IGCSE – Upper Secondary

At SRIS we prepare our students for the world’s most popular international qualification in 9th and 10th grade. We offer a full Cambridge IGCSE curriculum, qualifying them for the Cambridge ICE diploma.

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The Cambridge IGCSE Program at SRIS

Cambridge IGCSE is the world’s most popular international qualification for 14 to 16 year olds, attracting over 800000 subject entries every year from 150 countries, ending in a Cambridge IGCSE certificate.

Cambridge IGCSE: International General Certificate of Secondary Education

“At SRIS, in addition to Science, Math and English courses, we offer a wide range of other IGCSE courses like Travel and Tourism, German, Global Perspectives, and Physical education which go beyond the regular curriculum. IGCSE will culminate in exams at the end of Year 10, and prepares students well for the A-Levels which will start in Year 11.“

Richard Heider

Career Counselling

Our College and University Counseling team supports students in finding their career path and successfully selecting the best study option.

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Cambridge Advanced

After successfully taking the Cambridge IGCSE exams, students have the option to move forward to your Cambridge Advanced Program and take AS and/or A Levels, which give university credit and allow them to skip the foundation year.

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GOS Graduation

While a set of at least five successful IGCSE exams would allow students to apply for colleges, many choose to graduate with the Kyrgyz Attestat in 11th grade and focus on the preparation for IELTS, SAT and ORT exams.

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IGCSE Results 2021 at SRIS

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A or above

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B or above

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C or above

IGCSE candidates

Exams Entries

Amazing IGCSE Results at SRIS

We are extremely proud to be able to announce the results of the first batch of IGCSE exam results for Silk Road International School as we continue our full transition to the Cambridge international curriculum. First, we would like to provide some background.Cambridge IGCSE – International General Certificate of Secondary Education

The Cambridge IGCSE Results

The first SRIS cohort of Cambridge IGCSE students passed the Cambridge exams with phenomenal results, despite a short preparation time and month of online lessons.

Out of the entire 10th grade, 12 of our students took the IGCSE risk and the results showed their dedication and commitment to success.

80% of the test results were either A or A*

Every one of the 12 students passed their exams with a minimum of C, and 80% of the test results were either A or A* – a phenomenal results for our first group of IGCSE students, especially given the circumstances surrounding them. What they accomplished is nothing short of spectacular.

We cannot state enough how immensely proud we are of what our students and teachers accomplished in such a short time and we are likewise excited to see what the future holds for our next groups of students. We firmly believe that this is only the beginning of a long and fruitful journey for the Silk Road family to greater challenges and greater success.

The SRIS language program supports English, Kyrgyz, Russian and German

College and university applications

IGCSE diplomas qualify for university

IGCSE qualifies students to immediately start foundation year at most universities. At least 5 IGCSE certificates are needed. Universities prefer a balanced curriculum and honor an ICE diploma.

ICE Group Award

Cambridge ICE Diploma

Cambridge ICE is a group award certifying that a student received 7 IGCSE diplomas in a balanced combination. To receive the ICE diploma at least 5 of the 7 subjects need to be passed with a grade C or better.

IGCSE Course Combinations at SRIS

for the school year 2021/2022.

Cambridge groups subjects in five categories.

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To qualify for an ICE diploma [n] number of subjects have to be selected from each of these groups:

- Group I: Languages [2]
- Group II: Social Sciences [1]
- Group III: Sciences [2]
- Group IV: Mathematics [1]
- Group V: Professional [1]

Group I: Languages [2]

English (0510)

The offical course name is English as a Second Language (Speaking endorsement) (0510) and the required language level for this course’s exam is B2. Alternatively English native speakers or students with a near native level of English can register for the Cambridge IGCSE exam English – First Language (0500), however they will receive the same Cambridge English lessons as all the other students and have to prepare with extra tutoring.

German (0525)

The official course name is German IGCSE Foreign Language (0525) and the required language level for this course’s exam is A2 with elements of B1. Alternatively native speakers of any other language can register for the Cambridge IGCSE exam in a language of their choice, with many languages being available, e.g. Afrikaans, Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Portuguese, Sesotho, Spanish, Thai, Turkish …

However at this point we can not provide any teaching support for any of these languages. We can provide a room for self study and families need to organize a tutor. We will however provide the tutor and student with the available Cambridge documentation and past exam papers with marking schemes to prepare for the Cambridge Exams.

