In Depth

The Secondary School

From the Head of Secondary School

The secondary school curriculum is designed to enhance the skills and aptitudes learned in the primary school. Students no longer have one class teacher - they have a tutor who will take an overview of their welfare, pastoral needs and who should be a parent's first point of contact with any queries. Students are taught by subject specialists and move between teachers and classrooms during the course of the day. Secondary education has three phases:

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 4

Key Stage 5

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 3 (KS3) spans curricula years 7 - 9 and is the final preparation for the examination phase. During KS3 students are encouraged to enhance the skills that they have learnt in primary school and to develop a range of higher order study skills to prepare them for the demands of IGCSE courses.

All students will study:

English
Mathematics
Combined Science
Information Communication Technology
Art & Design
Design Technology
Physical Education
Thai
History
Geography
Music
A modern foreign language (MFL) currently a choice between Mandarin Chinese and French for non-Thai students

There is a continuous process of assessment and support culminating in the end of year internal examinations for all secondary students.

Key Stage 4

Key Stage 4 (KS4) covers the curricula in years 10 and 11. It is the examination phase and Bangkok Prep is registered with the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) which is part of the University of Cambridge in the UK as an examination centre for IGCSE. These examinations, the "International General Certificate in Secondary Education" or IGCSE are world recognised and success at this level provides a sound basis for proceeding to further study at the 16+ level. At present students are expected to take 8 subjects to examination at IGCSE.

All students are required to study:

English
Mathematics
Coordinated Science (double award)
Physical Education
Thai students are required to study Thai but this is optional for non-Thai students

This produces 4 compulsory subjects for non-Thai students and 5 compulsory subjects for Thai students. Student must then choose from a list of optional subjects (subject options) to increase their chosen courses of study to the necessary 8.

The current list of subject options is as follows:

Drama
Business Studies
History
Geography
Information & Communication Technology (ICT)
Mandarin Chinese
Music
French
Art & Design
Design Technology

Other options may be added in keeping with student interest and demand. Students at KS4 are expected to have the enthusiasm and capability to access and manage their studies which are demanding.

Private Study

Private study time exists for all Year 11 students. It occurs when an option is running which students have not chosen. Students use the secondary library as a study base and will be supervised. This is not ''free time'' and students are expected to take a mature approach to the management of private study or it may be withdrawn. The demands and expectations of IGCSE are such that private study is essential to maintain pace with the research and preparation necessary for all their classes. Students have to accept that their homework load will be significantly higher now and they have to be self motivated.

Years 12 and 13

KS5 is the higher level examination phase (commonly known as Years 12 & 13 or "sixth form") where students begin to use their established range of knowledge and learning skills at a more sophisticated and specialist level. This is essentially, although not exclusively, a preparation for university entrance. Students will be examined at the end of Year 13 on a minimum of one and a maximum of four GCE A-Level examinations, administered by CIE, like the IGCSEs.

KS5 is where students start to specialize in their studies and opt for subjects that will, ultimately, guide their choice of study at undergraduate level in university. Good grades at A-Level examinations will often give students advanced credit at universities overseas, particularly the U.S.

High School Diploma

After the successful completion of a student's secondary education a diploma is awarded. This diploma is normally a requirement for entry into university. The Bangkok Prep High School Diploma will recognize academic success as well as extra curricular activities that students have participated in.

Universities in English speaking countries value academic success and consider results of A-Level examinations, SAT's and other exams when admitting students. They also set great store by non-academic achievements, be they sport related, from the arts field or community service based. When applying for a university overseas, students invariably have to submit an essay about themselves, their interests and their achievements. What university admissions officers look for in these essays is evidence that a student has taken maximum advantage of the opportunities that have been available to him or her.

They are looking, essentially, for evidence of a pro-active learner rather than a passive learner. It is this quality of pro-activity which Bangkok Prep aims to inculcate in its students. It is characterised by a number of attributes which we commonly see in students who are not only fully engaged in their education, but fully engaged in the wider sense. Amongst these attributes are respect, both for others and oneself, passion and enthusiasm, a sense of fairness and justice, a sense of adventure or willingness to try something new and a commitment to self-improvement.

Conditions for the award of the Bangkok Prep High School Diploma are still being formulated but they will include elements that give recognition to all of the above. This will make the award of the diploma a real achievement for students, the pinnacle of their school career and something of which they can be truly proud.

Mr. Gavin Machell
Head of Secondary

Phone: 02-260-7890 Ext: 126

Email: hphs.sec@bkkprep.ac.th