Admission

FAQs

What is Cambridge/IGCSE board?

Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) is an educational body established in 1858. It is a part of the University of Cambridge, England, and is the world’s leading provider of international education to 5 to 19-year-olds.

Are Cambridge and IGCSE same?

Cambridge Assessment International Education is an educational body to which schools like Anan International is affiliated; similar to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in India. IGCSE is the examination that comes at the end of Upper Secondary. It stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Examination, conducted at the completion of secondary schooling (ie., at the end of Grade 10).

What is unique about Cambridge/IGCSE curriculum?

Cambridge provides a robust and dynamic curriculum, which is broad enough to suit their aptitude and pace of learning, but at the same time makes students confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged.

What is the difference between CBSE and Cambridge?

CURRICULUM

CBSE	CAMBRIDGE
National curriculum for India; planned and administered by the Government of India – widely accepted within the country and abroad Provides a more robust and holistic form of education to students who would like to pursue higher education in India Focused on building knowledge Highly concept based curriculum	Part of the world renowned University of Cambridge, UK and accepted by schools across the world. Cambridge curriculum is more about intellectual rigor. Offers an international curriculum, and is more of a global learning community. Every subject is designed to learn global research and perspective. Choice and flexibility in curriculum , ease to opt the subjects.

APPROACH TO LEARNING

CBSE	CAMBRIDGE
Prepares students for building a strong base Centered around application of knowledge Fosters higher order thinking skills. Focused on contextual learning experiences and extended learning Inductive learning	Practical approach Allows students to focus on creative thinking and problem solving. Integrated subjects, Life skills learning, extensive use of technology Deductive and experiential learning Progression in learning through classroom resources and outdoor learning spaces

ASSESSMENTS

CBSE	CAMBRIDGE
Periodic and formative assessments Board conducts public examinations at the end of secondary (Grade 10) and senior secondary (Grade 12) levels. All other assessments are conducted at the school level.	Continuous assessments Assessments are administered by CAIE at the end of each level (Primary, Lower Secondary, IGCSE, AS and A Levels). All other assessments are conducted at the school level.

COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS

CBSE	CAMBRIDGE
Provides a foundation for competitive exams in India such as IIT-JEE, NEET, UPSC, CLAT etc.	Enhances a host of skills like analytical thinking, logical reasoning, verbal aptitude etc. that are required to ace various competitive examinations at national as well as international levels.

What are the subjects offered in Cambridge Primary?

Core subjects – English as First Language, Mathematics, Science

Languages – Second language, Foreign Language

Additional subjects – Global Perspectives, Digital Literacy, Art & design, Music, design & Technology, Computing and Information &Communication Technology

Will Tamil as Second Language be compulsory?

Not compulsory. Students will have the option to choose Hindi or Tamil as Second language in Grades 1 to 6. French or German can be chosen as foreign language in Grades 4 to 6.

What is unique about the teaching methodology in Cambridge?

Cambridge pursues an engaging and immersive approach towards learning, gathered through extensive research and feedback. All subjects in Cambridge Primary include learning objectives that provide structure to teaching-learning, and ensure integration between various subjects taught at the level. The programme seamlessly aligns curriculum, assessment, teaching and learning.

How will the staff be empowered to handle IGCSE curriculum?

Cambridge offers regular training to the staff of affiliate schools, both in online and face-to-face mode. To add to these, the school will have frequent in-house training programmes to keep the staff updated on current trends and best practices in teaching-learning.

Will extra-curricular activities be included in the curriculum?

Yes. Apart from academics, extra-curricular activities will form an integral part of the curriculum. Students will be taught yoga, martial arts, chess, music, dance, art etc. during school hours and at no additional cost. Added to this, students will engage in club activities like Robotics, Carpentry, Craft, Culinary skills, Literary skills, Short films, Photography, Astronomy, Fashion Designing, and Entrepreneurship.

My child is studying in CBSE primary right now. I wish to shift him to Cambridge. Will he be granted admission to the next higher grade?

Yes.

What is the age limit to join Cambridge Primary?

Anan enrolls students to the Cambridge Primary programme based on the age criteria given below:

Grade	Age to be completed as on 1st January 2024
Grade 1	5 years
Grade 2	6 years
Grade 3	7 years
Grade 4	8 years
Grade 5	9 years
Grade 6	10 years

If a child is moving to Cambridge from another board, what kind of support will be provided?

Cambridge curriculum and learning methodology are flexible and can be adapted to suit the needs of the learner. Moreover, the child will be provided extended support to integrate his learning with the new format. Our system of counseling and mentoring also will help the child make a smooth transition.

What can be expected from a child studying in IGCSE two or three years down the line?

This curriculum fosters analytical and rational thinking. Besides ensuring that the learner remains confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged, it encourages a holistic understanding of each subject, focusing on inter-relationship between the topics learnt across the curriculum, which they can apply to everyday situations.

What is the school’s plan for the years to come?

Cambridge Pathway at Anan is planned in such a way that there is progression in the classes introduced. Our students will appear for Cambridge IGCSE (Grade 10) and A Level (Grade 12) examinations in the upcoming years.

How is the assessment of students done?

Assessments in Cambridge are aimed at measuring a student’s potential and progress periodically. Grades 1 to 5 will have continuous assessments done by the school according to directions given by Cambridge. Cambridge Primary Checkpoint happens at the end of Grade 6 and it marks the end of the primary programme. A checkpoint is an examination conducted directly by Cambridge in Core Subjects (English, Mathematics, Science and Global Perspectives). The papers are graded by Cambridge International and student report cards are sent to the school.

Cambridge offers a strong base for higher studies abroad. What is the scope in India?

With its varied choice of subjects (70+ in IGCSE and 55+ in A Levels) and comprehensive learning opportunities, Cambridge offers numerous choices for students to hone their skills and interests. As a community of over 10,000 schools in 160 countries, Cambridge has aligned its curriculum and assessment practices to match the requirements of higher learning globally. As a result, graduates from Cambridge are able to gain admission to universities of their choice for higher studies, both in India and abroad.