UK academic curriculum guide for international schools Welcome

Welcome to Pearson Edexcel, the world’s leading learning company and the UK’s largest awarding body. We have a simple mission: to help make a measurable impact on improving people’s lives through learning.

If you’re an international school already offering a UK curriculum, or a school that is considering offering a UK curriculum, this Setting the guide will take you through our academic standard for qualifications, resources and support worldwide services, so students aged 5 to 19 can make recognised the best progress they can through school qualifications, to university, and employment. built on the British educational Leading the way, system and so you can be confident accepted by our qualifications are universities world-class worldwide Pearson Edexcel was the first awarding organisation As the UK’s largest awarding to implement a World Class Qualification (WCQ) endorsement process, achieved through working with organisation, Pearson Edexcel educational thought-leaders and assessment experts, is best placed to provide to define a framework for developing qualifications qualifications that are most that are world class. closely aligned to the British educational system. With over It was also the first awarding organisation to adopt 3.4 million students studying the new 9–1 grading system for our International our qualifications worldwide, GCSEs, so students around the world have the same we offer qualifications to opportunity to be rewarded for outstanding academic achievement and progress to universities and 6,500 schools, and employment around the world. employers globally and mark over 9 million exam scripts on Our aim is to continually improve on successful behalf of the UK Department outcomes for learners, which is why we are the first for Education each year. education company to commit to reporting publicly on progress and making our results transparent through our efficacy programme. We judge ourselves – and invite others to judge us – not by the products that we make but by the impact on learners.

John Fallon, Chief Executive Officer, Pearson iP iLS iG iAL

Supporting you and your students at every stage iProgress is our complete series for 5 to 19 year-olds, for international schools. The iProgress family includes iPrimary, iLowerSecondary, International GCSE (IG), GCSE, International Advanced level (IAL), and GCE A Level, and delivers a consistent learning journey for students and teachers, everywhere in the world.

iPrimary iLowerSecondary International GCSE International AS/ and GCSE Advanced Level (IAL) and GCE A Level

Ages 5-11 Ages 11-14 Ages 14-16 Ages 16-19

English, maths English, maths Available in Available in and science and science 37 subjects 21 subjects (50 for GCSE) (52 for GCE A Level)

Linear Linear structure International GCSE: IAL: Modular structure structure with with external exams Linear structure with with exams in January, external exams at the end of year 9 all exams available June and October for at the end in June and many most subjects. of year 6 subjects available in January GCE A level: linear structure GCSE: Linear with exams in June structure with exams available in June

Full range of curriculum support resources, tools and services including training, professional development, print and online teaching materials

More than just a curriculum or qualification iProgress offers professional development and training that keeps teachers up-to-date with the latest educational practices, supporting materials that make planning and teaching lessons easier, and student textbooks and online resources to make learning engaging, so you’ll have more time to focus on the development of your students’ progress.

Offering more advanced support services, tools and resources to make life easier for you and your students

›› Support from your regional contacts, ›› Getting started guides, schemes of work, subject advisors, global customer lesson plans, skills development support, services and the Pearson international exemplar marked responses and school community. teacher guides.

›› Face-to-face and online training events ›› Curriculum matched, endorsed published and professional development courses. textbooks and online teaching and learning resources.

Our technology capability also allows us to provide the following unique services and tools

examWizard is a free exam ResultsPlus provides ResultsPlus Direct preparation tool containing detailed information allows you to give students a bank of past Edexcel exam on exam performance, a free online service that questions, mark schemes and by providing a detailed gives them access to their examiners’ reports for a range of analysis for every question, results wherever they are our qualifications and subjects. It and a platform to view and in the world. It gives them saves you time by enabling you compare student results, a detailed breakdown and to create your own mock exams, as individuals or as groups, global comparison of their topic tests, homework or revision across the world. performance in Pearson activities in minutes and links It helps with planning Edexcel exams and helps directly to associated examiner improvements in them identify areas of reports and mark schemes. teaching and learning. improvement.

