10 Aug 2017
Cambridge Assessment International Education has announced Cambridge IGCSE and Cambridge International A Level exam June 2017 exam results today. Compared to last year, there is a 12 per cent increase in entries across Cambridge International A Level and Cambridge IGCSE, with 85,785 entries from 263 Cambridge schools in Greater China.
International education has been much discussed in China in recent years. More parents and teachers are now encouraging students to choose international programmes to prepare them for further studies.
Students choose a wide range of subjects
Unlike traditional middle-school education, Cambridge International Education offers programmes and qualifications that are culturally sensitive while drawing on the latest international research. Middle-school students are able to choose subjects that reflect their interests and prepare them well for their further studies. The announcement of results confirms that students in China are taking a wide range of subjects.
Mainland China has seen a growth of 14 per cent this year in the combined number of entries for Cambridge International A Level and Cambridge IGCSE, with 71,955 entries from 22,320 candidates. Cambridge International A Level and Cambridge IGCSE entries have grown by 15 per cent and 12 per cent respectively, beyond the global numbers of 10 per cent and 7 per cent respectively.
The most popular Cambridge IGCSEs are First Language Chinese, Physics and Chemistry, and the most popular Cambridge International A Levels are Mathematics, Physics and Economics.
Cambridge International A Levels in Computer Science and Art & Design both rank in the top 10 most popular subjects. Entries of Cambridge International A Level Computer Science continue to grow rapidly, with twice as many entries as in 2015. Entries for Cambridge International Art & Design have increased by 14 per cent. The popularity of these subjects demonstrates the wider range of subject choices being taken by Chinese students.
Preparation for university
Entries across Cambridge International A Level and Cambridge IGCSE keep growing. Menghan from Wuhan Britain-China School, who will be studying architecture at Carnegie Mellon University, said: 'Cambridge International A Level offers various subjects, and we work in an all-English environment, which has helped me get familiar with the teaching style overseas. Besides, it is has been useful to use A Level grades to apply for universities in the US.'
Yu Yue is now studying at Bartlett School of architecture, UCL, in London and studied Cambridge A Level curricula at Ulink College Guangzhou. As a dedicated art student, she believes the programme was really helpful. She said: 'In art & design, we were given many opportunities to be creative. The instructions of our teachers allowed us to express ourselves and create our own styles.'