Unfortunately Russian – First Language (0516) is not longer supported by Cambridge Assessment International Examination after the exams 2021.

Group II: Social Sciences [1]

Geography (0460)

Successful Cambridge IGCSE Geography candidates develop lifelong skills, including:

an understanding of the processes which affect physical and human environments
an understanding of location on a local, regional and global scale
the ability to use and understand geographical data and information
an understanding of how communities around the world are affected and constrained by different environments.

Global Perspectives (0543)

Global Perspectives is a subject specifically developed by Cambridge to develop creative thinking and enquiry in students. The subject can be either taken in Group II (Social Sciences) or Group V (Professional).

Group III: Sciences [2]

Biology (0610)

Cambridge IGCSE Biology develops a set of transferable skills
including handling data, practical problem-solving and applying
the scientific method. Learners develop relevant attitudes, such as
concern for accuracy and precision, objectivity, integrity, enquiry, initiative and inventiveness. They acquire the essential scientific skills required for progression to further studies or employment.

Chemistry (0620)

Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry develops a set of transferable skills
including handling data, practical problem-solving and applying
the scientific method. Learners develop relevant attitudes, such as
concern for accuracy and precision, objectivity, integrity, enquiry, initiative and inventiveness. They acquire the essential scientific skills required for progression to further studies or employment.

Physics (0625)

Cambridge IGCSE Physics develops a set of transferable skills
including handling data, practical problem-solving and applying
the scientific method. Learners develop relevant attitudes, such as
concern for accuracy and precision, objectivity, integrity, enquiry, initiative and inventiveness. They acquire the essential scientific skills required for progression to further studies or employment.

Group IV: Mathematics [1]

Mathematics (0580)

Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics supports learners in building competency, confidence and fluency in their use of techniques and mathematical understanding. This course helps learners to develop a feel for quantity, patterns and relationships. Learners will develop their reasoning, problem-solving and analytical skills in a variety of abstract and real-life contexts.

Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics provides a strong foundation of mathematical knowledge both for candidates studying mathematics at a higher level and those who will require mathematics to support skills in other subjects. The course is tiered to allow all candidates to achieve and progress in their mathematical studies.

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Students aiming for a career in the sciences or medicine should consider taking all three sciences:

Since only two sciences count against the ICE requirements, these students have essentially two choices: Handle the load of an 8th IGCSE subject or prioritize the value of three science subjects in the college application over the value of the ICE diploma.

Group V: Professional [1]

Travel and Tourism (0417)

Cambridge IGCSE Travel & Tourism is designed to help meet the need for skilled and knowledgeable individuals in this rapidly diversifying industry. The intention of the syllabus is to provide a broad introduction to the travel and tourism industry and related ancillary service industries.

The syllabus develops practical skills across a range of working roles, as well as providing a global and local perspective on travel and tourism. Students gain an overview of the industry, and learn about popular destinations, customer care, working procedures, travel and tourism products and services, and marketing and promotion.

Through their studies, students will gain an understanding of the concepts, models and theories used within the industry, and also enhance their skills of investigation, analysis, interpretation and evaluation.

Physical Education (0413)

Cambridge IGCSE Physical Education encourages learners to develop:

knowledge, skills and understanding of a range of relevant physical activities
an ability to plan, perform and evaluate physical activities
an understanding of effective and safe performance
an understanding of the role of sport and physical activity in society and in the wider world
an excellent foundation for advanced study
an enjoyment of physical activity.

Global Perspectives (0543)

Global Perspectives is a subject specifically developed by Cambridge to develop creative thinking and enquiry in students. The subject can be either taken in Group II (Social Sciences) or Group V (Professional).

GOS: Local and Core Subjects

While these subjects are not relevant for any IGCSE or the ICE diploma, they are mandatory by ministry requirement and relevant for the GOS attestat taken in 9th and 11th grade.

Kyrgyz Language and Literature

Mastering foreign languages is not enough. Of course our students need to be proficient in the use of their native language as well. For foreign students learning the local language increases cultural awareness and understanding of the local environment.

Russian Language and Literature

Unfortunately Russian – First Language (0516) is not longer supported by Cambridge Assessment International Examination after the exams 2021. Therefore our Russian syllabus follows the local GOS standard.

Kyrgyz History

Knowing about the history of the country that you live in is important. Kyrgyz history is also a required subject for the GOS exams.