ATS ePEN is our image-based marking Our Access to Scripts Service is a free system providing real time monitoring and online portal which allows teachers to quality control of the marking process, which is immediately access electronically marked carried out at item level. This ensures the highest exam papers, providing enhanced quality of marking, resulting in Pearson Edexcel being transparency and support for teachers the most reliable awarding organisation in the UK. to evaluate a student’s performance on The provision of data also feeds into our reporting particular questions in relation to what support services such as ResultsPlus, ensuring a they have been taught. joined up approach to measuring performance. Supporting the development of transferable skills

Universities and employers have highlighted the need for students and graduates to develop a range of transferable skills, often referred to as ‘soft skills’, to enable them to better meet the demands of undergraduate study and the world of work.

In fact, universities and employers consider transferable skills to be the largest skills gap overall.

The transferable skills gap demonstrates that students require more than just ‘knowledge’ to be successful. It’s about skills as well as knowledge to be successful at further study, higher education and in the workplace.

Research we have conducted recently highlights that teachers, parents and students are aware of the global transferable skills gap and as a result, seek a truly comprehensive curriculum that develops not only subject knowledge, but the transferable skills in demand by university and employers.

This is why we have ensured that transferable skills are embedded in the new Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs and Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Levels, as well as the new iPrimary and iLowerSecondary for 5 to 14 year-olds.

VACANCY: Manager JOB It’s really the more KEY REQUIREMENTS: fundamental skills Must have excellent: Must be: like teamwork and Communication skills Flexible communication Team working skills Adaptable that seem to matter Interpersonal skills Self-motivated the most, that Analytical skills employers demand the most” Problem-solving skills Guy Berger, the chief economist at LinkedIn. iP iLS AGES 5-14 iPrimary and iLowerSecondary overview

The new Pearson Edexcel iPrimary and iLowerSecondary programmes are based on the latest English National Curriculum (2014), but designed with a global outlook, for children aged 5 to 14.

Covering: English Mathematics Science

Keep your skills sharp Cut your planning Guide your students with free face-to-face time with our lesson through teacher training and and unit plan the curriculum with online professional examples. our ready-made Schemes development support. of Work.

Easily work out exactly Measure your students’ Steer students towards what to teach and when learning with built-in success at International with our detailed Progress and GCSE with a curriculum that teacher’s guides. Achievement Tests. builds on their learning at every stage.

Draw your students in Make sure with an internationally focused knowledge sticks curriculum, written with with accessible and additional language culturally-relevant examples learners in mind. and resources. iP iLS

We have developed a complete teaching toolkit to support you all the way from planning, to teaching and learning, through to assessment. Our experts have fully mapped our world-renowned published resources* to the iPrimary and iLowerSecondary learning objectives from years 1-9, so that you can start teaching straight away, with the peace of mind that you have all you need.

iPrimary iLowerSecondary

BUILDING SKILLS IN ENGLISH

Bug Club - our core reading Building Skills in English - programme, helping more than a developing essential language million children learn to read. skills for KS3 English.

KS3 Maths Progress - building confidence Abacus - a unique and flexible in maths at KS3. primary maths toolkit.

Science Bug - an exciting hands-on science programme Exploring Science: Working designed for today’s curious kids. Scientifically - the UK’s number 1 KS3 Science course.

Learn more about our published resources and sign up for a free trial at pearsonglobalschools.com

* You do not have to purchase our published resources to deliver our qualifications. iG AGES 14-16

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) overview Our new suite of International GCSE (9–1) qualifications are designed to:

Be more relevant for Reward outstanding Contain embedded international students academic achievement transferable skills

With more international By introducing a new 9–1 grading Such as problem-solving content, including the scale, with the new grade 9 and verbal reasoning, addition of further representing a new level of skills needed to international content attainment, you can differentiate seamlessly progress to topics and the use of local your top performing students. higher-level study and contexts where possible. There’s also greater differentiation that are valued in the middle of the scale, with three by employers. grades (6, 5, and 4) rather than two grades (B and C).

Provide detailed exam Offer a wider range of teaching Support progression analysis with ResultsPlus and learning materials, to further study resources and training ResultsPlus is a service Developed with the unique to Pearson that This support includes schemes help of teachers and provides free online in- of work, Getting Started guides, higher-education depth mock and actual exemplar materials, ExamWizard, representatives, they exam performance analysis, comprehensive textbooks and provide seamless supporting teachers to plan interactive resources, digital services progression to further improvements in teaching and tailored teacher training. study, including A levels and learning, driving and beyond. attainment. iG

