is a two year programme spread across grade 9 and 10, leading to externally set, marked and certificated examinations from the University of Cambridge at the end of second year .
Cambridge IGCSE is the world’s most popular international qualification for 14 to 16 year olds, although it can be taken by students of other ages. It now attracts over 800 000 entries every year from 4800 schools in 145 different countries every year. Cambridge IGCSE gives students the flexibility to choose from 70 subjects in any combination. Cambridge IGCSE is tried, tested and trusted – 2018 marks the 30th anniversary of the first Cambridge IGCSE exam.
The concept of a ‘Cambridge learner’ helps us communicate attributes we believe are important for learners in the modern world. We recognise that a meaningful curriculum is more than a collection of subjects. Learners need to develop a set of academic skills, life skills and attitudes to be successful. We help schools encourage learners to become confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged:
The Cambridge IGCSE subjects are grouped into five curriculum areas.
Group I: Languages
First Language English 0500
Foreign Language French 0520
Group II: Humanities and Social Sciences
Geography 0460
Group III: Sciences
Biology 0610
Chemistry 0620
Physics 0625
Group IV: Mathematics
Mathematics 0580
Group V: Creative and Professional
Information and Communication Technology 0417
ICE CERTIFICATE
It is a group award given to students for choosing broad and balanced curriculum by recognising the achievements of learners who pass examinations in at least seven subjects.
Learners must take two different languages from Group I, and one subject from each of Groups II, III, IV and V. The seventh subject can be taken from any of the five subject groups.
The ICE group award is reported on a three point scale of grades: Distinction, Merit and Pass.
Distinction - Grade A or better in five subjects and grade C ir better in two subjects
Merit - Grade C or better in five subjects and grade F or better in two subjects
Pass - Grade G or better in seven subjects
What is the difference between IGCSE Core and IGCSE Extended?
To take account of differing abilities, there is a choice between Core and Extended papers in some IGCSE subjects. This allows teachers to decide on the most appropriate level of papers for their students.
The Core curriculum in each subject is within the ability range of a large majority of students. It provides a full overview of the subject and is targeted at students expected to achieve grades C to G.
The Extended curriculum, made up of the Core curriculum and the Supplement, has been designed for the more academically able and leads naturally into higher education or professional training. It is targeted at those expected to achieve grades A* to E. The Supplement describes the extra topics or depth which must be added to the Core curriculum to produce the Extended curriculum.
Students do not need to enter for the same level of curriculum in all subjects.
Target Grades Grades Available
Core Curriculum C D E F G
Extended Curriculum A* A B C D E
The overlap of three grades (C, D and E) is designed to accommodate students who perform either better or worse than their teachers expect. Students who fail to meet the minimum satisfactory standard for either the Core curriculum (Grade G) or the Extended curriculum (Grade E) will be ungraded.
In some subjects, the exam covers the complete ability range and there is no choice of Core and Extended papers. For these subjects, the full range of grades is available.
It is important to remember that Core covers grades C to G and Extended covers grades A* to E. If a student is securely in the ‘middle’ of the range, only the Extended tier will offer the grades the student may be capable of achieving. Students are not able to achieve above a C for their syllabus grade if they are entered for the Core curriculum.
SYLLABUS DETAILS for CAMBRIDGE IGCSE (FEBRUARY/ MARCH 2019)
English Subject Code: 0500 (first language)
Total Papers : 2
Component Codes : 22, 32
Name of the Components/ (Papers):-
Reading Passages (extended) 0500/22
Directed Writing and Composition 0500/32
Time : 2hrs each
Weightage : 50% each
Reading Passages - 0500/22 (From two passages)
No: of questions to be answered: 3
Question 1:- (15 marks)
Topics:- Letter (formal/informal), Speech, News Report, Report, Magazine Article, News Article, Diary Entry, Journal Entry. (Word limit : 250 - 350)
Question 2:- (two subsections) (5 marks each)
How writer creates effects (Word limit : 150 each)
Question 3:- (25 marks)
Summary Writing (Word limit : 200)
Directed Writing and composition 0500/32 (A passage and 4 composition choices)
No: of questions to be answered: 2
Section A - Passage
Question 1:- 25 marks
Word Limit: - 250 - 350
Topics:- Letter (formal/informal), Speech, News Report, Report, Magazine Article, News Article, Diary Entry, Journal Entry, Interview, Dialogue
(Attempt the given topic in argumentative/discursive/persuasive form based on the given passage).
