countries. I truly recommend this course to others as it is an engaging and fulfilling experience."

Maya El Shishiny

GCSE Music at BISC is lively and stimulating, offering many opportunities to collaborate, improvise and perform. Students opting to take this subject must already play an instrument or take voice lessons.

At a glance - What is the GCSE Music course about?

GCSE Music covers three main areas of expertise: appraising, composing and performing music. Candidates will study a wide range of styles and genres including popular, world and classical music. There will also be opportunities to gain skills in music technology.

Who will enjoy this course?

Students will enjoy GCSE Music if they are interested in:

• Creativity 
• Working with others
• Listening to all kinds of music
• Playing in ensembles such as bands, choirs or rock groups, and taking part in workshops or competitions
• How computers are used in music
• Understanding the relationship between music and society

How does it follow on from Music in KS3?

Students have already gained experience of composing and performing in a variety of different styles and genres. They will now build upon their knowledge by learning more about how various kinds of music came into being, and how and why they were written or performed.  

The Edexcel GCSE Music Course Content

Component 1 - Students undertake an engaging study of eight set works, designed to nurture in-depth musical understanding. This encompasses the classical repertoire, popular styles, music from stage and screen, and musical cultures from around the world. 

Component 2 - Students perform together and strive to raise the standard of their own instrumental/vocal work. 

Component 3 - Students create original music of their own, often using software as a tool to aid the process.

Assessment

The majority (60%) of the examination grade is based on successful coursework. This means that students will have a chance to refine and improve their work as they go along, before submitting it for final assessment. The areas assessed in this manner are:

Performance (Controlled assessment) 30%

Candidates will need to play one solo piece and one ensemble piece. These need not be performed on the same instrument. 

Composition (Controlled assessment) 30%

Candidates will create two original compositions, of their own choice.

The examination (40%)

In addition to the coursework, candidates will sit one Listening Examination, which will take place at the end of Year 11. They will complete a 90 minute paper which will be based upon the eight prescribed set works. Questions on this paper typically ask candidates to aurally identify instruments or features of an extract of music, or to express opinions backed up by musical reasoning.

The Student Perspective

"In GCSE Music, you are taught how to learn tunes by ear, create your own rhythms and melodies, and read sheet music. Furthermore, you learn about how music developed through time and you study music from all over the world, which gives you a glimpse into other cultures and teaches you to appreciate and respect them. 

Music consists of written, practical, social and analytical skills which are transferable and crucial to all areas of your life. Firstly, it improves your teamwork skills as students often work in groups, which requires them to communicate well with each other and work in tandem towards their goals.

Playing an instrument illuminates the need for discipline and perseverance, because you will only improve if you are willing to put in the effort and practice, which also gives you great time management skills. Moreover, it really builds up your confidence and allows you to conquer your fears and take risks. Again; skills you need for every aspect of your life. 

For the composition part of GCSE Music, you have to write two original pieces of music which greatly enhances your creative skills and teaches you how to think differently and use your imagination.

Most importantly, GCSE Music is incredibly fun! You get to listen to lots of music as part of your work, you find out what makes a piece of music sound great, and you learn how to play an instrument."

By Ronza Kamel

Aims

The syllabus aims to:

• develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the theory underpinning physical performance in a modern world.
• use and apply this knowledge and understanding to improve their performance.
• perform in a range of physical activities, developing skills and techniques and selecting and using tactics, strategies and/or compositional ideas.
• understand and appreciate safe practice in physical activity and sport.
• understand and appreciate the benefit of physical activity and sport for health, fitness and well-being.
• gain a sound basis for further study in the field of Physical Education.

Overview of the GCSE in Physical Education

Subject content:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Health, fitness and training 
• Skill acquisition and psychology 
• Social, cultural and ethical influences

Activity List

Students will need to select four activities from at least two different sections below:

What does it take to be a GCSE PE student?

• You DO need to be a talented sports person to take this subject and have a healthy interest in sport. 
• You need to be playing sport regularly, in school and/or outside of school.
• It is academically rigorous and requires students who are able to adapt to a number of different learning and assessment styles from short answers and interviews to practicals.
• Above all we are looking for students who are willing to work to the best of their ability and achieve their best possible grade.

