An Introduction
IGCSE
IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) is
a course designed and directed by the University of Cambridge Local
Examinations Syndicate (UCLES). It is a two-year curriculum programme
leading to a certificate which is internationally recognised as equivalent
in standard to the British GCSE and International GCE O Level examinations.
The IGCSE provides a foundation for higher
level courses such as the North American Advanced Placement Test (APT),
the International Baccalaureate (IB), GCE A Levels and the Advanced
International Certificate of Education (AICE). At Rato Bangala School
the GCE A Level and the AICE programmes follow the IGCSE examination.
IGCSE at Rato Bangala
School
The students at Rato Bangala begin the IGCSE course at the beginning
of Grade IX. For two years, in Grades IX and X, the students prepare
for a dual degree, the SLC as well as the IGCSE. The SLC examinations
are held in April and the IGCSE examinations in November of the same
year.
The aims
of the IGCSE are:
To support modern curriculum development;
To promote international understanding;
To encourage good teaching practice;
To set widely recognised standards.
The IGCSE curriculum includes the following
syllabuses in the five subject groups:
Group I |
Language |
1. English
2. Nepali |
Group II |
Humanities and Social Studies |
1. History/ Development Studies
2. English Literature |
Group III |
Sciences |
Coordinated Sciences (equivalent to two subjects) |
Group IV |
Mathematics |
Mathematics |
Group V |
Creative, Technical and Vocational |
Computer Studies |
To successfully complete the IGCSE course,
candidates must pass in at least seven subjects, including two from
IGCSE Syllabus Group I and one each from Groups II through V. The seventh
subject may be chosen from any of the syllabus groups. At Rato Bangala
we require students to take eight subjects.
Based on their results, the candidates
who sit for the IGCSE examinations are placed in one of the following
three categories:
Distinction Grade A or better in five subjects and Grade C or better
in two subjects Merit Grade C or better in five subjects and Grade F
or better in two subjects Pass Grade G or better in seven subjects
Excellent IGCSE
and AICE Results
Rato Bangala students have been taking IGCSE exams since 1999 and the
results have been excellent. Of the 13 students who sat for the IGCSE
examinations in 1999, nine got distinction and four got merit. In 2000,
16 took the IGCSE examinations of which 12 got distinction and four
got merit. In 2001 of the 18 students 12 got distinction and six got
merit. In 2002, 16 students took the examinations and 12 got distinction
and four merit.
The first batch of Rato Bangala students
sat for their A Level examinations in November 2001, and their results
were excellent with five getting distinction. The Class of 2002 took
A level examinations in November 2002 and their results too were very
good.
The Bridge Course
Rato Bangala School works with capable students who have completed their
SLC from other institutions examinations, and prepares them to take
IGCSE examinations in English Language, Mathematics and Coordinated
Sciences. These students join Rato Bangala School in May, in a preparatory
course called the "Bridge Course" and sit for examinations
in November. The course enables them to join the A Level course in the
following February.
The Liberal Studies
Programme
As part of Rato Bangala’s commitment to provide a broad-based
educational experience to its students, the Bridge Course curriculum
includes a compulsory liberal studies component. This programme offers
a series of modules that aim to widen the students’ understanding
of matters that lie beyond the requirements of the syllabus. Liberal
Studies incorporates the fields of media, political science, literature,
art and craft, philosophy and religion, and Nepali studies. Many modules
offer the opportunity to do independent research and fieldwork, and
to learn from visiting scholars.
AS (Advanced Subsidiary) and A
Level (Advanced Level) at Rato Bangala School
The University of Cambridge A Levels (Advanced
Levels) is an advanced international degree that has been designed for
academically able students, with courses that will prepare them for
honours degree programmes. A Levels are the most widely used qualification
for entry to British universities and are widely accepted by universities
around the world, including the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
A Levels also provide appropriate preparation for entry to Nepali and
Indian institutions of higher education.
The structure of the A Level course allows
considerable flexibility in designing a stimulating programme of study.
Students have the option of choosing from A Level courses or AS (Advanced
Subsidiary) Level courses in order to fulfill the A Level requirements.
