Lower Secondary, Key Stage 3 (years 7, 8, 9)
The principles behind our educational approach follow on from Primary – a mixture of direct instruction and inquiry based learning (lots of experiments in our custom designed and equipped Science Lab), learning about learning, memory work supported through special programming and learning thinking skills.
If a person doesn’t have material in their memory to work with, they have nothing to think about and by the same token, if we only focus on collecting facts, thinking skills aren’t being nurtured. We strike the balance by learning thinking skills and practising using them with the material we learn and store in our memories.
The curriculum is essentially a hybrid model, being based upon the English National Curriculum with extra emphasis place upon the Sciences.
We also offer specialised scholastic after school activities such as instrumental music lessons, sports clubs, chess club, drama club, Model United Nations club, and more..
Many of the ECAs are offered by external providers, some are free of charge and for others, there is an additional cost.
Upper Secondary, Key Stage 4 (years 10, 11)
Both in the UK and internationally, GCSE exams are taken at aged 15 or 16. Typically pupils will study four lessons per week per subject and aim to sit 8 exams.
These exams are not compulsory. However, they do offer an excellent measure of progress in learning and some Universities in the UK may ask to see results of any exams that have been taken. Typically these exams are at the end of a course which represents excellent preparation for A levels (they were designed for this purpose).
In the Embassy International School we insist upon certain subjects being taken by all pupils – Maths, English and English Literature are obligatory,
Upper Secondary, Key Stage 5 (years 12, 13)
This stage of learning represents an extension and further specialisation from Key Stage 4. The examinations taken at the end of this stage of schooling, the exams which are used by Universities to select candidates, are called ‘A levels’, and build upon prior learning from the GCSE exams taken at the end of Key Stage 4.
At this stage of school all subjects are chosen by individuals. A Careers and University Advisor is on staff in school to help with selecting the most appropriate subjects for a pupil’s chosen pathway. Typically three subjects are chosen by candidates at A level. However, it is important to profile the choices in terms of University application, as the requirements at different universities vary.