Our secondary school team has embarked on a #NextLevelCambridge roadshow, taking us to various primary schools across Gauteng.
Our mission as a team is to introduce the Cambridge curriculum to students and empower them with the information that they need to make the best decision regarding high school, particularly when considering Cambridge schools.
Cambridge can often feel intimidating for students who are not familiar with it and the roadshow provides students with an opportunity to ask questions and get insights into the curriculum.
A common question we get from students is “What is the difference between IEB, CAPS and Cambridge?”
IEB schools generally use the CAPS curriculum as a guide but grade 12 students write an alternative Matric examination that is administered by the IEB. In other words, students in CAPS and IEB schools will be taught similar content, but they will not write the same exam. Students from CAPS and IEB schools will all receive a National Senior Certificate when graduating from grade 12 – either the regular National Senior Certificate (NSC) or the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) NSC.
Cambridge, on the other hand, is a stand-alone international curriculum. Cambridge qualifications are not monitored by Umalusi, but by the Cambridge Assessment International Education, backed by the first-class teaching and research departments of the University of Cambridge. Students will usually complete their General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) by the time they are 16. They then graduate from Matric with AS levels or a combination of AS and A levels (equivalent or, in some cases, surpassing CAPS grade 12 standards).
Want to learn more about the differences? View our secondary school presentation here.