Section B:- Composition (25 marks)
Descriptive two questions ; Narrative two questions. Out of 4 options students have to attempt any one.
Word Limit: - 350 - 450
FRENCH Subject code: 0520 (French foreign language)
Total Papers : 4
Paper 12: LISTENING COMPREHENSION
Duration : 45 minutes/ 6 sections
Weightage : 25% (marks -45)
Each question will be repeated twice.
Tape should be downloaded and practiced with speakers in the question booklets.
Get the rhythm of the language by constant practice and learn the vocabulary and phrases.
Paper 22: READING COMPREHENSION
Duration : 1 hour/7 sections
Weightage : 25% (marks-45)
Past papers should be practiced. New expressions and vocabulary should be noted and learned. Question words and question formation should be revised.
Paper 03: SPEAKING
Duration : 15 minutes/ 3 sections.
Weightage : 25% (marks-45)
Role plays should be practised from the past paper booklets.
Given topics and prepared question answers should be by-hearted and presented.
Paper 24: WRITING
Duration : 1 hour/3 sections
Weightage : 25% (marks- 50)
Vocabulary should be revised. Short essays and the essays should be practised from the past paper booklets and get them corrected.
General guide lines
Revise the vocabulary, grammar, tenses and special expressions. Read the A1 and A2 textbooks and the reading passages of the past papers. Collect and learn all the new vocabulary and expressions.
MATHEMATICS Subject code: 0580
Total Papers : 4
Paper 22
Maximum marks : 70
Duration : 1 hr. 30 mts.
Weightage : 35%
Paper 42
Maximum marks : 130
Duration : 2 hrs. 30 mts.
Weightage : 65%
Concentrate more on algebra and graph work
Workout maximum past paper questions.
Read the questions thoroughly before solving them.
Write appropriate steps wherever necessary.
Students can use the calculator for both the papers. They have to answer in the question paper booklet. All questions are compulsory.
Information and Communication Technology Subject code: 0417
Total Papers : 3
Component Code : Paper 12/Theory
Paper weightage : 40%
Total Marks : 100
Duration : 2 hrs
Covers chapters 1-16 of text. Students have to be thorough with the theory portions in the text. Students can refer past papers for practice to know how questions have to be answered. Students may get new variety of questions every year. Questions are mostly application questions.
Component Code:21 /Practical A - Practical paper based on MS Word, MS Access and MS PowerPoint.
Component Code:31 /Practical B - Practical paper based on MS Excel, HTML, CSS
Marks : 80 each
Duration : 2.5 hrs each
Paper weightage : 30% each
Pattern is generally based on past papers. Change in pattern is also possible. But students can use past papers as a complete resource for practising their Practical Papers. Regular practice is required to finish the paper on time and to perform the tasks as the questions demand. Printouts of their work will be taken and sent to Cambridge for evaluation. Extra time would not be provided. Students should listen to the instructions given during practical classes and practical exam. Questions from theory part can also be asked in practical papers.
PHYSICS Subject code: 0625
Total Papers: 3
Paper 22: Multiple choice, Component code-22,
Marks - 40,
Duration-45 minutes
40 Multiple Choice questions based on the extended subject content.
Weightage of this paper is 30%.
Paper 42: Theory paper, Component code-42, Marks-80, Duration- 1 hour 15 minutes.
Short-answer and structured questions based on extended subject content. Weightage of this paper is 50%.
Paper 62: Alternative to practical, Component code-62,
Marks-40,
Duration- 1 hour.
It is a written paper based on practical work. Questions will be based on the experimental skills. Weightage of this paper is 20%.
Assessment objectives as a percentage of each component
Knowledge with understanding for paper 1&2 is 63%.
Handling information and problem solving for paper 1&2 is 37%.
Experimental skills and investigation for Paper 6 is 100%.
Guidelines:
Paper 22: This is a multiple choice paper. Attempt all the questions as per the instructions given in the class.
Paper 42: This is a theory paper.
If a question comes with diagrams it is easy to answer the question but they must read and understand the introductory sentences above the diagram first before trying to answer the question.
If there are three marks available for calculation two of the three marks are for showing their working.
Paper 62: This is the alternative to practical paper.
When plotting a graph it is important to choose the scales so that the plots occupy more than half of the graph grid. Careless, rushed graph plotting can lose several marks. They should always use a sharp pencil and plot small, neat, accurately placed crosses. Then draw a neat thin best fit line.
