When planning an international education for your child, you will be judging potential schools on a range of criteria, including ethos, vision, location and facilities. Cambridge International Education explains how it provides an internationally relevant education.Perhaps most important of all is the quality of the teaching programmes used by the school, and the international reputation of the qualifications towards which students are working.Every year, nearly a million learners from 10,000 schools in 160 countries prepare for their future with an international education from Cambridge. Schools choose Cambridge because our programmes are designed to unlock potential at every age and in a wide range of subjects, preparing students to be global citizens, strong in both content knowledge and the higher-level skills required to flourish and succeed.As a not-for-profit department of the world-leading University of Cambridge, we can invest our resources in research and innovation, resulting in programmes and qualifications which build confident, reflective, responsible, innovative and engaged students with an informed curiosity and a passion for lifelong learning.

A curriculum that spans the age range five to 19

Students aged from five to 19 can take Cambridge programmes. Cambridge Primary, for example, is taught in over 1,300 schools worldwide, and comprises a world-class curriculum, high-quality teacher support and integrated assessment.The Cambridge Secondary 1 programme, typically for learners aged 11–14, starts the journey through secondary education. It prepares students for Cambridge International GCSE (IGCSE), pioneered by Cambridge over 25 years ago and now the world’s most popular international qualification for those aged 14–16.The Cambridge IGCSE is taken by students in 145 countries. There are 70 subjects to choose from. Each course is designed to build core knowledge and develop the creative thinking and problem-solving skills so valued by universities and employers.For students aged 16–19, Cambridge International AS and A Levels, taught in schools in 130 countries, are ideal preparation for university, higher education or the world of work.They develop a deep subject understanding (55 courses are available) together with independent learning and constructive thinking skills – abilities which, again, are highly valued, particularly by universities worldwide.

A global network of schools

Fundamental to the success of Cambridge programmes and qualifications is our worldwide network of over 10,000 schools.We actively and continuously engage with our schools to ensure programmes are delivered effectively (through training and support), and we also value the feedback that our schools provide, using it to help shape the direction of our ongoing research and development.Our extensive Cambridge schools network also offers significant practical advantages in the context of international education, where students and families can be highly mobile. For example, if a student transfers to another Cambridge school – anywhere in the world – they can work towards the same Cambridge qualifications, making the transition process straightforward and minimising disruption to educational progress.We also deliver an internationally relevant education – culturally sensitive to the locale in which it is taught, but which also takes an international perspective and sets a global standard of excellence.

Preparation for university

Last but not least, when considering an international education for your child, it’s never too early to think about routes from school into higher education, and it’s therefore vital to assess the real value of the qualifications offered by a school.Cambridge IGCSEs and International AS and A Levels have global recognition and value, and we have plenty of evidence to support this. Every year, learners use Cambridge International AS and A Levels to gain places at leading universities worldwide, including in the UK, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, Egypt, South Africa, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain.All UK universities accept Cambridge International AS and A Levels, and they are also formally accepted by over 500 US universities, including all of the Ivy League universities (and more on application).In some places, such as the US and Canada, good grades can equal one full year of university course credit. You can find a database of universities that accept Cambridge qualifications on our website at www.cie.org.uk/recognitionsearchCambridge qualifications are formally benchmarked against their UK equivalents by UK NARIC, the UK’s national agency for the recognition and comparison of qualifications and skills.This means students can be confident that their Cambridge International AS and A Level and Cambridge IGCSE qualifications are accepted as equivalent, grade for grade, to UK AS and A Levels by leading universities around the world.In our recent survey of admissions staff from 130 universities – including UK Russell Group and US Ivy League universities – 98 per cent regarded Cambridge qualifications as excellent preparation for university, helping students to success once they had achieved a place.As one US university commented, “Cambridge students are strong in critical thinking and writing, have a broad base of intellectual knowledge, and are intellectually curious.”If you would like to learn more about how Cambridge programmes and qualifications could benefit your child, and to find your nearest Cambridge school, visit the Cambridge International Examinations website at www.cie.org.uk

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