The Middle phase includes Years 7 to 9 (typically for learners aged from 11 to 14 years). This phase of schooling provides a natural progression from primary to secondary education with clear learning objectives and a solid foundation in the areas of English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Information Literacy, Religious Studies, Art, Music and Health and Physical Education. Each of the classes in Middle School has a class teacher who also functions as a pastoral tutor for the class, and a small number of other teachers who specialise in their particular subject or subject groups. The pastoral tutor will be the first point of contact for the students in his/her care.
Subject lessons will be taught based on the UK National Curriculum by specialist teachers.
Towards the end of the Christmas Term (Term II), the students of Year 9 will be introduced to the subject options available for the IGCSE course to be covered in Years 10 and 11. Students will choose their IGCSE subjects with the help of their parents well ahead of the start of Year 10 (ideally over the Christmas break), according to a set of elective lines the College will provide. English Language, Mathematics and Religious Studies will be compulsory/core subjects. In addition to these, 5 optional/elective subjects will be chosen. Religious Studies will be undertaken as a rule in Years 9 and 10 – instead of Years 10 and 11 as for other IGCSE subjects – in order to ease the study load for students in their examination year.
The Senior phase is comprised of Years 10 and 11 (typically students aged between 14 and 16 years). Senior students study and prepare to sit for the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education external examinations – IGCSE – the world’s most popular international qualification for 14-16 year olds. IGCSE provides an excellent preparation for Cambridge Advanced Level studies. Cambridge syllabuses are international in flavour but with a local relevance; designed for an international student body with content to suit a wide variety of schools, but avoiding cultural bias.
In Year 10, PAIS students will be expected to take 2 elective subjects/courses in addition to the 3 compulsory/core subjects of English Language, Maths, and Religious Studies. These courses are one-year courses and the IGCSE examinations take place at the end of Year 10. In Year 11 students will take an additional two elective subjects as one-year courses and will sit the exams for their three compulsory subjects.
Examination grades range from A* to F. Students are required to pass at C level in at least 5 subjects in order to gain a pass at IGCSE level.
A Level (or Advanced Level) phase is composed of Years 12 and 13 (typically students aged 17 and 18 years). Students undertaking A level examinations study and sit the General Certificate of Education (GCE) external exams. A Level courses can be completed at two levels, Advanced Subsidiary level (AS) and Advanced Level (A Level). In the first year of a course, students complete the AS components (exam/s and any required course work) to gain their AS level standard. PAIS offers primarily AS Level courses with A Level courses only made available upon request in order to provide the greatest possible course selection for students. A Level courses build upon the AS level with a second year at the A2 level. Once the A2 components of the course have been completed the student is awarded an overall A Level grade for that course.
In Year 12 and Year 13, students will have the two compulsory subjects of English and Divinity. The remainder of their timetable will be filled with electives that progress from previous courses taken at IGCSE and additional courses without prerequisites. In addition, students will have the option of taking exam preparation minor courses. Students are expected to complete the programme with a minimum of five AS Level courses completed.
