Why choose a British International School?  

The British system is portrayed as providing a traditional and established education. It affords a high quality curriculum that is acknowledged worldwide. Historically, the system has its roots in the old and established public schools in the UK, such as Eton and Harrow, Rodean and Cheltenham Ladies College. Today, there are many first class schools in the UK: boarding and day schools, independent and maintained schools. Such first class schools are committed to excellence and use the National Curriculum (of England & Wales) as their framework. For many schools, the goal is one of educating the whole pupil.

In looking for a good international school, parents should: visit the school on a normal school day; seek the guidance of current parents; look for independent appraisals such as formal accreditations and inspection reports. The British Government recognises good overseas schools if they match the standards of good UK independent schools, as shown in an ISI Inspection. BISC is in membership of COBIS & IAPS and has been successfully inspected by the ISI.

The British International School, Cairo is the most academic and established of all of the British schools in Egypt. It is firmly committed to academic excellence, with equal emphasis put upon achievement in the Arts and in Sport. It has a wide programme of extra-curricular activities such as the International Award, Young Enterprise, and in the Model United Nations competitions in The Hague, Dublin and Cairo.

The British International School, Cairo follows the National Curriculum for pupils aged 3-16 years. From 16-18 years, the school follows the demanding IB Diploma programme. What does this mean?

The curriculum is academically rigorous and universally acknowledged by universities in the UK, the US and Canada as well as other parts of the world. International companies recognize it and see prospective employees, educated in this system as desirable. These factors are very important to international pupils who wish to have the opportunity of studying and working globally.

The British National Curriculum has a clearly defined series of academic and other objectives at every level known as Key Stages.

For parents who either choose to educate their children abroad or who, due to their own international careers, need to look at British International Schools, BISC can offer them confidence that their children will be able to move from one British International School to another. Parents can be assured that their children will be able to transfer from one academic year to the next, in the full knowledge that uniformity in the curriculum enables them to achieve this.

For long- stay parents, there will be confidence that BISC will provide them with a coherent educational philosophy and curriculum that will enable their children to achieve first class GCSE results and successfully cope with their Sixth Form Studies.

The British National Curriculum provides the structure for pupils to partake in sport, music and drama, educating them in a well- rounded manner and providing them with the chance to develop lifelong interests and skills.

BISC believes in the value of well - qualified and enthusiastic teachers and their crucial role in the process of teaching and learning. The school recruits the best teachers from the best of the UK'S independent and maintained sectors, as well as UK- educated and UK- trained teachers currently working outside the UK. It is a vital part of the success of the school that teachers wish to work at BISC because they recognise the school's commitment to excellence and that it is a British International School enabling them to progress professionally, either overseas or returning to the UK.

The British National Curriculum  

The Junior Years

For further information, please go the Junior School website.  At BISC, we also accept pupils at the age of 3 into Foundation Stage 1 (FS1) and at 4 year into Foundation Stage 2 (FS2).

There are three core subjects in the National Curriculum: English, Maths and Science. Maths and English are tested at Key Stage 1, Science being added at Key Stage 2 at the end of the junior years. In addition, pupils are taught Arabic, Drama, History, Geography, Technology, Art, Music and Physical Education.

At BISC, French is also added to the curriculum in the Junior School and taught by a specialist teacher.

BISC also uses specialist teachers in the Junior School for drama and music as well as gym, karate and taekwondo.

The Senior School  

At BISC, the pupils follow the National Curriculum from Year 7 to 11.

Years 7 - 9

Pupils continue with the same subjects as in the Junior School. Science is taught as an integrated subject in Years 7 and 8. In Year 9, pupils choose their modern languages from Arabic, French, German and Spanish.

Years 10 - 11

Pupils enter a two-year examination led curriculum where they will sit their GCSE's at the end of the Summer Term in Y11. These examinations often include coursework, which is part of the pupil’s final grade. The formal written aspect of the examination is marked in the UK and the final grade awarded is the decision of the external marker in the UK. These examinations are important for pupils making choices and looking at their options or the Sixth Form, their University choice and prospective employment routes. The British GCSE's are well recognized and are an indicator as to a pupil's likely attainment at Sixth Form level.

Pupils take subjects depending upon their ability and aptitude. Results are awarded on a grade system A*- G. A pass, according to universities and employers, is usually at grades A*-C.

Pupils who have to move to another British International School or back to the UK are equipped to tackle the  British National Curriculum for the Sixth Form, by means of studying for the two-year courses known as A Levels. Long -stay pupils are equipped to manage successfully the transition to the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme, known as the IB.
 

The Sixth Form – Years 12 - 13

At BISC, the Sixth Form operates a highly successful programme that is academically rigorous, with a widely accepted and recognized curriculum that sits well with the fact that the school is a British International School, with a pupil body representing 59 nationalities. At BISC, pupils study the two year International Baccalaureate Diploma.

For further details, please refer to the sections on the International Baccalaureate displayed on the website.