IGCSE is the world’s most popular international qualification for 14 to 16 year olds. It is recognised by leading universities and employers worldwide and is an international passport to progression and success. Developed over 33 years ago, it is tried, tested and trusted by schools worldwide. Available in more than 70 subjects, they are equivalent, grade for grade, to UK GCSEs.
At Westminster, IGCSE is a two year programme (Grade IX and X) during which students are prepared according to the syllabus for each subject provided by University of Cambridge or Edexcel.
We take pride in having 30% international students on board from around 20 countries from all over the world. Westminster Academy has a very good reputation for the quality of its external examination results. This is partly because of the quality and focus of the teaching and also due to the support given to students at each stage of the course. We at Westminster utilise many different strategies to provide a range of additional support opportunities to individual students such as:
Regular homework, revision guides and practice exam questions, extra sessions with subject teachers, support with revision skills and exam techniques, peer support/study groups, 1:1 discussions with teachers, additional subject resources, and elimination of the need for after-school private coaching.
We take pride in our student support program where the IGCSE students get the opportunity to take part in both physical and social activities. Our students enroll in summer internship programs, social and welfare activities (Giving back to the community), International and National trips by WAC (Westminster Adventure Club) and get a chance to attend sessions by motivational speakers (Beyond Classroom) throughout the academic year. IGCSE students have extensively participated in various events through our debating and sports clubs where they have won accolades for school. Our Annual Food Festival also gives our students the opportunity to learn and experience global culture, cook and enjoy different cuisines and dress up to represent different countries and their cultures.
At IGCSE, our student counselling department provides support in subject selection which helps students in choosing future career path. The counsellor also works towards the welfare of our students providing them with Personalized Programme of Support to help them overcome their issues and fears.
The IGCSE curriculum offers a variety of routes for learners with a wide range of abilities, including those whose first language is not English.
Starting from a foundation of core subjects, it is easy to add breadth and cross-curricular perspectives. Encouraging learners to engage with a variety of subjects, and make connections between them, is fundamental to our approach. IGCSE offers a flexible and stimulating curriculum, supported with excellent resources and training.
For learners, IGCSE helps improve performance by developing skills in creative thinking, enquiry and problem solving. It is the perfect springboard to advanced study.
IGCSE develops learner knowledge, understanding and skills in:
Westminster Academy has worked tirelessly during the time of pandemic to provide seamless high quality education to our students and continuous proactive support to the parents. The school has taken major initiatives to facilitate students using digital learning tools. Each student is provided with Microsoft Office 365 account, which includes a personal email address as well as access to the most recent version of Microsoft TEAMS and Class NOTEBOOKS. Additionally, the account includes online file storage space (OneDrive) to ensure accessibility of class assignments on any device anytime, anywhere. These tools help students to complete individual and collaborative assignments and projects. We have ensured a smooth conduction of online classes with home and class assignments being uploaded regularly. The teachers have been quick in adapting to interactive way of learning on a digital platform, which has ensured that students learn in the most conducive manner possible. This helped us achieve one of the best IGCSE results till date. In view of the changing trends in education due to the Pandemic, Westminster continues to support its IGCSE students through online learning module.
At Westminster, we offer a range of IGCSE subjects that are stimulating and challenging. Our students have an excellent track record of achieving outstanding results in a wide range of subjects.
At IGCSE, five compulsory subjects are studied alongside three or more elective subjects; hence students typically take between 8-9 IGCSEs. For elective subjects, students can choose from Science Group (Option A/Option B) or Business Group (Option C).
The breakdown of subjects is as follows.
It is mandatory for students to clear Urdu, Pakistan Studies and Islamiyat to get equivalence certificate from IBCC.
Cambridge IGCSE examination series occur twice a year, in June and November. Results are issued in August and January. We send most of the exam entries in May/June session. The students appear in Cambridge International Exam in IGCSE First Year (grade 9) for three subjects (Urdu, Islamiyat and Pakistan Studies). For the other subjects (2 compulsory and 3 or more elective) students appear for external exams in Second Year (Grade 10).
Our teachers conduct multiple internal assessments for IGCSE students to help them prepare for the final CAIE exams which include quizzes, monthly assessments, Mid-Year Exams, Pre-Mock and Mock examinations. Westminster takes pride in having the most qualified and experienced IGCSE certified teachers who teach at our campuses. We give our faculty the opportunity to take part in professional development courses to help them upgrade their teaching skills. The teachers have worked rigorously over the years to prepare the most useful past paper booklets, notes and research material especially for Westminster students that have helped them achieve the desired result over the years. Teachers also make extensive use of exam preparation materials, including mark schemes, examiner reports, previous examination papers and results statistics by grade and subject, to provide valuable feedback to students and to identify learner strengths and weaknesses, before final CAIE assessment.
