(11-14 YEARS OF AGE)
CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY
Why Cambridge?
WIS has selected the Cambridge international curriculum because it sets a global standard for education, and is recognised by universities and employers worldwide. The curriculum is flexible, challenging and inspiring, culturally sensitive yet international in approach. Cambridge students develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning. They also gain the essential skills they need for success at university and in their future careers. Cambridge students study for Cambridge international qualifications which are accepted and recognised around the world.
Cambridge Lower Secondary
Typically for students aged 11 to 14 years, Cambridge Lower Secondary offers a broad curriculum with 10 subjects including English, Mathematics and Science. It is offered by nearly 2300 schools in over 130 countries worldwide. It prepares students for the next step of their education, providing a clear path as they progress towards the IGCSE courses in Upper Secondary.
WIS offers Cambridge Lower Secondary alongside Thai Language and culture in a framework that aims for Language fluency and inquiry-based learning that emphasises 21st Century learning.
Curriculum
Cambridge Lower Secondary provides a natural progression from primary education, helping to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed for post-14 education programmes that lead to formal qualifications.
The programme is flexible, allowing the curriculum to be tailored to the needs and culture of each school while remaining internationally relevant. It is suitable for students with English as a first or second language. While studying the core subjects, including English, Mathematics and Science, students find plenty of opportunities to develop creativity, expression and well-being in a variety of ways.
CORE SUBJECTS
English
Cambridge Lower Secondary English encourages a life-long enthusiasm for reading, writing and spoken communication. Learners develop English skills for different purposes and audiences. This curriculum is for learners who have English as a first language, and can be used in any cultural context. Learners develop skills and understanding in four areas: reading, writing, speaking and listening. They will learn how to communicate effectively and respond to a range of information, media and texts to:
- become confident communicators, able to apply all four skills effectively in everyday situations
- see themselves as readers, engaging with a range of texts for information and for pleasure, including texts from different times and cultures
- see themselves as writers, using the written word clearly and creatively for a range of different audiences and purposes.
Mathematics
Cambridge Lower Secondary Mathematics encourages life-long enthusiasm for analytical and rational thinking. Learners develop a holistic understanding of the subject, focusing on principles, patterns, systems, functions and relationships. They will become mathematically competent and fluent in computation, which they can apply to everyday situations.
‘Thinking and working mathematically’, a unique feature of Cambridge curriculum, encourages learners to talk with others, challenge ideas and to provide evidence that validates conjectures and solutions. When learners are thinking and working mathematically, they actively seek to make sense of ideas and build connections between different facts, procedures and concepts. This supports higher order thinking that helps them to view the world in a mathematical way.
The subject is divided into three main areas called ‘strands’, which run through every Lower Secondary Mathematics stage. Learners will develop skills in:
- Number
- Geometry and Measure
- Statistics and Probability.
Science
Lower Secondary Science curriculum helps learners develop a life-long curiosity about the natural world and enables them to seek scientific explanations to the phenomena around them.
Students will think scientifically and develop practical skills alongside knowledge and understanding, which is vital for explaining the world around us. Improving learners’ awareness of science in the world around them develops their sense that ‘science is for me’, helping to connect themselves to the subject. This approach provides them with the knowledge and skills they require to excel at science in the later stages of education and to make informed choices, including considering sustainability issues and meeting the challenges facing our environment.
This curriculum covers six main areas called ‘strands’ that work together so that Science can be taught holistically:
- Biology – living things and how they interact.
- Chemistry – the study of matter.
- Physics – the interaction of matter and energy
- Earth and Space – planet Earth, the wider Solar System and beyond.
- Thinking and Working Scientifically – develops understanding and skills of scientific models and representations, scientific enquiry and practical work.
- Science in Context – helps teachers demonstrate the relevance of science to learners and unique to our science curriculum.
Other subjects
on offer at WIS in Lower Secondary will be :
- Art and Design
- Physical Education
- Music
- Drama
- Humanities – History, Geography, Global Perspectives
- Modern Foreign Languages (selection according to need and ability from French, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Thai)
- Computing
Cambridge Lower Secondary assessment includes:
- Cambridge CEM: computer-based assessments for 11-14 year olds, which help identify and diagnose students’ learning needs.
- Year-round classroom assessment: formative feedback on the skills learners need to develop so that they can reflect on, and improve their performance.
- Cambridge Lower Secondary Progression Tests: internal assessments that check learners’ knowledge, skills and understanding.
- Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint: external tests which monitor individual and group performance at the end of the primary programme. Available for English, Mathematics, Science and Cambridge Global Perspectives.
(14-16 years of age)
Cambridge Upper Secondary at WIS
The Benefits of a Cambridge International Education
- Our Cambridge International Curriculum prepares your child for life, helping them to develop an informed curiosity and a lifelong passion for learning. While the curriculum has an international philosophy and approach, it is tailored to our local context, culture and ethos.
- Our international education programmes and qualifications support the development of useful skills for both university and the workplace. They develop higher-order thinking skills – problem-solving, critical thinking, independent research, collaboration and communications skills, including the ability to present logical arguments. These skills will help your child to become confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged
- Our Cambridge International Curriculum qualifications are endorsed by a world-leading education provider – the University of Cambridge. They are widely recognised by the world’s best universities and employers, giving your child better options for their future education and career.
- Our learners can be confident that the results they receive are fairly awarded against the Cambridge global standard. All of our students have achieved the grades they needed to progress to their chosen next level of study and on to their chosen university.
- Our programmes and qualifications reflect the latest educational research, and they are well supported with high-quality teaching and learning resources to help our international students to progress from IGCSE to GCE Advanced Level
- Our challenging and inspiring programmes set the global standard for international education. They are created by subject experts and are rooted in academic rigour to provide a strong platform for student progression.
- Our students can seamlessly move all over the world to continue their studies with one of the thousands of schools who follow the Cambridge International Curriculum. In addition, students changing from a different programme will have no problem adjusting to our Cambridge International Curriculum.
SUBJECTS ON OFFER AT WIS (IGCSE)
Compulsory Subjects
- English Language and Literature (First and/or Second Language)
- Mathematics (Advanced Mathematics, based on demand and student ability)
- Coordinated Science – double award (triple Science available based on demand and student ability)
Optional Subjects
Option groups will be based on student demand, but WIS has recruited staff qualified to teach the following subjects:
- ICT
- Modern World History
- PE
- Art and Design
- Design and Technology
- Computer Science
- Geography
- Global Perspectives
- Music
- Business Studies
- French
- Spanish
- Russian
- Mandarin
- Thai
GCE AS and Advanced Level (16 to 18 years of age)
WIS welcomes enquiries from Y12 students who are interested in sitting for AS and Advanced Level subjects, Acceptance on these courses will be based on satisfactory previous Y11 results, past reports and in certain cases a WIS entrance test. All subjects from the list of IGCSE Compulsory and Optional Subjects are on offer.
Get In Touch
Soi Rungrote Tambon Maret, LAMAI, Surat Thani 84310
Telephone: +66 (0) 77 332 420
Email: [email protected]
School Hours:
Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 5 PM
Saturday – Sunday: Closed
Non-Discrimination Policy
Windfield International School welcomes families and admits students of any race, colour, national and ethnic origin.
Windfield does not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, national and ethnic origin, sex, marital status, disability, and age in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programmes, and athletic and other school-administered programmes.
Students, parents/guardians, and employees are also encouraged to communicate with the Head of Primary or Head of Secondary, with any questions or concerns regarding this policy. The School believes that open communication about these sensitive topics is essential to fostering a culture of personal responsibility, mutual accountability, and positive leadership.