It was the need to provide its students with a strong foundation for success that saw ACG Strathallan adopt the Cambridge International programme as its educational pathway 25 years ago. Since then, thousands of Strathallan students have developed the deep subject knowledge and higher order thinking skills they need to succeed at school and in life.
A strong academic curriculum is at the heart of a good education - a curriculum that challenges and stimulates thinking, fosters intellectual growth and provides students with the content and skills to succeed beyond school. This is the Cambridge advantage: students learn about the key concepts of each subject in depth, acquiring a thorough understanding as well as the skills to reason, evaluate and engage with diverse ideas.
ACG Strathallan English teacher, Ruth Anderson, enjoys the breadth and sophistication that the Cambridge syllabus offers. “It’s challenging and robust, pushing both students and teachers to engage with texts in a more rigorous and rewarding way,” she says. “I love delving into the nitty-gritty of language: unpacking meaning, analysing techniques, and exploring how writers craft their work.”
As well as subject-specific skills, Cambridge also helps students strengthen their critical thinking, and, as Ruth points out, “they build resilience and independence by engaging with challenging material.”
Students and parents also value the depth and coverage of learning that the Cambridge curriculum provides. Sophia Polansky is in Year 13 studying Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Psychology and loves the challenge of Cambridge. “I appreciate how it pushes me to fully understand and think critically about what I am taught,” she says, adding that the Cambridge curriculum has allowed her to extend herself, and provided “a depth of knowledge that is incomparable to people I know studying the same subjects through NCEA.”
Sophia also acknowledges the skills she has developed through her studies. “The Cambridge syllabus promotes independence and has taught me the importance of self-motivation, along with time management, essay writing and analytical thinking which will be crucial in my transition to university next year,” she says.
This sentiment is echoed by many alumni who believe that the knowledge and skills gained at Strathallan have prepared them well for the rigours of tertiary study. The Cambridge curriculum is also globally recognised and respected by universities, providing students with the opportunity to study at some of the best universities here and abroad. Leading universities that Strathallan alumni have gained entry to include the University of St Andrews in Scotland, UNSW in Australia, and Brown, Berkeley and Harvard Universities in USA.
Strathallan offers the Cambridge programme from the primary years through to year 13, with the years 0-9 programmes providing the foundation for senior study and qualifications in years 10 and 11 (Cambridge IGCSE), and years 12 and 13 (Cambridge International AS & A-Levels). Although coursework is offered in some subjects, the Cambridge qualification is largely exam-based, providing a standardised way to assess student understanding.
Strathallan’s regular assessment schedule helps prepare students for these examinations and provides a structured framework to monitor progress and inform future learning. Sophia likes the regular testing. “Assessments after each topic allow me to get a gauge of where the gaps in my knowledge are and address them early - giving me a chance to correct any mistakes or misconceptions before moving on to the next topic,” she says.
And she is very clear about how these assessments help prepare her for the Cambridge exams. Having sat exams twice a year since year 7, Sophia says she has become more confident and proficient in exam-taking. “The assessments we do in class follow the structure and use questions from past Cambridge exams which allows me to get used to the structure and phrasing of Cambridge questions and learn how I must answer these questions to get full marks,” she explains. “Just memorising material is not enough; you need to fully understand the content to be able to apply it to other situations and contexts which is a skill that comes with a lot of practice."
It is this skill to apply knowledge to new situations that will help Sophia succeed in our rapidly changing world, for it’s more important than ever to ensure our young people leave school equipped with the skills and knowledge to be curious life-long learners and to have the confidence to think critically and be innovative. By choosing the Cambridge pathway, Strathallan is building a strong platform for its students to succeed in school and in life.
