1. An introduction for parents
Cambridge Advanced
An introduction for parents
Presenter Name Job title Date

2. Cambridge Assessment International Education
We prepare school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning.
Nearly a million students in over 10,000 Cambridge schools in 160 countries
We have a 150-year history of providing international exams.
We are part of the University of Cambridge.
Cambridge Assessment International Education prepares school students for life, helping them develop an informed curiosity and a lasting passion for learning.
Nearly a million students from Cambridge schools in 160 countries now prepare for their future with an international education.
We believe education works best when curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment are closely aligned.
We encourage teaching practice that engages students in their own learning, and we support our programmes with high-quality resources.
Our view is that assessment should both prove and improve students’ learning, giving them focus, pace and challenge. We organise our assessment in a way that maximises time for teaching and learning.
Our programmes develop deep knowledge, conceptual understanding and higher-order thinking skills, to prepare our students for their future.
We are part of the University of Cambridge and the only exam board that is wholly owned by a world-leading university, and we have a 150-year history of providing international exams

3. Cambridge Pathway
Cambridge Pathway
Our Cambridge Pathway gives students a clear path for educational success from age 5 to 19.
Its wide range of subjects and flexibility gives schools the chance to shape the curriculum so that it is exciting and relevant for their own students.
Cambridge Pathway students have the chance to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to achieve at school, university and beyond.
The four stages lead seamlessly from primary to secondary and pre-university years. Each stage builds on the students’ development from the previous one, but can also be offered separately.
Cambridge Advanced
Cambridge Advanced is typically for students aged 16 to 19 years who need advanced study to prepare for university and higher education.
It builds on the foundations of Cambridge Lower Secondary, although students do not need to have completed that stage.
The Cambridge Advanced stage of the Cambridge curriculum includes Cambridge International AS & A Level qualifications.
Cambridge Advanced, run by an international examinations board, offers stability for schools regardless of education reform in any one country.

4. Cambridge International AS & A Level – international curriculum
Students develop deep subject knowledge, conceptual understanding and higher order thinking skills.
They learn the skills needed for life and to achieve at school, university and work
Flexibility of study - students can choose from 55 subjects.
Over entries a year from 134 countries.
Cambridge International AS & A Level develops deep subject knowledge, conceptual understanding and higher order thinking skills.
We have a rolling review programme to make sure Cambridge qualifications reflect the latest developments in education.
In revising our Cambridge International AS & A Level syllabuses we have consulted with some of the world’s leading higher education institutes – including the University of Cambridge, Harvard and MIT.
They told us that what really helps learners succeed at university is a firm grasp of the subject’s key concepts – concepts that, once grasped, enable learners to solve problems or understand new aspects of their subject.
Our revised syllabuses clearly identify the key concepts in Cambridge International AS & A Level subjects so that teachers can build them into their teaching.
Students develop the skills they need for life and to achieve at school, university and work.
We offer an unrivalled choice of over 50 subjects at A Level. Schools can let students choose subjects in any combination so they can specialise or study a range of subjects.
Cambridge International AS & A Level is taught in 134 countries, with over 500,000 entries per year – the heritage and breadth of use means there is robust support for schools.

5. Cambridge International AS & A Level – teaching and learning
We help schools encourage learners to become:
confident
responsible
reflective
innovative
engaged.
Students develop an ability to reflect on their learning, so they can plan, monitor and control their learning strategies.
We help schools encourage learners to become confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged:
confident in working with information and ideas – their own and those of others
responsible for themselves, responsive to and respectful of others
reflective as learners, developing their ability to learn
innovative and equipped for new and future challenges
engaged intellectually and socially, ready to make a difference.
We help develop an ability in students to reflect on their learning, so they can plan, monitor and control their learning strategies.

6. Cambridge International AS & A Level – assessment
Exams taken at the end of the course - students develop a deeper understanding of subjects.
Choice of three assessment options.
Each subject receives a separate grade.
Grades are from A* to E, with A* being the highest.
Exams in November and June with flexibility of timing.
Assessment
Cambridge Advanced is committed to the linear approach to study making sure that students taking Cambridge International A Levels are assessed after two full years of study.
A linear structure with exams at the end of the course gives more time for learning.
Many of the world’s top universities have made clear their appreciation of this linear approach, and we share their belief that linear courses allow students to develop a deeper understanding of subjects.
Students can choose from a range of assessment options:
Option 1: Take the Cambridge International AS Level only. The Cambridge International AS Level syllabus content is half a Cambridge International A Level.
Option 2: Take a ‘staged’ assessment route – take the Cambridge International AS Level in one examination series and complete the final Cambridge International A Level in a subsequent series.
Option 3: Take all papers of the Cambridge International A Level course in the same examination series, usually at the end of the course.
Our grade range caters for a broad ability range, including clear differentiation at the top end.
Each subject that a students takes at Cambridge International AS & A Level receives a separate grade as opposed to an overall score:
The Cambridge International A Level is reported on a grade scale from A* grade, awarded for the highest level of achievement, to E, indicating the minimum required performance.
There is no A* grading in the certification of Cambridge International AS Levels, which runs from grade A to grade E.
Cambridge Advanced offers flexibility for assessment – with exam series in November and June to cater to school terms in both the northern and southern hemispheres.
We offer flexibility of timing – making sure every candidate can sit their paper at the right time regardless of the time zone where they live.

