IGCSE
The International General Certificate of Secondary Education is an English language based examination similar to GCSE and is recognised in the UK as being equivalent to the GCSE for the purposes of recognising prior attainment. It was developed by University of Cambridge International Examinations. The examination board Edexcel and Cambridge also offer its own versions of International GCSEs. Students begin learning the syllabus at the beginning of Year 9 or 10 and take the exam at the end of Year 10 or 11. The current syllabus’ offered at MCE do not require coursework, with the exception of Art and Design.
The qualifications are based on individual subjects of study, which means that one receives an “IGCSE" qualification for each subject one takes. Typical “core" subjects for IGCSE candidates include a First Language, Second Language, Mathematics and one or more subjects in the Sciences.
The IGCSE qualification is globally recognised. While different countries require different grades/number of subjects, the IGCSE is seen as a prerequisite to Key Stage 5 level of study (IE A Levels or IBDP).
Here at MCE, we expect our students to take 8 IGCSES, in keeping with the requirements of the Ministry of Education in Egypt, as well as building a solid application when competing to enter university in England.
A Levels are designed to be an in depth two year programme. Students wishing to study Medicine or Engineering are often advised to take the A Level due to the level of subject content they cover. The A Level, much like the IGCSE are internationally recognised by Universities and employers.
International A Level:
A level is the common name for the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level certificate (GCE A level). It is a high school qualification studied in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by pre-university students. A level is the standard assessment of applicants for UK university admission and is highly respected worldwide. It is equivalent to high school diplomas in certain countries and can be used to apply to universities in most parts of them world. At Malvern College Egypt we offer a diverse range of A Level subjects.
The A level is split into two stages. Our pupils start in Lower Sixth choosing 4 AS level subjects which they progress onto A2 level which is taken in the Upper Sixth (years 13 and 14 in Northern Ireland). Some students may opt to leave 1 subject as an AS, which can be counted towards University entry. To complete an A level, students sit an examination at the end of each academic year.
For more information on the A Level subjects on offer at Malvern College Egypt and their examination layout, please refer to the A Level and IBDP Option Booklet.