They should understand that if y is proportional to x then the graph will be a straight line through the origin.
Final answers should be approximated to two or three significant figures.
CHEMISTRY Subject code: 0620
Total Papers: 3
Paper 22 - 40 multiple choice questions should be answered in 45 minutes. Maximum marks is 40. Each question has four choices. To be answered in OMR sheet.
Assessment Objectives:
AO1 - Knowledge with understanding- 63%
AO2 - Handling information and problem solving- 37%
Weightage - 30 %
OMR sheets will be provided for mock exams to give them practice.
Guidelines - Read the questions thoroughly and underline the keywords of the question. Identify the correct choice by deleting three choices. Check with the keywords once again whether the choice is correct as per the given question. Adjust the time for answering each question with an average of 1 minute.
Paper 42 - Short answer questions and structured questions
Duration of the paper -1 hour 15 minutes
Maximum Marks - 80
Assessment Objectives:
AO1 - Knowledge with understanding - 63%
AO2 - Handling information and problem solving -37%
To be answered in the question paper booklet.
Weightage - 50 %
For Paper 22 and Paper 42 calculator can be used and a data sheet of periodic table will be provided along with the question paper.
Guidelines - Students should be thorough with the concepts. Be familiar with the command words of questions (define, describe, suggest, measure, state etc).Read and understand the question, underline the keywords and answer as per the marks. Read the key words of question once again and confirm that the framing of the answer is correct. Write the answer including the key points and the chemistry words within the space provided.
Paper 62 - Alternative to practical.
Duration: 1 hour
Maximum marks: 40
To be answered in the question paper booklet.
Assessment objective:
AO3 - Experimental skills and investigations -100%
Students should have the skill to identify commonly used Chemistry lab apparatus, experimental techniques, taking accurate readings from diagrams, analysing data, plotting and analysing graphs, reasoning and suggesting data, identifying Cations and Anions from tests, observations and results and planning investigations.
BIOLOGY Subject code 0610
Total Papers: 3
Paper 22 - Multiple Choice
Duration : 45 minutes
Weightage : 30%
Maximum marks : 40
40 multiple choice questions. Four choices for each question. (Questions based on the extended subject content. (Core and supplement)
Paper 42 - Theory
Duration : 1 hour 15 minutes
Weightage : 50%
Maximum marks : 80
Short answer and structured questions. Questions based on the extended subject content. (Core and supplement)
Paper 62 - Alternative to practical
Duration : 1 hour
Weightage : 20%
Maximum marks : 40
Questions based on the experimental skills and investigations.
General Guidelines (Physics, Chemistry and Biology)
1) All the chapters should be revised thoroughly. Questions are asked from all chapters but certain chapters have more weightage. (Students have been provided guidance on the same)
2) Write and learn the formulae and equations, draw and label diagrams while preparing for the exam.
3) It is easy to remember and relate key concepts and processes if students prepare arrow diagrams, flow charts, web diagrams etc. as per the requirement.
4) Do maximum past papers. After doing each paper only check the answers with the mark scheme. Refer all the suggested answers but give importance to the best answer in the mark scheme.
5) While doing the past papers, refer the text and clear any concept which is found difficult.
6) Read, underline the keywords, understand the question and see the mark before answering each question
GEOGRAPHY Subject code 0460
Total Papers: 3
Paper 1 - Geographical Themes
Component code : 12
Duration : 1 hour 45 minutes
Paper weightage : 45%
Maximum Marks : 75
Candidates should answer 3 questions. Each question carries 25 marks. Candidates must answer one question from each section.
Paper 2 (Map) - Geographical Skills
Component Code : 22
Duration : 1 hour 30 minutes
Paper weightage : 27.5%
Maximum Marks : 60
Candidates answer all questions
Paper 4 - Alternative to Course work
Component Code : 42
Duration : 1 hour 30 minutes
Paper weightage : 27.5%
Maximum Marks : 60
Answer all questions
Guidelines
Paper 1
Theory based questions
80% application level questions
Write points according to the marks ex: 4 marks questions - 4 points
Paper 2
Map based questions (30 marks) Theory questions 30 marks
Practise with maps will be given in school
Paper 4
Investigation skill tested in the paper
Study all the graphs in record and page 250 of text book and general theory part.
Questions can be from any topic of text book.
General Guidelines
Best way of revision is to study a particular topic and practise board questions related to that.
Write all answers point wise and underline the keywords.
Do as many board papers as possible
Answer to the question
Write all answers in full sentence.
