Each school’s curriculum is tailored to the local needs of students so, for example, our schools in China provide opportunities for students to learn Mandarin and understand the Chinese culture as an additional part of their studies. Most of our schools are British international schools so the curriculum experience is rooted in the English National Curriculum up to the age of 16 years old. Collège Champittet, in Switzerland, is the one exception where the curriculum is a rich bilingual mix of English and French.

The English National Curriculum, as offered by most of Nord Anglia Education’s schools, is used by over 30,000 schools in the UK and overseas. This brings reassurance to parents and stability to students - important considerations when moving between countries. By choosing a British education for your son or daughter you can be assured of extremely high quality, continuity in their education anywhere in the world and access opportunities to leading Universities in the UK and the US.

Each of our schools deliver a carefully constructed programme of out-of-classroom initiatives including daily clubs, activities and events, frequent trips and visits to local and national sites of interest as well as highly organised and successful international experiences. Nord Anglia Education is also the only company in the world to provide a unique blended learning programme in the form of the Global Classroom for students to experience. For more information about this ground-breaking programme to foster high performance, click here.

The English National Curriculum

For students aged 3-5 years (Early Years)

Students up to the age of five years old experience the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. This is a very important stage as it helps children to prepare for school, as well for their future learning and successes. Their early years’ experience in our schools is stimulating, active, exciting, fun and secure, supporting their development and learning needs in excellent care. Throughout their early learning years, your child will be developing skills, acquiring knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through seven areas of learning and development.

These seven areas are: • Communication and language • Physical development • Personal, social and emotional development • Literacy • Mathematics • Understanding the world • Expressive arts and design

Each one of the seven areas is used to plan your child’s learning activities, which are adapted to suit each child’s unique needs and interests. Our learning activities will always involve playing and exploring, being active and creative, and developing critical thinking – all of which take place both indoors and outside.

For students aged 5-16 years

Students will find themselves studying from the following subjects: • Art and Design • Citizenship • Design and Technology • English (including drama) • Geography • History • Information and Communication Technology • Mathematics • Modern Foreign Languages • Music • Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education • Physical Education • Science (covering Physics, Chemistry, Biology)

For students aged 16-19 years

Beyond 16 years old, most of our schools follow the world recognised International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, except from The British School of Beijing who take the British A-Levels. In addition to the International Baccalaureate Diploma, College Champittet and College Alpin Beau Soleil in Switzerland offer the French Baccalaureate and/or the Swiss Maturité.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme allows students to choose courses within six key subject areas:

• Language - generally the student's native language, with over 80 different languages available alongside individual literature options
• Second language - an additional language
• Individuals and societies - humanities and social sciences courses including Business and Management, Economics, Geography, History, Information Technology in a global society, Islamic history, Philosophy, Psychology, and Social and cultural anthropology
• Experimental sciences – Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Design Technology and Environmental Systems 
• Mathematics and Computer Science - Mathematical Studies, Mathematics, Further Mathematics and Computer Science
• The Arts – Music, Theatre, Visual Arts and Film 

To be awarded an International Baccalaureate Diploma, students must also fulfil three core requirements in addition to the subjects noted above. These are to complete an extended essay, attend a theory of knowledge course and participate in creative, action and service activities. Students must therefore demonstrate their understanding of the curriculum in its broadest sense.This is in line with Nord Anglia Education’s belief in the curriculum as the entire planned learning experience.

To find out more about The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, please visit here

A-Level Programme

The A level  (which stands for “Advanced level”) offers a focused approach to higher level studies. The majority of students choose to take three subjects at A level, although students are allowed to take more. The A level is structured into 2 elements, The AS level which is taken in the first year is a qualification in its own right.  Students must complete three units in order to gain this level of qualification. The second year is known as the A2 year, and combines with the AS level to produce a whole A level. Students must complete a further three units in this second year. AS units and A2 units count equally towards the A level qualification. The A2 level is more difficult than the AS level.

College Champittet and College Alpin Beau Soleil in Switzerland also offer one or other of the following diplomas:

Swiss Maturité

This course, which opens the gates to all Swiss universities and schools of higher education, covers 13 subjects across the full range of academic literary, scientific and linguistic disciplines. The subjects are divided into two categories, the first of which is taken at the end of Grade 12 and includes 3 humanities, 3 sciences and an arts subject. The second category includes 3 languages (2 Swiss languages plus English), mathematics and 2 other optional subjects chosen in negotiation with the school - these subjects are assessed in both written and oral exams.

French Baccalaureate

This diploma, also recognised by universities worldwide, allows students to choose between three different options, according to their interests, abilities and ambitions. Each of the three series covers a demanding syllabus, and each requires a mastery of written and spoken French as well the ability to analyse, organize and synthesise.

The three options are:

1. The literary option based on literature, philosophy and foreign languages. This is aimed at those students who plan to follow university careers either in Law, Literature or Languages. A modern language is usually chosen as a speciality.

2. The Economic and Social option which offers a good balance between the social sciences, languages and mathematics. This is aimed at future university students in Economics and Law. Mathematics is usually added as a speciality here.

3. The Scientific option which focuses on the study of physical science and mathematics. This is aimed at future scientists and medics and is considered as being the most rigorous of the three series.