Physical Education (Core)

Physical fitness is important for concentration and learning. Even students that did not sign up for Physical Education as an IGCSE subject will have sports lessons.

Cambridge IGCSE in a nutshell

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Leading universities and employers worldwide accept Cambridge IGCSE as evidence of academic ability.

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Assessment by Cambridge

Cambridge Assessment takes place at the end of the course and includes written, oral, coursework and practical assessment.

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Each course one grade

Cambridge IGCSE is evaluated by each subject taken. The grade reflects the abilities and knowledge of the student in this subject.

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Course selection matters

While Cambridge students are free in what Cambridge exams they sign up for, universities look for balanced curriculums, containing languages, sciences, humanities and other subjects.

Wherever in the world our students want to go, we help them get there with Cambridge IGCSE.

Cambridge (CAIE) created Cambridge IGCSE more than 30 years ago. Today, it’s the world’s most popular international qualification for 14 to 16 year olds. Not only is it truly international – it gives students more options than any other international qualification. That means more subjects to choose from, more ways to learn and more ways to succeed.

CAIE aligns the standards of Cambridge IGCSE with the GCSE qualification taken in England.

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CHOOSE US

SRIS Students develop …

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Confidence

confident in working with information and ideas – their own and those of others.

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Responsibility

responsible for themselves, responsive to and respectful of others

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Reflection

reflective and developing their ability to learn

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Innovative

innovative and equipped for new and future challenges

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Engaged

engaged intellectually and socially, ready to make a difference.

Your child’s needs as a learner are at the heart of our approach to education. Our Cambridge Pathway gives your child a love of learning that will stay with them through school, university and beyond.

Cambridge IGCSE™ – A guide for parents

With the Cambridge Pathway, your child is joining a global community of learners from more than 10 000 schools in over 160 countries. By developing a global outlook in Cambridge learners, we aim to equip them for success in the fast-changing modern world.

Cambridge IGCSE™ – A guide for parents

Cambridge Upper Secondary (IGCSE)

Cambridge IGCSE is the world’s most popular international qualification for 14 to 16 year olds, attracting over 800000 subject entries every year from 150 countries, ending in a Cambridge IGCSE certificate.

Cambridge Upper Secondary builds on the foundations of Cambridge Lower Secondary, although learners do not need to complete that stage before this one.

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Balanced Curriculum

Cambridge IGCSE provide broad and balanced study across a wide range of subjects, using learner-centred and enquiry-based approaches to learning. Cambridge IGCSE offers a flexible curriculum, with a choice of over 70 subjects in any combination.

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Internationally Recognized Qualification

Learners take internationally recognized Cambridge IGCSE qualifications at the end of Cambridge Upper Secondary. Assessment takes place at the end of the course and includes written, oral, coursework and practical assessment.

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Past Exam Paper Training

One of the most valuable resources is Cambridge’s archive of past exam papers. Our teachers at SRIS use excerpts of these papers during the whole class as worksheets. Towards the end of the 2 year syllabus our preparation focuses heavily on past paper training.

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Mock Exams

Dealing with the stress during exam situations is difficult for students. Therefore we train out students with mock exams to get used to Cambridge tests conditions. SRIS students work on real Cambridge past exam papers in an exam envoirment. The resulting grades gives them and our teachers a clear perspective on which aspects the student has to work on to perform well in the real Cambridge exams.

The Cambridge language program support many languages

Cambridge International prepares school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. We are part of the University of Cambridge. Cambridge Pathway gives students a clear path for educational success from age 5 to 19. Schools can shape the curriculum around how they want students to learn – with a wide range of subjects and flexible ways to offer them. It helps students discover new abilities and a wider world, and gives them the skills they need for life, so they can achieve at school, university and work.

Cambridge IGCSE™ – A guide for parents

Cambridge IGCSE

Benefits for your child

Cambridge IGCSE helps students to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in subject content and intellectual enquiry. Cambridge IGCSE has been designed for students worldwide, including those whose first language is not English.

This means that Cambridge IGCSE is a great foundation for further study, including Cambridge International AS & A Level, Cambridge Pre-U and other post-16 routes.

Opening up opportunities worldwide

A Cambridge IGCSE qualification is recognised by leading universities around the world and employers view it as a valuable certificate of achievement.

A good grade (grade C or above) in Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language is accepted for entry by a number of universities in the UK as evidence of competence in the English language.