An A Level subject is equivalent to two credits and AS Level equivalent
to one credit. Students can work towards an A level degree with three
A Level courses or two A Level courses and two AS Level courses. Students
can also work towards and Advanced International Certificate of Education
(AICE) degree with six AS Level courses or four AS Level courses and
one A Level course. While the A Level programme focuses on fewer subjects
more rigorously, the AICE course is a more broad-based. The AICE programme
carries academic equivalence to a benchmark performance indicated by
the study of three A Levels. Rato Bangala encourages students to work
towards an AICE degree since it is more broad-based and many universities
abroad prefer this.
Subject Options for A Level degree
Rato Bangala offers the following subjects at the AS and A Levels.
Group I Group II Group III
Biology (AS and A) Chemistry (AS and A) Physics (AS and A) Mathematics
(AS and A) Psychology (AS only) Environment Science (AS only) English
Language (AS only) Art and Design (AS only) Economics (AS only) Geography
(AS only) Psychology(AS only) Sociology (AS only) English Literature
(AS only)
Students working towards an A Level degree
can take three A Level courses or two A Level courses and any two AS
Level courses. Students working towards an AICE degree must take at
least one subject from each of the three groups.
Features of A Levels
The subject content of the A Level syllabuses has been subdivided into
two parts. The first part is taught in the first year of the course
and forms the basis of the AS Level qualification. Completion of the
second part in the following year leads to A Levels. This flexible approach
enables students to choose between three main options:
i) Take all A Level components in the
same examination session at the end of the course of study, i.e., at
the end of the second year.
ii) Follow a staged assessment to A Level by taking the AS Level qualification
in examinations at the end of the first year, and the final part of
assessment in examinations at the end of the second year.
iii) Take the AS Level qualification only for the AICE degree. AS Level
examination in Mathematics, English Language and Environment Science
must be taken at the end of the first year and in all other subjects
at the end of the second year.
A Level and AS Level examinations use a variety of assessment techniques.
However, particular emphasis is placed on the use of externally-marked
examination papers, which require a high level of academic competence,
and reward the ability to organise knowledge and ideas in producing
reasoned written answers. Other features of the A Level course are:
t compulsory practical work in the science
subjects
t opportunity for individual research
in several subjects
AS and A Levels are based on a practical
curriculum that seeks to enable students to cope successfully with the
demands of higher education. Courses are designed to encourage students
to develop an independent approach to their work. The curriculum also
encourages:
t he development of practical thinking
skills based on oral communication and knowledge acquisition
t an active approach to learning
t the use of initiative and creativity
in problem-solving
t the application of skills and understanding
t the ability to undertake individual
research and to work as part of a team
This skills-based approach aims to provide
a positive educational experience for students and teachers.
At Rato Bangala
School
A Level students are expected to spend the day at Rato Bangala School.
The time in between the classes will be spent doing individual work
and research. Students are also required to take part in sports and
community service activities organised by the School. Community service
is a compulsory component of the A Level programme at Rato Bangala.
Students need to log in 70 hours of community service over the two-year
period.
Who is Eligible
for the A Level Course?
There is no pre-requisite degree for students to be eligible to sit
for the A Level course. This is why Rato Bangala School is offering
this degree to students who will have only done SLC. Students who have
completed the GCE O Level or IGCSE in other schools are, of course,
also eligible. The main requirement is that students be academically
able to do the course. Rato Bangala uses a comprehensive evaluation
examination to assemble a highly motivated class.
When Does the Course
Begin?
At Rato Bangala, the two-year A Level course of study. However, those
who have taken only the SLC course are requested to contact the School
Office as soon as possible since they will have to sit for an evaluation
exam. Those selected on the basis of this evaluation will be eligible
for a six-month preparation course - the Bridge Course - starting at
the end of May. This preparation course is necessary because it will
be difficult to make a transition from the SLC curriculum to the A Level
curriculum. Those who have done the GCE O Level or the IGCSE will be
required to take the evaluation exam but not the preparation course.
Tuition & Fees
Admission fees: Rs. 20,000
Security Deposit: Rs. 25,000
Monthly fees (payable for 24 months): Rs. 7,500 per month (An additional
Rs. 1,000 per month will be charged as laboratory fees to those taking
three science subjects.)
For more information call:
5522614, 5534318, 5542045. Or write to: rbs@mos.com.np
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