The Student Perspective

"PE was without a doubt one of my favourite GCSE subjects. The course achieves a great balance between hard work and being enjoyable. Many of the things taught in it explain how our bodies perform as well as how to improve it.  Since generally people who take this course have taken part in sports before then a lot of the information is relatable and useful to them and can often be implemented in their respective sports. PE goes into a large variety of aspects of sports such as competitions, athletes, sports, the body as well as many more interesting topics. I would recommend PE to people who are sports orientated and who can take part in multiple sports since half of the grade is practical-based"

Youssef Sami

Next year, we will be offering students the opportunity to study Biology, Chemistry and Physics as separate option choices. Students can choose to study one of these Sciences, two of these Sciences or all three. This approach will better prepare students to choose to continue any of their chosen Science subjects at IB HL level, if their grades are high enough. 

Students will gain a GCSE in each Science that they choose  and will be awarded using the new grading system of 9-1 as opposed to A*-G. This qualification is linear. Linear means that students will sit all their exams at the end of the course which is at the end of Year 11. 

All courses (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) based on this specification should encourage candidates to:

• Develop their interest in, and enthusiasm for, science;
• Develop a critical approach to scientific evidence and methods;

• Acquire and apply skills, knowledge and understanding of how science works and its essential role in society;
• Acquire scientific skills, knowledge and understanding necessary for progression to further learning.

How many Science subjects should I choose?

Two Sciences: This is the option that we expect most students to choose, as it will enable them to keep their career pathways open, while still giving them the opportunity to study other option subjects. The two Sciences they choose will be studied in detail and they will be prepared to continue studying either (or both) subjects at IB HL level, if their grades are high enough.

One Science: This option is most suitable for students who know that they are not interested in Science or in following a Scientific career path, or who wish to choose more of the other option subjects. The one Science they study will be studied in detail and they will be prepared to continue studying this subject at IB HL level, if their grades are high enough.

Three Sciences: This option is suitable for students who are very interested and engaged in Science lessons currently, who are prepared to commit themselves to Science studies with enthusiasm and who are interested in pursuing a career pathway in Science. They should be aware that they will be studying 9 hours of Science a week and will have less opportunity to study other option subjects. The three Sciences they choose will be studied in detail and they will be prepared to continue studying any of these subjects at IB HL level, if their grades are high enough.

Assessments

There are two examination papers for each Science subject. Each of the papers will assess knowledge and understanding from distinct topic areas from the subject content that is listed below. There will be no Controlled Assessment (coursework) contribution. However, students will have to complete a number of required experiments.

Subject content

Student Perspective - Biology

"GCSE Biology is a very interesting subject which never gets boring throughout the 2 year course. Everything you learn in the course is beneficial to you because it increases your understanding of your body and much more. This subject will also play a useful role if you want to do GCSE PE or study Medicine, Marine Biology, or Zoology in the future. I truly believe that most people should be choosing Biology as a GCSE subject because by the end of the course you’ll have a very good understanding of plants, the environment and how your body works.

For me, I enjoyed the genetics aspect of the course, as well as the ecological aspect. The reason why I enjoyed learning about genetics was because it explains lots of unanswered questions for you, like for example why you might have brown eyes and your sibling might have green eyes. Now for ecology, I really enjoyed it because it increased my understanding on how waste is treated naturally, you get to learn many different cycles and how they preserve the environment.

GCSE Biology is by all means not an easy subject, you will have to learn a lot of content, and be able to analyse data and have good exam technique if you want to do well, so you’ll have to be consistent with your studying. A part of this course that I really enjoyed was the practicals. You'll be doing very interesting practicals regularly in class like dissections, planting, and much more. I also just wanted to mention that the subject is very fun to study, which is good when it comes to exam seasons."

Tymur Abdel-Hamid

Student Perspective - Chemistry

"Chemistry is known as the central science for a reason. It consists of aspects within physics, biology and even maths, making it the perfect subject in which you can connect and link the three sciences together. GCSE Chemistry is the perfect introduction to chemistry as you gain a great understanding of the composition of matter and the different substances that surround us while applying this knowledge to real world situations. Additionally, if you are planning on pursuing IB chemistry, GCSE Chemistry is truly essential for preparing you for the content and creates the perfect scientific background for your future.

Finally, GCSE Chemistry gives you a chance to explore a variety of different career paths including: chemical engineering, pharmacology, medicine, environmental science and so much more, making it a very valuable subject to take."

Abdelrahman El-Dessouky

Student Perspective - Physics

"Studying Physics is a great option when choosing your GCSE subjects. It teaches you about many different aspects of the world and how it works; from learning about the birth of stars, to explaining how everything comes to happen through the concept of energy. Physics teaches you about a very wide range of topics. It’s a very versatile option for those aspiring to pursue STEM careers. I’d suggest physics to those who dreamt of being engineers and architects."

Sherif El Haddad