The world-class Cambridge Lower Secondary curriculum is based on international best practice for schools and dedicated to developing learners who are confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged. Each curriculum framework is designed to engage learners in an active and creative learning journey.

Invictus believes in a balanced education that establishes a solid foundation for all students in literacy and numeracy while allowing students to explore specialist areas dependent on their interests, strengths, ability, and college aspirations. To achieve this, our secondary school follows the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) curriculum which helps to ensure we maintain a good standard of our students' academic aspirations.

The Cambridge Checkpoint is an intermediary stage for students studying the Cambridge curriculum and is taken towards the end of the lower secondary stage in year 9. Students build on their understanding and skills in English, Science and Mathematics. This sets an excellent preparatory ground for them to take on higher Cambridge qualifications including the IGCSE. The tests are designed with international learners in mind so as to suit students of all cultural and language backgrounds. The tests are assessed externally by CIE and provide schools with an international yardstick to gauge student performance.

Feedback from Cambridge Lower Secondary Checkpoint will help the school make strategic decisions, drawing upon a pool of information and specialist reporting tools that are built into the tests. The reports are used to:

• Tailor individual learning programmes
• Monitor group and individual performance
• Compare the performance of all learners taking tests in that session
• Manage learning programmes within schools and as learners move between schools.

The test feedback measures a learner’s performance in relation to:

• The Curriculum framework
• Their teaching group
• A whole school cohort
• Previous years’ learners.

Each student will receive an individual student report that provides:

• Scores for the whole subject
• Scoresfor each main topic/skill
• List of the questions (and the sub-topics/skills) where the candidate’s performance was particularly strong or particularly weak
• Statement of achievement.

The Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) curriculum is the world’s most popular international qualification. The IGCSE curriculum usually takes two years to complete, with an external examination for each subject at the end and serves to prepare students for the Cambridge International A-Levels. The assessment system ranges from written to oral tests, practical exams, coursework and is appropriate for students of all abilities.

The Cambridge IGCSE curriculum gives students the freedom to choose a course of study that is right for them. Students are able to choose subjects that are in line with plans for further education or career goals.

The Cambridge International A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a secondary school completion qualification offered by established examination boards in the United Kingdom. With more than 55 subject choices available to choose from the Cambridge International A-Level is considered to be the 'Gold Standard' in education. Obtaining an A-Level certificate is generally required for university entrance, with universities granting offers based on grades achieved.

The Cambridge International A-Levels generally take two years to complete. Students normally take three to four A-Level subjects in their first year, and most cut back to three in their second year as university offers are usually based on three A-Level subjects. Unlike other level three qualifications such as the International Baccalaureate, the A-Level curriculum has no specific subject requirements, so students will have the opportunity to take any combination of subjects. However, most students will pick their subjects based on the degree they wish to pursue in university as most courses require specific A-Level subjects for admission.

Formative and continuous assessment will be used for the examination and assessment of your child’s learning and understanding of the curriculum at Invictus School. Results will be informed by a combination of:

• Formal knowledge test
• Teacher observations
• The assessment written and other project work
• Self-assessment, for example against the school's matrix for learning

An ongoing partnership between home and school is vital to support growth and learning throughout the school years, but especially with younger children. In addition to this ongoing relationship, there will be two opportunities each academic year for parent / teacher / student conferences to discuss progress and set targets for learning. We also have two written reports, one at mid-year and one at the end of the school year. Please note that we will always be keen to meet with parents to discuss important issues, whenever they arise.