IGCSE | Global Citizenship
About this course
IGCSE stands for the International General Certificate of Secondary Education. It is a special educational programme of preparation for IGCSE examinations and getting a qualification that is globally-recognised. This qualification fits into the latest educational developments and trends all over the world and can be an ideal foundation for A Level and the International Baccalaureate Diploma programs. Students normally sit five to seven subjects in the last years of their school.
FAQs
Why do students need IGCSE?
IGCSE program not only gives students a chance to go to the best colleges and universities, but also helps to develop their critical and creative thinking, independence, cultural and social awareness and thus building the foundation for further academic success. Good IGCSE exam results (points 4-9) is the best way to enter the best educational institutions all over the world.
How to choose subjects for study on the IGCSE program?
Traditionally, IGCSEs are taken in 5-6 subjects, depending on which path the students choose for their future profession. The range of IGCSE subjects is really wide but the students usually choose Mathematics, Business, ICT, English, Science (Biology, Physics or Chemistry) or humanities (Literature, Geography or History). When choosing the IGCSE subjects you should also consider your own interests and preferences. As a rule, IGCSE subjects are chosen “in excess”, so that it is possible to abandon disciplines which are more difficult to cope with.
In 2013 our British Online School Knowledge Space was accredited by Edexcel to run the programs in accordance with British educational standards. Since then, our students have studied various subjects at our British School and each year most of them pass IGCSE exams.
IGCSE in Global Citizenship is designed for students who want to enhance their educational or employment prospects. Students are expected to understand the main points of Global Citizenship and what it means to be a global citizen. They can produce simple, connected text on themes that are familiar or of personal interest and communicate formally and informally in a range of contexts.
The aims and objectives of this qualification are to:
- introduce key issues and changes affecting societies across the globe and develop students’ understanding of them,
- develop students’ understanding of how communities interact locally, nationally, regionally and globally in response to change,
- develop students’ skills of enquiry, analysis and evaluation of different perspectives in relation to global issues and change,
- enable students to participate in local community activities and understand the impact of these actions in terms of making a difference to their own community, to the communities of others or society.
Politics and Governance Democracy and Sovereignty
Topic Politics and Governance Democracy and Sovereignty:
- Systems of government
- Human rights
- International law
- Citizenship in action
Skills:
- Definition of democracy, representative and direct elections, referendum, nation state in global politics, the challenges to the sovereignty of nation states.
- Existing political systems and their impact on communities and individuals, differences between democratic and autocratic countries, the concepts of monarchy.
- Human rights; Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the nature and types of human, human rights during conflict, humanitarian intervention and peacekeeping; respect of the rights and freedoms.
- The origins, development of international law; the role of international laws, institutions and agreements in protecting the rights and freedoms of people, social movements, charities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
- Campaigning for global political change, the role of education in understanding significant global issues.
Economic Development and the Environment
Topic Economic Development and the Environment:
- The process of economic development
- The role of international organizations
- Protecting the environment
- The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
- Growth of regionalisation
- Citizenship in action
Skills:
- Three Human Development Index countries (high, medium, low), education and health disparities in each nation; new emerging economies; the roles of free and fair trade in economic development; international migration.
- The main international organisations supporting economic development WHO, UNICEF and UNHCR; difference between long-term and emergency development assistance; citizenship involvement with international organizations, volunteering and donations.
- Climate change, the impact of global economic development on the Global Commons, including rainforest removal, biodiversity loss and ocean pollution, ways of promoting the protection of the environment.
- UN work in support of global development, the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework, meeting SDG targets in two contrasting world regions.
- Reasons for the growth of regional multi-governmental organisations (MGOs), the consequences of MGO and the political reaction to globalisation and MGO growth.
- Assisting the development of other societies, including volunteering, campaignin; educating others; importance of charities and non-governmental organizations; the work of schools, charities, NGOs, and international organisations.
Culture and Community
Topic Culture and Community:
- Global and national cultures
- Identity and Migration
- Social attitudes and changing lifestyles
- Global language and communication
- Cultural change in emerging economies
- Citizenship in action
Skills:
- Growth towards a global culture, the rejection of globalised cultural change, the protection and promotion of national culture as an economic development strategy.
- The main economic, political, cultural and environmental reasons for increased international migration, the factors that shape individual and community identities, the effects of migration on patterns of identity and diversity in local and national communities.
- Changing social attitudes to participation in global events, the impact of cultural activities on national and international communities, lifestyle changes.
- Widespread use of European languages and increased take up of Chinese and Arabic, communications technology, accessibility of travel within and between countries.
- Changing patterns of wealth and poverty in emerging economies.
- Changing behaviours, the importance of education for promoting literacy and tackling cultural bias against disadvantaged groups in some societies, raising of own awareness of shifts in cultural traditions; health and social care related issues; educational initiatives for cultural change.
Technology
Topic Technology:
- Technology and economic development
- Technology and communities
- Technology, politics and citizenship
- Technology, energy and climate change
- Social media identities and freedoms
- Citizenship in action
Skills:
- The links between communications technology and economic development, the role of communications technology in trade and investment, the growing importance of communications technology in tackling inequality between and within communities.
- The role of communications technology in international community building, opportunities and threats for communities.
- Communications technology and campaigning, communications technology during elections, censorship and bias in relation to communications technology.
- Energy-saving technologies, technologies needed to tackle or adapt to future climate change.
- Ways in which personal identities can be affected by the growth of social media communities, personal rights and freedom of speech for users of social media, changing patterns of media use.
- Engaging with technological change, the role of law-making in support of technology access or protection issues, promoting technological skills the role of schools, charities, NGOs in improving access to technology.
Citizenship Community Action Project
Topic Citizenship Community Action Project
Skills:
- Identify an issue and carry out initial research.
- Undertake primary and secondary research.
- Represent their own and different points of view. Plan the action.
- Apply skills of collaboration, negotiation and influence as they deliver the activity.
- Critically evaluate their learning and the impact of the action.
- Develop exam technique for approaching essay writing and source analysis questions.
Thinking Synoptically
Topic Thinking Synoptically
Skills:
- Develop exam technique for approaching essay writing and source analysis questions.
IGCSE 14-16 y.o. |
IGCSE preparation, 3 or more subjects from the list (English SL, English1, Math, Physics, Chemistry, ICT, Geography, Economics, Business) |
72 lessons on each subject, every lesson lasts 60 minutes |
Price of the course (3 subjects) 5100 € |
Registration fee 250 € |
At the End of IGCSE Programme the students can take exams and get IGCSE certificates which allow them to apply to A-level, IB and other programmes of further education.