GHCIS offers the UK International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE)
and Advanced Level (A Level) programs.
GHCIS offers the UK International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and Advanced Level (A Level) programs. The IGCSE program covers various subject areas to provide students with a wide range of course options. This allows students to explore their talents and personal interests while laying a solid foundation for the more advanced A Level courses. In the A Level curriculum, students select subjects based on their professional interests for deeper study. They are expected to Complete four to five AS-Level subjects and three to four A-Level subjects to obtain the General Certificate of Education (GCE qualification) through qualifying exams.The school also offer AP courses such as AP Statistics.
Depending on the student's grade level and background, GHCIS offers different lengths of schooling: four-year, three-year, and two-year programs.
Students in the four-year program first complete two years of IGCSE courses (G1 and G2) and then move on to A Level courses. By the end of G2, students will have completed CIE AS Level Mathematics and other IGCSE subject exams. In total, they should have taken 7-9 IGCSE subject exams.
| Compulsory | English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Economics |
|---|---|
| Electives (choose 2-3) |
History, Geography, Psychology, Art & Design, Biology, Drama, Accounting, Computer Science, Business, etc. |
| Others | Chinese Language & Culture, Music, Physical Education, University Counselling Seminars, etc. |
In the event of any discrepancies regarding elective courses, the course selection instructions published annually by the admissions office shall prevail.
After completing the IGCSE exams, students enter two years of A Level study.
The three-year program is for students who have graduated from junior high school in China. These students will start with a preparatory Pre-A Level year to study IGCSE subjects and some A Level subjects. This year aims to enhance students’ English skills and lay a foundation for relevant A Level courses.
| Compulsory | English, Mathematics |
|---|---|
| Electives (choose 2-3) |
Physics, Chemistry, Economics, History, Geography, Psychology, Art & Design, Biology, Drama, Accounting,Computer Science, Business, etc |
| Others | Chinese Language & Culture, Music, Physical Education, University Counselling Seminars, etc. |
In the event of any discrepancies regarding elective courses, the course selection instructions published annually by the admissions office shall prevail.
Pre-year students will take CIE AS Level Mathematics and O Level English exams at the end of their first year. All other subjects will be assessed and graded internally by the school.
After passing the internal assessments, students will enter two years of A Level study.
Students who have completed their first or second year of high school in China or have completed the IGCSE examination at other A Level schools can start the two-year A Level courses directly (AS and A2 years). In these two years, students complete the AS Level exams in the first year and the A2 Level exams in the second year (AS and A2 combined as a full A Level grade). Our students usually take exams in May or June, with results announced in early August.
Upon entering the two-year A Level course, students from the four-year and three-year programs can also freely choose the following courses.
| Compulsory | Electives | Others |
|---|---|---|
| AS Year / English | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Economics,History, Geography, Psychology, Art &Design, Biology, Computer Science, Drama, Business, Sociology, etc. (Choose 3-4) | Physical Education, University Counselling Seminars, etc. |
| A2 Year | English, Further Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Economics, History, Geography, Psychology, Art and Design, Biology, Computer Science, Drama, Business, Sociology, etc. (Choose 3-4) | Physical Education, University Counselling Seminars, etc. |
In the event of any discrepancies regarding elective courses, the course selection instructions published annually by the admissions office shall prevail.
The Cambridge International Project Qualification (Cambridge IPQ) is a project-based qualification in which students develop various skills through research on a topic of their choice. This allows students to be deeply engaged with their selected subject beyond exam preparation and helps them stand out in university applications.
Target Student: The Cambridge IPQ is designed for learners aged 16 to 19 who wish to extend their learning beyond Cambridge International AS and A Level courses. Intensive study of the chosen topic significantly aids students in developing lifelong learning skills.
Content: This project-based qualification develops higher-order thinking skills, including analysis, evaluation, and synthesis. Additionally, it enhances research, reflection, and communication skills.
Project Requirements: Learners must complete a 5000-word research project on a topic of their choice, which could be a course subject or an area of personal interest. They need to formulate and develop a research question, conduct relevant research, document progress, and write a research report.
Assessment: The Cambridge IPQ is independently assessed and externally evaluated by Cambridge examiners. Students are graded from A* to E , with assessment standards aligned with those of Cambridge International A Levels.
The school offers the IPQ course to AS students over a period of 10 months to help them accumulate subject knowledge and develop topic interests. Students submit their intended topics and are matched with a subject teacher. Submitted topics cover humanities, economics, computer science, physics, chemistry, and biology, primarily based on students' interests and their application of A Level knowledge.
Throughout the IPQ cycle, professional educators and university researchers provide lectures to students on project introduction, topic selection, literature review, research methods, report writing, and analysis of successful cases. Each student's mentor also meets with them regularly to discuss project progress and guide the overall direction. Additionally, we organize proposal defenses, mid-term defenses, and final defenses as periodic assessment to provide feedback on students' research.
The results of completed projects have been satisfactory. Students’ research in the humanities areas used methods such as literature review, questionnaires, and interviews to explore and reflect on current events, economic issues, and social phenomena. In science and engineering, students employed literature review, theoretical derivation, experimental design, and numerical fitting to explain and analyze scientific phenomena and discuss engineering and manufacturing topics. Their research papers are highly academic and include their reflections throughout the process.
The IPQ project is the first time that many students complete independent research under the guidance of a mentor and produce a paper. This experience offers significant learning opportunities and has long-term benefits for their future academic and professional development.
