Key Stage 2
Ages 8 – 10
At this stage of a child’s development we feel the national curriculum for England provides valuable structure and content. For this reason the national curriculum is largely followed as it would be in any excellent English state school. Children who were educated in Key Stage 1 were usually educated within the state sector and so it makes sense to continue this, albeit with the additional benefits of the Cambridge curriculum where appropriate.
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Key Stage 3
Ages 11 – 13
Key stage 3 builds on the learning and confidence gleaned from the earlier stages. The influence of the national curriculum is waning and the influence of the Cambridge curriculum is growing as the examination subjects loom into focus.
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Key Stage 4
Ages 14 – 16
At his stage much of the foundation work has been put into place and pupils are stepping sure-footed into the pressurised environment of the examination subjects – International GCSEs. Students are able to choose which subjects they want to study at greater depth. Typically, students can only study A Levels in subjects that they have already studied at International GCSE level. So it is important to choose International GCSEs carefully, with one eye on what A Levels are required for University.
A distinct advantage of studying at Cambridge Home School is that students are not limited to having to study 9 or 10 International GCSEs, they can study fewer. They also need not study them all at the same time, as they are in most other schools. It may be advantageous to split the subjects and stagger examinations over 2 years instead of attempting them all in the same final year. Student electing to do this would study all subjects in CHS Level 3 (Year 10) but elect to sit the examinations for only half their subjects in CHS Level 4 (Year 11), sitting the remainder of examinations a year later (Year 12). While this means that students add an additional year to their education, it does mean that they maximise their chances of top grades. Some families think this is better than potentially diluting their child’s grades to save a year is a poor decision. Of course some children are more than capable of attaining 9 or 10 top grades in one year, so this is very much a decision for each family. At least students have the choice with Cambridge Home School.
Clearly, revising for examinations is stressful and time-consuming. In conventional schools, students are given study leave to go home, away from the distractions of noisy classrooms where they can’t concentrate or hear the teacher, perhaps. At home these students revise from their exercise books, scrappy notes, struggling to remember and piece together what they have been taught over the last two years. Access to their teachers is largely non-existent in most schools during study leave. Consequently, the quality of this revision material is often very poor and students are at a huge disadvantage. Hardly ideal as they near one of the most critical and influential points in their whole lives – their final examinations.
At Cambridge Home School students are usually far ahead of such students, because they have not had to contend with noisy classrooms, distractions and teachers that can’t be heard. Additionally, their teachers are far better educated than teachers at most schools (MA/PhD level) and so can impart knowledge of greater depth and instil deeper understanding and confidence. Cambridge Home School teachers have written units for the examination boards and have spent years marking papers, and so know them better than anybody.
Cambridge Home School students do not have to view scrappy notes produced from noisy classrooms. Instead they have a comprehensive video archive of their previous lessons, searchable by topic and with downloadable slide presentations. Each topic of the examination carefully and expertly explained in detail, viewable as many times as the student requires. Additionally, all Cambridge Home School teachers are contactable at any time as required. This accessibility to expert teachers and technology in such a targeted way ensures that all Cambridge Home School students, have an unrivalled opportunity to succeed in their examinations.
Class sizes are small at Cambridge Home School and this is critical to student success and high grades. All the technology in the world will not make up for time with an expert teacher!
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Key Stage 5
Ages 17 – 19
These same advantages are of course afforded to students in the Sixth Form as they study for their A Levels.
Most students study 3 or 4 A level subjects to ensure they attain sufficient UCAS points (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) to enter their chosen University. Students generally apply to University via UCAS. The higher grades reward students with more UCAS points. The top Universities have higher entry requirements and so students require more UCAS points.
Typically, students can only study A Levels in subjects that they have already studied at International GCSE level and attained a high grade. This why it is important to choose International GCSEs carefully, with one eye on what A Levels are required for University.
Students at Cambridge Home School can choose which A Level subjects they wish to study. This choice should be informed by the choice of University and University course the student wishes to study. For example, to study Medicine students should typically study A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and maybe Physics, while budding Architects should consider more creative A Levels in Art, Design and perhaps Physics – each University will have their own preferred A Levels for entry, so students should view their entry requirements on the University website or on the UCAS website.
Class sizes are small at Cambridge Home School and this is critical to student success and high grades. All the technology in the world will not make up for time with an expert teacher!
Learn more