What universities require

Many universities worldwide require a combination of Cambridge IGCSEs and Cambridge International A Levels to meet their entry requirements. Leading US and Canadian universities require Cambridge International AS & A Levels, but some US and Canadian colleges and universities will accept students with five Cambridge IGCSEs at grade C or above.

What does the abbreviation IGCSE mean?

IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education.

Cambridge IGCSE is the world’s most popular international qualification for 14 to 16 year olds. It is taken in over 150 countries and in more than 4800 schools around the world. There are over 800,000 subject entries for Cambridge IGCSE exams each year.

Its academic worth is comparable to many secondary school curricula worldwide, such as England’s GCSE, the North American GED or high school diploma, Hong Kong’s HKCEE, Singapore’s O-Level, and the Indian CBSE or ICSE courses. The IGCSE prepares students for further academic study, including progression to A Level and BTEC Level 3 study, Cambridge Pre-U, IB Diploma Programme and other equivalents. It is recognized by academic institutions and employers around the world and is considered by many institutions as equivalent to the standard GCSE.

How Cambridge IGCSE compares to GCSE

CAIE aligns the standards of Cambridge IGCSE with the GCSE qualification taken in England. In the UK, Cambridge IGCSE is accepted as equivalent to the GCSE. Students can easily continue IGCSE studies started here in Kyrgyzstan in the UK and vice versa. However, each school offers different subjects, so a course change may be necessary if one or two subjects are not available at the new school. This issue is usually limited to courses fro the “professional” category (Group V), since all good schools offer English, Math, the sciences and the main social sciences.

IGCSE Grading

How does the Cambridge Assessment work?

Assessment takes place at the end of the course and offers students a range of ways to demonstrate their learning, including written, oral, coursework and practical assessments. There are also options to suit learners of different abilities. The grades awarded at Cambridge IGCSE are A*–G, with
A* being the highest.

One grade for each subject

The student receives a grade and Cambridge IGCSE certificate for each subject registered for the exams. A minimum of five good grades ( C or better) is needed to successfully apply for many universites.

A* = highest ability

Cambridge Exams are hard. They are designed to give a differentiated scale that reflects each student’s ability at the time of the exam in each subject. By Cambridge standards a ‘C’ is a decent grade, a B is a good grade. A* is reserved for students that stick out of their age group and is therefore hard to achieve.

C = minimum needed for university or AS/A Levels

Students passing a subject with a ‘C’ have shown solid understanding and knowledge of that subject. It qualifies a students to apply for universities or get accepted for a Cambridge Advanced course in 11th and 12th grade, which ends in AS and A level exams. Considering the high standard set by Cambridge, ‘C’ is considered a ‘decent’ grade.

G = minimum passing performance

Due to the differentiated grading scale in Cambridge IGCSE, there is no failing grade. The grade reflects the students skills and allows university to judge the application against their requirements.
If a student does not receive at least 20% of the marks, the exam will be classified ‘U’ for “ungraded” and no IGCSE certificate for that subject will be issued.

ICE award for 7 subjects

Given the right combination of subjects, an ICE award certificate is granted for seven well passed Cambridge IGCSE subjects.

Cambridge Global Perspectives (0543)

Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives provides opportunities for enquiry into, and reflection on, key global issues from different perspectives: personal, local/national and global.
Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives encourages awareness of global problems and offers a range of opportunities to explore solutions through cooperation and collaboration. The course is not about getting everybody to think identically; rather it is a matter of opening minds to the complexity of the world and of human thought, and encouraging empathy for the diversity of human experience and feeling.

Cambridge Geography (0460)

The combination of knowledge and skills in Cambridge IGCSE Geography gives learners a solid foundation for further study. Candidates who achieve grades A* to C are well prepared to follow a wide range of courses including Cambridge International AS & A Level Geography.

The aims of the Cambridge Geography syllabus are to enable students to:

an understanding of location on a local, regional and global scale
an awareness of the characteristics, distribution and processes affecting contrasting physical and human environments
an understanding of the ways in which people interact with each other and with their environment
an awareness of the contrasting opportunities and constraints presented by different environments
an appreciation of and concern for the environment
an appreciation of the earth including its people, places, landscapes, natural processes and phenomena.

The syllabus is divided into three themes:

Population and settlement
The natural environment
Economic development.

The themes are designed to develop an understanding of natural and human environments.