It is like a global I decided to take Edexcel International GCSEs passport, it offers as they are accepted me worldwide by institutions around the world for higher recognition and I studies. The course is can go anywhere modern,well structured with my Edexcel & examinations based. Thanks to my ever qualifications…I supporting parents, would definitely school, teachers and Edexcel for helping me recommend to gain a world-class Edexcel. qualification.” ” Ashfaq Faiz, Nikita Jha, Edexcel International GCSE student Riyadh, at Sayfol International School, Saudi Arabia. Malaysia. iG

Leading the way Rewarding outstanding with the 9–1 grading academic achievement

Making a decision from the outset by fully aligning with UK to move to 9–1 grading has ensured government intentions our International GCSE qualifications have been carefully re-developed to The way we develop and award our International be appropriate for this grading scale. GCSEs is fully aligned with UK government This has been set out in the design intentions to raise standards and improve of the updated qualification content, differentiation between learners to best recognise assessment objectives, and question those highest achievers with a nine (9–1), rather papers, and ensures that we can than an eight (A*–G), point grading scale. This target the requirements of the new means that students are ideally placed to make scale. By focusing on one grading progress to International Advanced Levels (IAL) scale, it also ensures we maintain our and to universities worldwide. has been quality provision of support materials, clear that the new grade 9 should not be treated assessment, unrivalled marking the same as the A*, and that is why we have processes and reliable results. developed a new 9–1 focused qualification for all our International GCSEs

Grade 9 is not the same as A*; it’s a new grade, designed to recognise the very highest performing students. Ofqual (The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation in the UK)

More than just a new grading scale!

Redeveloping our International GCSEs has ensured we meet the needs of today’s learners to support their progression to universities and employment worldwide. We’ve embedded transferable skills in the qualifications and resources, which means that teachers help students develop these skills while they teach, rather than having to add something additional to their lessons, and students are aware of the skills they’re developing while they learn. These skills are highly valued by universities and employers.

We’ve also introduced more international content topics and the use of local contexts where possible, making our International GCSEs even more relevant and engaging for students around the world, allowing for learning in a local context to a global standard. iG NEW CURRENT Understanding 9 the 9–1 grading scale A* To ensure we fully align with 8 UK government intentions to raise standards, and international students A have the same opportunity to be 7 rewarded for outstanding academic achievement, our new qualifications use 6 a new 9–1 grading scale, instead of the B A*–G grading scale that you are used to. 5 The new grade 9 represents a new level of attainment and has been C introduced to differentiate your top 4 performing students. The bottom of the D grade 7 broadly aligns with the bottom 3 of the grade A. There is also greater differentiation in the middle of the scale E with three new grades (6, 5 and 4) rather 2 than two grades (B and C). The bottom F of the grade 4 broadly aligns with the G bottom of the grade C and the bottom 1 of the grade 1 broadly aligns with the bottom of the grade G. U U

Learn more about the new 9–1 grading scale

Watch our video and download our fact sheet from our website here. iG

Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs (9–1) Subjects

To ensure a smooth transition to the new qualification, all the new International GCSEs (9–1) were available for first teaching from September 2017 with assessment from May/June 2019.

English and Humanities Maths and Science

Art and Design Mathematics (Specification A)*^ Bangladesh Studies Mathematics (Specification B)*^ English Language (Specification A)*^ Further Pure Mathematics^ English Language (Specification B)*^ Biology*^ English Literature*^ Human Biology*^ English as a Second Language*^ Chemistry*^ Geography Physics*^ Global Citizenship Science (Double Award)*^ History^ Science (Single Award) Islamic Studies Pakistan Studies Religious Studies

Business and ICT Languages

Accounting*^ Arabic (First Language)* Business Studies^ Bangla* Commerce* Chinese Computer Science French Economics*^ German Information and Communication Technology (ICT)^ Greek (First Language) Sinhala Spanish Swahili Tamil

* Qualifications with both a January and June assessment. ^ Have accompanying Pearson published resources available. iG

Published resources

Developed for the new Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) specification, these new resources have progression, international relevance and support at their core. They provide comprehensive coverage of the specification and the best preparation possible for the examination.

Specifically developed for The new 9–1 grading Each Student Book international learners, with scale ensures a consistent provides 3 years access appropriate international international standard of to an ActiveBook, a digital content, making it qualification. The increase version of the Student engaging and relevant in levels of grading allows Book, which can be for all learners and learners to achieve their accessed online, anytime, allowing for learning in a full potential and make anywhere supporting local context, to a global more informed decisions learning beyond the standard. about their options for classroom. progression.

