Secondary (Ages 11-16) Years 7-11 (Grade 6-10)
Lower Secondary
Our Lower Secondary education is for students aged 11- 14 ( Years 7-9 )
In Lower Secondary classes, we continue to offer a range of structured subject areas based on the breadth and depth of the UK National Curriculum. Lessons are made enjoyable, engaging and challenging by actively involving every student in the learning process. Subject matter is placed in context through discussion and investigated by individuals and groups under the guidance of the teacher. Careful attention is paid to presenting study material at a level that is appropriate for the individuals involved. Students are constantly encouraged to think for themselves and to have confidence in their ability to progress. Our small class sizes allow us to not do ‘busy work’ and, because of this, our students make efficient and rapid progress, maintaining a pleasure in learning new skills and in acquiring new knowledge.
We have seen remarkable progress in all of our age groups, but sometimes, it is with this age group, when the young person’s brain is rapidly developing, that we can see the most dramatic results. Part of the reason for this we believe, is that our personalised approach sets no limits as to what a child can be taught. If a student is willing and able to tackle material that might usually be reserved for much older children, then we say, let’s do it! We like to be as ambitious as possible for all of our children, and we have seen at times, truly amazing results from our encouragement of children on a personal leve
As with our Primary classes, all lessons follow a format that involves discussion, experimentation, investigation, individual practise of skills, the recording of information, and reflection on progress and achievements.Throughout Lower Secondary years, we are preparing our students for the next stage of their education, whether this be Cambridge IGCSEs, American High School Diploma or another educational route.
In other schools, we have often observed a ‘slack’ period of achievement in early teens. Sometimes, we also see young teenagers develop a growing disaffection with school in general. At Recognise, we feel that we bypass much of this angst. We believe that we keep our students delighted with the world and they stay keen to discover more about it.
Upper Secondary Ages 15 – 16 ( Years 10-11)
At present, RIA is educating students up to the age of 16 years old, but it is at the age of 14 where it becomes important to have an indication of where a student’s educational future or career aspirations may lie. This is because it is at this point in their education, that different routes can be taken. At this age of most of our students opt to study towards a range of Cambridge IGCSEs. These are formally examined, internationally recognised qualifications, usually taken at 16 (sometimes earlier). IGCSEs are academically challenging and can provide entrance to UK ‘A’ Level courses or the IB Diploma, or most other post-16 educational courses. They are subject specific qualifications, and students will often take up to 8 or 9 of them (five passes is usually regarded as a minimum number for progression).
Alternatively, at this age, a student may prefer to work towards a High School Diploma from the USA. This involves completing subject credits and accumulating scores that contribute to the Diploma. Typically, this is a four-year programme – the first two years of credits could be completed at Recognise. This route might be more appropriate for those students specifically wishing to study in the USA or who are aiming for a particular college course or career route. It is not impossible for students to embark on both the High School Diploma and IGCSE programmes simultaneously.
Recognise students have progressed to many and varied situations. In Higher Education, we have had students progress to take the IB Diploma, an American High School Diploma and also UK ‘A’ levels. We have had students leave RIA and enrol directly into California State University, Shenzhen University, Hong Kong University, Swansea University and recently, in New York University. We have also had students take a vocational route; some examples being a commercial diver, a physiotherapist and, we’ve just heard, we now have an ex-Recognize student who is a monk!
We understand that our parents and students come from a range of international backgrounds and that their future geographical and educational situations are also varied and sometimes uncertain. To this end, we fully discuss with parents and students what their best routes forwards might be and how we can best serve their needs.
We are committed to individualised learning throughout our school and at this important stage of a young person’s education, we believe that openly considering every aspect of that person’s abilities, interests, personality, home-life and educational and career aspirations is crucial to making the correct choices for their future success.