Key Stage 3 and the Cambridge curriculum

Key Stage 3 (KS3) covers years 7-9.

At NISA, we utilise the courses offered by Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) which leads to the Checkpoint examinations, which are taken towards the end of Y9.

These exams are set by CAIE and once written, returned to them for marking and moderation at an international level.

Checkpoint exams are available in English, mathematics and science, However, the full list of subjects your child will study are as follows:

The key elements of the Secondary curriculum are as follows:

• Subjects are taught in English by fully qualified, specialist staff.

• Focus is on developing skills such as analysis, evaluation and synthesis rather than just the rote learning of facts and figures.

• Students learn how to work cooperatively with their peer group.

• Students learn to study independently and take responsibility for their own learning.

• Students follow individual learning pathways to ensure optimal progress. 

Stage 4 (IGCSE)

Naturally enough KS3 leads to KS4, years 10-11, when students study and sit for IGCSE.

The student selection of subjects will be as follows:

Infrastructure and resources

NISA has its own library, science laboratory and an ICT facility.

In addition to this, the pupils will be given exercise books and textbooks.   The text books will be the school property and therefore need to be returned at the end of the year.  Copies of learning material will always be available in the school Library.

Science lab

We acknowledge the importance of practical teaching and understanding that students need the time and space as they learn at different speeds, and in various ways.

Digital classroom

We have embraced modern teaching techniques: all our students form year 8 have their own tablets with a school google account. Year 7 students will have access to a class set used for research, Library readers etc.

The tablets store texts, dictionaries, atlases, language apps and much more!

It is utilised during lessons and has really come into its own during on-line learning when there were recent enforced school closures.

We see it as the way forward and here at NISA we are getting ahead of the curve.