Among the three mainstream international high school courses, A-Level course is the most popular among Chinese international schools. According to statistics from the Jingling Research Institute, as of September 2022, a total of 443 international schools in mainland China have offered A-Level courses, higher than 370 AP courses and 173 IB DP courses. Not long ago, the
CAIE Examination Bureau announced the A-Level Application Considerations for Mainland China in the 2021-2022 academic year. More than 140,000 Chinese students took the A-Level Examination in this year, an increase of 11% over the previous academic year. Its development scale and speed in China can be seen. [1]
is different from the IB course that gives people a more "elite" impression and emphasizes "full education". The A-Level course is often called the "British College Entrance Examination". Some schools have also fallen into an exam-oriented education model similar to the college entrance examination when carrying out A-Level education. This kind of course quality education and innovative education are not often emphasized. However, there are still some schools in China that have continuously explored curriculum systems, teaching methods and other aspects based on deeply grasping the A-Level educational concept, and found broad development space for educational innovation under the A-Level framework.
-
A-Level courses come with innovative genes
Hydexcel
A-Level courses and exams in China are mainly provided by three major examination bureaus: CAIE, Edexcel and AQA. Entering the official website of these three examination bureaus, it is not difficult to see their emphasis on innovation and creativity when introducing A-Level courses. For example, the AQA Examination Bureau regards "stimulating students' potential" as the mission of carrying out education [2]; CAIE also proposed in the training goals of A-Level education that students need to have the ability to think independently after completing their studies, as well as the ability to transfer knowledge and apply innovatively. [3]
Source: cambridgeinternational.org
At the same time, the subject updates and examination reforms that A-Level have successively promoted in recent years also reflect the characteristics of this curriculum system adapting to the development of the times and the needs of students, and constantly changing and evolving. The most embodied in the
A-Level curriculum system is the EPQ (Extended Project Qualification) project, which is a representative of research-based learning. is different from other A-Level subjects. Students do not pass the exam, but obtain the results of this course by completing project research independently. In the EPQ course, students can decide and lead various projects at their own discretion, study topics of interest, and generate their research results into an academic research report. If conditions permit, they can also produce related works.
After studying in EPQ courses, students' comprehensive abilities, including academic abilities, can be effectively improved. The AQA Examination Bureau believes that students can achieve multi-faceted growth in such project-based and research-oriented learning: [4]
• Become a more critical, reflective and independent learner
• Develop and apply skills in decision-making and problem-solving
• Improve planning, research, analysis, synthesis, evaluation and expression
• Learn to apply technology confidently
• Show creativity, initiative and enterprising
Image source: aqa.org.uk
2
5 Under the A-Level framework, how do they do it?
UK-based universities have rigid requirements for A-Level scores when enrolling students. 3A or even 3A* is the entry threshold for many popular colleges or majors. This strict score requirement has led many students to put scores first during two years of A-Level study, thus ignoring other aspects of development. In order to break through this limitation in the curriculum system, some international schools have made attempts to innovate educationally in many aspects.
1
Grasp the pulse of the times and develop cutting-edge courses
Educational innovation first lies in the innovation of curriculum design.Different A-Level Examination Bureaus provide students with dozens of subjects that they can choose freely. How to make reasonable subject choices has become the first level of A-Level learning for students.
Jingling found through statistics on the 2022 A-Level June college entrance examination in some domestic schools that the most popular subjects among domestic schools and students are traditional science subjects such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and advanced mathematics. Official statistics from Ofqual in the UK show that the number of applicants in England that has the largest increase in the number of applicants for this major exam is emerging and cutting-edge subjects such as computer, design and technology; with the increase in the overall number of applicants for A-Level, the number of applicants for mathematics, physics, chemistry, and advanced mathematics in England has all declined to varying degrees.
The changes in the selection of subjects for students in the UK are a direct reflection of the economic and social development trends in the field of education. In the future, the demand for computer talents in society will continue to grow. According to statistics from Beijing Ling, in the 2022 A-Level summer exam, only single digits were found in schools in China that announced their computer science exam results. When computer science is still low in China, Lingke Education Shanghai Campus has already created this subject as a special course. students in Shanghai learned introductory computer knowledge in the IGCSE stage and proficient in the Python programming language. By the A-Level stage, students will realize the transformation of learning habits and thinking by learning the working principles of computer networks, and prepare for future university studies. [5]
Source: Lingke Education Shanghai Campus Official Website
In recent years, Lingke Shanghai students have won awards repeatedly in the American Computer Science Thinking Challenge (ACSL). Winning many national and world-class awards in this historic American primary and secondary school computer programming challenge is the best manifestation of Lingke Shanghai adapting to the development trend of the times and maintaining a high level of A-Level education in emerging disciplines.
2
takes advantage of the characteristics of flexible course selection and practice teaching according to the aptitude
A-Level courses are highly flexible. In addition to some universities and majors having certain requirements or preferences for applicants' courses, students' course selection is not restricted by hard rules. On the one hand, this flexibility has caused a small challenge to the international school schedule arrangement and class setting, and on the other hand, it has created excellent opportunities for the development of "teaching according to aptitude". While starting the A-Level course, Guanghua Qiding also introduced the concept of "individual school" to China. In 8 years of educational practice, Guanghua Qiding has always insisted on customizing personalized educational plans for students. Each student has his own exclusive responsible tutor, class schedule, and admission schedule. He can freely choose the courses of the three major examination bureaus for study according to his own conditions. The scale of each class is strictly controlled at about 5 people. In 2022, Guanghua Qiding students received 145 G5 admissions, and 9 were admitted to Cambridge University , with outstanding teaching results.
