The British International Curriculum

Choosing a school is one of the most important decisions parents make for their children and nowadays there is a wide choice available.

Why choose a British International Curriculum?

The British system has been available in Egypt for many years and its traditional, structured and disciplined approach is well-understood by many parents. In recent years the curriculum has been widened to add an international dimension so that children following the curriculum will gain a deeper understanding of other cultures.

The key features of the British Curriculum which make it so suitable for schools outside of the UK still remain as always;

1.    The curriculum is taught in English

2.    There is always an emphasis on understanding and questioning as well as just knowing

3.    Social skills are an integral part of the curriculum

4.    There is regular externally verified testing to give a reliable measure of progress

5.    IGCSE and A level examinations at the end of the process are internationally accepted for entry to universities all over the world

The curriculum at the British International School Madinaty

The Core Subjects; English, Mathematics and Science

In Egypt, schools approved by the Ministry of Education follow the Cambridge International Primary Programme which covers mathematics, English and science up to age 11. This programme includes a full examination at the end of year 6 and optional progress tests in the preceding years.  Cambridge International Examinations have been established in Egypt for many years and are administered here by the British Council. Parents can thus be confident that the curriculum and the supervision of quality are under the control of highly reputable bodies.

The International Primary Curriculum

This innovative and exciting curriculum is used to teach the history, geography, art, and social studies elements of the curriculum.  The IPC was originally developed in Shell schools to give an International dimension to expatriate children and it has since been adopted by hundreds of schools all over the World. The focus is on Topics rather than subjects, and many subjects are covered simultaneously in a Topic.  Some examples of the topic titles are; Myself, Transport, Holidays and Rivers.  The huge advantage this gives us is that we can teach local material and use local resources instead of having to teach material which relates only to England.  It is very interesting, for example, to study the River Thames or the Vikings, but far better for children living in Egypt to study the Nile and the Pharaohs.

Developments in how we teach

In recent years, education research has provided a huge amount of new information about how learning happens in the brain.  The IPC includes many new techniques based on current understanding of how children learn.  We use ‘Brain Friendly Learning’, which takes account of different learning styles (Visual Auditory and Kinaesthetic), and encourages the use of Mind Maps.  We also teach children about how the brain works and about multiple intelligences so that they are aware of their own learning styles.  The IPC has a great slogan which applies very well to our new school;

Great Teaching, Great Learning, Great Fun

A tried and tested education

All over the world, the growth of international schools is remarkable. There are currently over 2.5 million children attending international schools in almost every country on Earth, and the numbers are increasing by about 7 per cent a year. 

Parents who choose a British curriculum know that the programmes are proven and reliable, that progress is measured by trusted examinations from Cambridge and London and that the teachers are dedicated to the well-being and overall development of the children into self-confident educated people who can take a leading role in whatever career they choose.