EXTERNAL EXAMS

As we follow the British National Curriculum, we prepare our students to sit IGCSEs and A-Levels examinations, which are equivalent to the Spanish ESO and Bachillerato. Our students are granted university access without having to take the Spanish Selectividad exam. They also obtain both Spanish and British qualifications allowing them to apply to any European university.

STUDENT ASSESSMENT
We strive to ensure the academic excellence of all our students, but we also recognise many other qualities and aspects.

• • We reward students who show effort outside the classroom; who may have achieved something despite personal adversity.
  • We reward students who represent the values of our school.
  • We give our students the opportunity to pursue their personal passions such as: World Robot Olympiad (WRO) in Castellón, European Youth Parliament, TEDxYouth event or ISP group activities such as the Online Chess Tournament or the Maths Challenge, among others.Students are assessed in accordance with the requirements of each of the school’s existing curricula. As assessment and progress resources, we use digital programmes and platforms that enable the recording of information to be constantly updated and accessed by all teachers.

The school continually develops systems to encourage the most successful pupils, both in and out of the classroom, and we have a support department for pupils with Specific Learning Needs (SEN). The school also offers a personal mentoring programme, access to external examinations and a student and pastoral care committee. Students who follow some kind of methodological adaptation receive their grades taking into account these adaptations and the assessments from the Guidance Department.

During and at the end of each stage, standardised assessments, both internal and external, are carried out to ensure that our students are progressing appropriately for their ages and grades. These external assessments include the following:

INFANT AND PRIMARY

In Infant and Primary we assess our pupils according to the guidelines set out in the British National Curriculum.

We also carry out formative assessments after each unit to assess progress in writing and reading.

From Year 1 to Year 6 we use summative assessment. These assessments enable us to assess the skills learnt by students during the term and their progress over the course of the course.

In addition, we use formative assessment throughout the year, which enables students to better monitor their learning. As teachers deliver the curriculum, students are able to identify gaps in their own learning. Formative assessment focuses on how to address these gaps.

As we work with each student, we gain an expanded understanding of their skills, strengths and weaknesses. The British curriculum is based on a spiral model that constantly develops children’s knowledge, skills and understanding.

Assessment should be a tool that enables teachers to focus on what children need to learn at any given moment.

Our Primary students can also sit the official Cambridge exams (Starters, Movers and Flyers).

Student Assessment in Secondary: IGCSE

In Secondary, assessment is an integral part of monitoring the progress of every student in our school. Both internal and external assessment are equally important in helping us to guide our students.

In Years 10 and 11 students sit the IGCSE International Examinations. These exams are marked in the UK by Edexcel and Cambridge International Examinations.

The IGCSEs are equivalent to the International Certificate of Secondary Education. It is the international version of the final examinations of the English compulsory secondary school. This certificate is awarded to students in the English education system at the end of compulsory education, at the end of Year 11.

With these, together with the compulsory subjects of the Spanish curriculum, Spanish Language, Valencian and Humanities, pupils obtain a double English and Spanish qualification.

Assessment of pupils in Sixth Form: A-LEVELS

A-Levels are the equivalent of the Baccalaureate. They are taken over 2 years.

In Year 12 our students take the AS-Level examinations which are also external and marked in the UK by Edexcel and Cambridge International Examinations. The results of these exams are also added to the results they obtain in Year 13 and are part of their cut-off mark.

In Year 13 our students take A-Level examinations through Edexcel and Cambridge International Examinations and are marked in the UK.

ENGLISH, FRENCH, GERMAN AND CHINESE EXAMINATIONS

At British School of Vila-real we prepare our students to obtain official certificates in English, German, French and Chinese. As they progress in the acquisition of these new languages, they can sit the different official examinations and obtain the official certificates awarded by recognised bodies such as:

• Cambridge University: Exams are held for Young Learners, KET, PET, FCE, CAE and CPE.
• Goethe Institut: Students obtain certificates in the Fit in Deutsch 1 and Fit in Deutsch 2 levels.
• Institut Français: Our students take the DELF and DALF examinations.
• Confucius Institute: We prepare our students for the HSK examination.
  

Exams take place in February, May and June on a yearly basis.

Our students also have the option of taking the official Valencian examinations of the “Junta Qualificadora de Coneixements de Valencià”.