Source: Guanghua Qiding official microscope
Although not every school has the conditions for "personal education", in the process of implementing the education model of teaching students in accordance with the aptitude, Guanghua Qiding's three measures can still be used for reference by A-Level schools:
is first of all a customized learning plan. After students enter school, the school needs to help students find their interest direction as soon as possible, and determine the most suitable subject choices based on their goals, as well as competition and activity planning.
is followed by a small class teaching model. small-class teaching is conducive to ensuring the synchronization of teaching and learning. Schools can use this teaching model to use each student’s specific learning ability rather than the fixed progress of the textbook as the teaching standard.
The third is the exclusive responsible tutor system. The more personalized the education is, the more teachers need to focus on each specific student. The responsibility tutoring system ensures that students’ unique needs can be responded to.[6]
3
develops diverse practical activities to expand classroom boundaries
In A-Level education, students often only need to choose 3 to 4 subjects they are good at for study within two years. Such subject settings limit the knowledge range that students can obtain to a certain extent. In addition to A-Level teaching carried out in accordance with the curriculum syllabus, schools still need to help students broaden their horizons through diverse extracurricular practical activities, cultivate talents who are more familiar with the times and social development and have more opportunities to succeed in the future.
Tianjin Yinghua Experimental School ranks seventh in the country in 2022 Beijing Leader China International School Competitiveness Ranking · UK Undergraduate Direction . As of June this year, students of the Cambridge program of Tianjin Yinghua International High School have received 6 Niu Jian offers, 53 G5 offers, 19 Hong Kong University offers and other prestigious schools. The dazzling academic performance is the competitive ace of Tianjin Yinghua, but such results are not achieved through blindly "studying hard". In addition to academics, Tianjin Yinghua also provides students with more opportunities to expand their practice.
Based on the existing A-Level courses and carefully designed school-based courses, Tianjin Yinghua divided A-Level students' courses into five major modules: humanities, social sciences, mathematics, language, expansion, and science. Among them, expansion courses broaden the boundaries of the classroom through special activities such as "society courses" and "Yinghua Sword Controversy".
When recalling the high school life of Yinghua in Tianjin, many graduates all mentioned the important role of the "Yinghua Sword Contest" in broadening their horizons and enhancing their understanding of subject areas. From math experts, economic experts, to travel writers and pioneers in African education, by inviting guests from all walks of life, forum activities like "English Sword Controversy" allow students to learn and grow from a wider world outside the classroom, through listening, communicating and thinking.
Previous English-Chinese Sword Controversy
Picture source: Tianjin Yinghua Experimental School Official Micro
4
Innovative teaching methods and stimulate students' potential
In mainland China, Shenzhen International Exchange Academy is the well-deserved "king" for undergraduate studies in the UK. In 2022, students from Shenzhen Guojiao received 33 Niujian admissions, and the school has become the school with the largest number of Niujian admissions in the country for 17 consecutive years. To achieve such dazzling academic achievement, one of the valuable experiences of Shenzhen Guojiao is to innovate in the teaching methods of A-Level courses. Shenzhen Guojun adopts a teaching method that integrates Chinese and Western China, discusses and inquiry, and focuses on cultivating students' ability to solve practical problems. [7]
For example, Shenzhen Guojiao’s biology course will not only walk out of the classroom, but even walk out of Shenzhen. mangrove , safari , parks and tourist attractions were all biology classes for teachers and students of Shenzhen Guojiao. Shenzhen Guoshu has also carried out project-based learning in mathematics disciplines, analyzing Shenzhen's population migration data and the impact of population migration on urbanization, designing parachutes that can be safely implemented, and smoothing the development curve of the epidemic through statistical modeling and calculation operations... These are projects designed and carried out by students themselves. When the knowledge in the textbook is taught through more innovative teaching methods, students have the opportunity to learn and think more actively, and stimulate their personal potential in practical exploration and build their own unique knowledge system.
Source: Shenzhen Guojie Official Micro-
3
Conclusion
A-Level is the most international courses offered in China, and the competition among international schools featuring A-Level is also quite fierce. However, test scores should not be the only criterion for such competition. It is precisely because A-Level education is often "test-oriented" by implementers that international schools that actively explore educational innovation and are committed to comprehensive development of students under the A-Level framework are particularly precious.The effective methods of innovative education summarized through the observation of the above-mentioned A-Level prestigious school education model may be able to provide reference for many A-Level schools to achieve "full-person training".
Reference
[1] Cambridge International Examination: Cambridge University International Examination Department’s 2022 Global Summer Examination Results Release. https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/RlKa6xfBFD_CPnpDCMRoSw
[2] About us. https://www.aqa.org.uk/about-us
[3] Curriculum. https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-advanced/cambridge-international-as-and-a-levels/curriculum/
[4] Level 3 Extended Project Qualification. https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/projects/project-qualifications/EPQ-7993/introduction
[5] Featured courses. http://www.uluink.cn/shanghai/te-se-ke-cheng.html
[6] Guanghua Qiding 2022 autumn enrollment is fully launched. https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Pp5aXeGhUHrvOm_lZvxntw
[7] About Shenzhen International Exchange College. https://www.alevel.com.cn/news/faq/
