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New British curriculum qualifications now available

Dubai - The qualifications are specifically tailored for English speakers living outside the UK.

New qualifications for teenaged students hoping to take their international A-level and General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams are now available in the UAE.
The qualifications - run by Oxford International AQA Examinations - are specifically tailored for English speakers living outside the UK, and reflect the latest reforms to British curriculum education, including the upcoming 9-1 GSCE grading system.
"We have launched here because many countries in the Middle East are looking to develop strong knowledge-based economies with education being a key driver of economic growth, sustainability and innovation - particularly in Maths, Science and English," Oxford International AQA Examinations managing director Christine Ozden told Khaleej Times.
"The reforms in the UK gave us an opportunity to develop new qualifications that really address the needs of the growing number of students UK curriculum schools in this region."
While it is natural for British curriculum schools to want to be aligned to institutions in the UK, the new qualifications also take into account local needs, Ozden said.
As an example, she noted that while the UK's new A-level exams are 'linear' - meaning that student results stem from end-of-course exams after two years of study - AQA's international A-levels keep the existing structure, with examinations after the first year counting towards a final A-level grade.
"Exams will also be scheduled at convenient times for children in the Middle East - rather than times that suit students in the UK."
bernd@khaleejtimes.com