Introduction

The British International section of El Alsson is a fully accredited member of British Schools in the Middle East, successfully inspected by the UK Department for Education (through their British Schools Overseas scheme), and is an approved centre for Edexcel and Cambridge GCSE, IGCSE, AS and A-Level examinations and for Cambridge Assessments professional/admissions tests, including the BMAT. The British section delivers the proven system of English education to children aged 3 to 18: from Foundation Stage 1 to Year 13.
Most children enter in either FS1 (3 year olds) or FS2 (4 year olds), but others join at all stages except into the second year of the GCSE programme (into Year 11). After Year 1, parents decide whether their child will continue in the British system, or will join our American Elementary School.

In line with the National Curriculum for England, children between the ages of 3 and 5 follow the Foundation Stage Curriculum: a two-year programme designed to meet the needs of this age group and prepare them for entry into Key Stage 1. In Year 1, children embark on the first year of the KS1 curriculum.

From Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 3 (age 6-14), students follow the National Curriculum for England (www.curriculum.qcda.gov.uk), adapted slightly to meet the needs of our student body, which is made up of Egyptian nationals and children from more than 20 other countries. All students study the core programme of:
English, Mathematics, Science and Information & Communication Technology, as well as Arabic and Religion (Islam or Christianity),
broadened by:
Art, French, Geography, History, Music (Primary School)/Performing Arts (Senior School) and Physical Education.
Planning, preparation, delivery and assessment follows the requirements of the National Curriculum, including the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies.

In Key Stages 4 and 5, students choose their subjects for GCSE, AS and A-Level. All GCSE students (KS4) study a core of:
English and English Literature; Mathematics; Arabic; Religion (Islam or Christianity); and Physical Education
enhanced by five options subjects from:
Art & Design; Biology; Business Studies; Chemistry; Drama; French; Geography; History; Information & Communication Technology; Physics

Key Stage 5 (‘Sixth Form’) students choose four subjects to study at A-Level in Year 12, and continue with three of these to full A-Level in Year 13. Available subjects include:
Arabic; Art & Design; Biology; Business Studies; Chemistry; Economics; English Literature; French; Geography; Government & Politics; History; Information & Communication Technology; Mathematics (Mechanics or Statistics); Physics; and Physical Education.
Planning, preparation, delivery and assessment follows the requirements of the National Curriculum and the Examination Boards.

Many of our students are Egyptian, and so the Arabic, Religion and National Social Studies programme that we offer for first language speakers throughout the school is certified by the Ministry of Education and meets the requirements for Egyptian students through all phases of National education: Primary, Prep and Secondary up to Thanawiya’Amma and fulfils all curriculum requirements for entry into Egyptian universities. We also provide Arabic as a Second Language for foreigners throughout the school, and this can be taken as a GCSE subject in Year 11.

Students who take GCSEs, AS and A-Levels in the Senior School achieve excellent grades. Graduates have gone on great success in top universities in Egypt and abroad, notably in the UK, USA and Canada, but also in a large number of other countries. This is further evidence of the high standards we set for our students and of our successful approach to developing our children’s learning.

The British International School fees reflect an average class size of 20-24 students and the employment of well-qualified overseas teachers.