The embedded Reviewed by a language Online teacher transferable skills, specialist to ensure the materials provide needed for progression book is written in a clear additional support to higher education and accessible style, and save you and employment, are and including glossaries valuable time. signposted so students of specialist subject understand, and can vocabulary. engage with, the skills they’re gaining.

Learn more about our published resources and sign up for a free trial at pearsonglobalschools.com

You do not have to purchase our published resources to deliver our qualifications. iAL AGES 16-19

Pearson Edexcel International Advanced Level (IAL) overview

Our International AS and A Level qualifications have been developed in consultation with the international school community, including a large number of teachers and university lecturers, to be engaging for international learners and to give them the necessary skills to support progression to higher and further study.

Now available in 21 subjects, with the following subjects updated for first teaching in September 2018: Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Pure Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Business, Economics and Information Technology (New for 2018).

International Modular Flexible Rigorous

Designed for Provides the January, June Are fully comparable international opportunity for and October to UK reformed GCE students. unit resits to assessment A levels, as certified improve exam opportunities for by UK NARIC. performance most subjects. and final grade.

University ResultsPlus World-class Outstanding recognition support ResultsPlus Designed to Recognised provides exam Pearson’s world- Including lesson plans, by universities performance class qualification schemes of work, past worldwide. insight that can principles and papers, mark schemes, be used to help benchmarked examiner reports, Ask improve future against other the Expert, Subject exam results. leading Advisor experts, international tailored teacher curriculums. training and more. iAL

A qualification with an international outlook

Our International Advanced Level (IAL) qualifications have been developed in consultation with the international school community, including a large number of teachers and university lecturers, to be engaging for international learners and to give them the necessary skills to support progression to higher and further study.

Available in Accounting Greek 21 subjects Arabic History Biology Information Technology

Business Law

Chemistry Mathematics

Economics Further Mathematics

English Language Pure Mathematics

English Literature Physics

French Psychology

Geography Spanish

German

I wanted to study subjects that were relevant to a future career. Pearson Edexcel IAL provides learners with a firm knowledge base. Nasim Mirzajani, now studying Chemical Engineering at Yale University, USA iAL

Published resources

Developed for the new International Advanced Level (IAL) specification, these new resources are specifically designed for international students, with a strong focus on progression, recognition and transferable skills, allowing learning in a local context to a global standard.

Matched to the new 2018 Internationally Signposted specifications appropriate content transferable skills These new resources are Appropriate international Transferable skills, written to offer a complete content puts learning in needed for progression match to the content, a real-world context, to into higher education structure and modular a global standard, and and employment, are approach of the new 2018 includes a range of relevant embedded throughout specifications. Offering contexts, photos, examples the Student Books, and support to a qualification that and currencies – making it explicitly signposted, so is fully comparable to the engaging and relevant for students understand what reformed UK GCE A levels, all learners. Language is skills they are developing and recognised as equal reviewed by a specialist to and therefore go on to use to the GCE by ensure materials are written these skills more effectively universities Worldwide. in a clear and accessible style. in the future.

Lots of Supporting learning Better support exam practice beyond the classroom for you Exam practice provides Each Student Book provides The online teacher opportunities to assess access to an ActiveBook, resources provide a range understanding and progress, which is a digital version of of planning, teaching and so students can make the the Student Book, and can assessment resources, best progress be accessed online, anytime, saving you valuable time. they can. anywhere.

Learn more about our published resources and sign up for a free trial at pearsonglobalschools.com

You do not have to purchase our published resources to deliver our qualifications. iAL Progress to University

Developed by education specialists specifically for international learners, Pearson Edexcel international academic qualifications are recognised by leading universities across the world - including Oxford, Cambridge, Columbia University and Yale University. Our qualifications provide learners with access to the world’s top universities and prestigious employment opportunities.

Learn more about all our support for student progression to university at qualifications.pearson.com/progress-to-uni and facebook.com/ProgressionPlus

Pearson Edexcel qualifications are among the most established and popular in the world. As a result of studying International Advanced Level, I am now going to read Civil Engineering at Imperial . Heng Hoe Cheong, now studying Civil Engineering at Imperial College London, UK.

To find out more qualifications.pearson.com