7. International recognition
Cambridge qualifications are accepted at over 1400 institutions across 195 countries, including the top ranking universities around the world that you can see on this slide.
Cambridge students can be confident that their qualifications will be understood and valued throughout their education and career, in their home country and internationally.
Students use Cambridge International AS & A Levels to gain places at leading universities worldwide including in the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Singapore, Egypt, Jordan, South Africa, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain.
Cambridge International AS & A Levels are accepted for entrance to all UK universities.
In places such as the United States and Canada, good grades in carefully chosen Cambridge International A Level subjects can result in up to one year of university course credit.
Over 500 US universities accept Cambridge International AS & A Levels, including all Ivy League and Ivy Plus universities. These universities include Brown, Harvard, MIT, Stanford and Yale.
For more information about recognition of Cambridge qualifications, including a database of institutions that accept them, go to where you will find a recognition database listing all the universities and higher education institutions that recognise Cambridge qualifications.
It is easy to search the database to find university entry criteria - you can search by country and by qualification.
Cambridge qualifications are accepted at over 1400 institutions across 195 countries, including top ranking universities around the world.

8. International recognition
What are admissions officers looking for?
The top five skills and qualities university admissions officers are looking for when they are assessing applicants are:
Overall academic achievement
Character traits e.g. motivation, perseverance, collaboration
Proficiency in English
Understanding in subject area
Extracurricular activities.
We wanted to find out what university admissions staff around the world look for when selecting candidates.
We also wanted to get their views about Cambridge qualifications, in particular how well they feel they prepare students for university study.
We surveyed 130 higher education admissions staff in 10 countries, including the USA (73), UK (25), Australia and Canada. The respondents included admissions staff from Ivy League and Russell Group universities.

9. Why do university admissions officers rate Cambridge so highly?
The feedback on Cambridge qualifications was overwhelmingly positive. After removing the small number of respondents who ‘didn’t know’ for a particular question, we found that:
Admissions staff are extremely enthusiastic about the benefits of Cambridge in equipping students for university:
98% said that Cambridge qualifications give students an excellent preparation for university
98% said that Cambridge qualifications help students to succeed at university once they’re there
Admissions staff recognise and value the knowledge and skills that Cambridge programmes and qualifications develop, and agree that Cambridge students stand out against students with other qualifications:
100% agreed that Cambridge students have in-depth knowledge of their subject
100% agreed that Cambridge students think logically and present ordered and coherent arguments
95% agreed that Cambridge students think independently

10. Why do university admissions officers rate Cambridge so highly?
This slide shows just a small selection of the positive comments we received in the survey.
You can see how admissions officers value the skills and knowledge that Cambridge programmes and qualifications develop in students, and how well-prepared for university study Cambridge students are.

11. Why do university admissions officers rate Cambridge so highly?
This slide shows just a small selection of the positive comments we received in the survey.
You can see how admissions officers value the skills and knowledge that Cambridge programmes and qualifications develop in students, and how well-prepared for university study Cambridge students are.

12. Studying Cambridge International A Levels gave me invaluable preparation for my study at the University of Cambridge.
Xiao Zhang, former Cambridge student, China

13. Global community
Connect with Cambridge students from around the world via Facebook. Look for Cambridge Assessment International Education on Twitter for all the latest news and educational debate Bringing our Cambridge Pathway to life, our videos are for students, parents and teachers. Look for CambridgeSchools on YouTube Keep up to date with all the latest news from Cambridge on the Cambridge Assessment International Education page on Linkedin
Parents and students at Cambridge schools benefit from being part of a global community of nearly a million students in over 10,000 Cambridge schools in 160 countries.
We encourage members of that community to share their ideas and their experiences with us and each other on our social media platforms:
Facebook – connect with Cambridge students from around the world. Look for Cambridge Assessment International Education
Twitter – for all the latest news and educational debate
YouTube – bringing our Cambridge Pathway to life, our videos are for students, parents and teachers. Look for CambridgeSchools
LinkedIn – keep up to date with all the latest news from Cambridge on the Cambridge Assessment International Education page