The Cambridge Pathway

The Cambridge Pathway helps learners be ready for the world, offering five stages of education from age 3 to 19, leading seamlessly from early years to pre-university. Each stage builds on the previous and further shapes learners’ knowledge, understanding and skills.

Schools can select which stages they provide and choose from a broad range of subjects. This means they can design a curriculum that meets their needs and excites their students. Every stage – Cambridge Early Years, Primary, Lower Secondary, Upper Secondary and Advanced – helps prepare learners to thrive in and outside the classroom, and at university and beyond.

New Zealand schools typically offer a wide range of subjects throughout the Cambridge Pathway, with students working towards globally-recognised Cambridge IGCSE and International AS & A Level qualifications.

Many New Zealand schools choose to offer Cambridge Global Perspectives, a unique, transformational programme that helps students at every stage of school education develop outstanding transferable skills, including critical thinking, research and collaboration. The programme is for students aged 5 to 19 years, leading seamlessly from Cambridge Primary through to Cambridge Advanced.

Sharee Ineson, Southland Girls’ High School, shares her experience of teaching Cambridge IGCSE Global Perspectives.

How do New Zealand schools implement the Cambridge Pathway?

In New Zealand, schools implement the Cambridge Pathway in different ways. Our flexible approach means schools can build a programme that is based on the needs of their student cohort.

Here are some of the different options available to schools:

• Offer Cambridge IGCSE in Year 10 for students to begin their Cambridge journey. These schools offer between one and three subjects, often selecting Cambridge IGCSE English Language or English Literature, Core Mathematics, Combined Science or Global Perspectives. They choose the course most suitable for their students, who sit the exams at the end of Year 10.
• Elect for students to study eight to ten subjects over two years, beginning their journey in Year 10 and sitting all exams at the end of Year 11.
• Use Cambridge IGCSE as an extension for their students. They typically take a selection of Cambridge IGCSE subjects in Year 11 and/or a range of Cambridge International AS Level subjects, usually four, in Year 12 as a means of building a strong foundation for NCEA – the New Zealand qualification.
• Begin the Cambridge journey in Year 11 with students selecting five to six Cambridge IGCSE subjects, depending on the school, and continue with Cambridge through to the completion of Cambridge International A Levels.
• Implement Cambridge CEM baseline assessments alongside Cambridge programmes to measure their students’ potential and progress. Cambridge CEM assessments also provide valuable predictions at Cambridge IGCSE and International AS & A Level.