“Leadership & Learning Are Indispensable To Each Other”

John F. Kennedy

Our secondary school curriculum has been designed to meet the requirements of current national guidelines and our commitment to providing a wide range of subjects, including modern languages and vocational training options. Students are grouped differently depending on the needs of the subject.

Summary Of Senior Curriculum

Our school follows the English National Curriculum, which is a broad, balanced, relevant, differentiated and inclusive curriculum. Our secondary curriculum is in line with the National Curriculum for England and all other legal requirements.

In secondary school, students formally receive a personalised curriculum that meets their individual needs and aspirations. There are clear and diverse paths between each key stage.

Our commitment to providing a curriculum that reflects a range of subjects, means students learn a modern foreign language at the GCSE level. Most students also study history or geography up to the GCSE level.

Our goal in this school phase is to provide them with an individual curriculum, and we engage students and parents in making decisions regarding their choices. All students take IGCSE exams in their selected subjects, provided that they meet the basic requirements for attending and courses or completing controlled assessments.

The curriculum offered provides clear development paths that allow students to continue their studies after 16 years, and prepare them for higher education and/or the world of work. Classroom support is provided to students whose English is an additional language.

Students have regular opportunities to expand their skills and talents, including providing additional classes and opportunities for more capable and talented students, as well as intervention and support as necessary. Formal learning assessments are conducted in accordance with our assessment and reporting procedure and goals are regularly communicated to students and parents. Student learning assessments are also more informal and frequent.

Senior school - key stage 4 (years 10 & 11)

At the end of this key stage, students take the national assessment tests GCSEs (GCSEs are the standard national qualifications at this age in England and Wales).

General Certificate of Secondary Education examinations (GCSEs) were introduced in 1986 (they replaced GCE ‘O’ Levels and CSEs).

Internationally students sit GCSEs and IGCSEs. IGCSEs were introduced in 1988 and are internationally recognised qualifications. The I in IGCSE means international. The difference between the two (GCSE and IGCSE) is simply that international contexts are used with IGCSEs (so that the studies are not UK centric and difficult to access for students that have not lived in the UK). 

The content is similar in GCSEs and IGCSEs and they are equally challenging and valued.

Worldwide, students in British curriculum schools can sit IGCSEs and GCSEs examinations.

At BSL, we will offer a combination of GCSEs and IGCSEs.

I/GCSEs (used to mean GCSEs and IGCSEs) are a two year course and students will sit their I/GCSEs at the end of Year 11.

Students will study, and be examined in, a broad range of subjects. 

The norm is for students to take between 8 and 10 GCSEs and this will be the case at the British School of Lisbon (with more academically able students taking 10 I/GCSEs).

The compulsory national curriculum in Years 10 and 11 contains the ‘core’ and ‘foundation’ or ‘optional’ subjects. 

Students have some choices of subjects studied in Years 10 and 11 and at this key stage there is the option to study some new subjects.

The norm will be for students to take I/GCSE English Language and I/GCSE English Literature. English as a Second Language students might take I/GCSE English as a Second Language (ESL) instead of both I/GCSE English Language and I/GCSE English Literature. 

All students will take a language other than English.

All students at BSL will study Mathematics. Some students will also study an extension Mathematics course.

Most students will study two Sciences as a minimum at BSL (from Biology, Chemistry, Physics). There will be the option of studying all 3 Sciences.

Senior school - key stage 5 (years 12 & 13)

For good reason, A Levels are the most popular qualifications among international schools. A Levels are truly a globally recognised qualification - internationally recognised and respected for 70 years.

A Levels are offered by 34% of international schools (tens of thousands of schools worldwide and millions of students). The International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB Diploma) is offered by 26% of international schools (less than 200,000 students worldwide take the IB Diploma and only 80% pass). Recognised in more countries that the IB Diploma, A Levels are the ‘Gold Standard’ of British education.

In British curriculum schools students take I/GCSEs. I/GCSEs are designed to prepare students for A Levels (not the IB Diploma).

Outside the UK, the norm is for British curriculum schools to offer International A Levels. International A Level courses have the advantage of being split into two parts, with AS Levels (internationally recognised and valued in their own right) being sat at the end of Year 12 and then A Levels (an additional qualification) being sat at the end of Year 13. 

As well as spreading the demands over two years (with not just terminal examinations in Year 13 - as with the IB Diploma), should they wish, students can take only International AS Levels and then go to university in countries like the US at the end of Year 12 (aged 17).

IB Diploma

Students study 6 subject groups - 3 at Higher Level (HL) and 3 at Standard Level (SL):

  • Language and Literature

  • Language Acquisition

  • Individuals and Societies

  • Sciences

  • Mathematics

  • Arts


Plus DP Core:

  • Theory of Knowledge (ToK)

  • Community, Action, Service (CAS)

  • Extended Essay (EE)

AS/A Levels generally suit students better than other options (the IB Diploma best caters for students that are áll rounders` - this is not most students!).

AS/A Levels allow students to study only the subjects that they are most passionate about, and where their interests and talents lie and they allow students to focus their time on achieving the highest possible grades in the 3 or 4 subjects that are most relevant to them, and the subjects that they are best in and most appeal to them.

Whatever country a student will eventually study in, AS/A Levels are a great course of study to prepare students for university. For example, students need to exercise self-discipline as there is a high emphasis on independent study, much like at university. Most importantly, having studied subjects in great depth, A Level students complete their studies with a very secure subject knowledge.

IB Standard Level subjects = 150 teaching hours over two years

IB Higher Level subjects = 240 teaching hours over two years

A Level subjects = 360 teaching hours over two years

At the British School of Lisbon we will offer an enhanced AS/A Level programme to our students. The table below summarises what our enhanced post 16 programme will look like and draws comparisons with the IB Diploma.

IB Diploma

  • Students take 6 subjects and must study English, Mathematics, an additional language, one Science and one humanities.

  • There is a limited choice of subjects, and students can’t study certain combinations of subjects and can’t focus on their strengths and interests.

  • Students are assessed by examination, with one examination session (in May/June) for all subjects at the end Year 13.

  • Core - Extended Essay, ToK Essay & CAS. 

  • The Extended Essay and CAS are one of the strengths of the IB Diploma.

  • The Extended Essay (EE) is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000 word essay. Through this work, students develop skills in formulating a research question, conducting independent research, communicating ideas and formulating an argument – all widely valued skills for undergraduates.

  • Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development by learning through experience. If done well, CAS can be both challenging and enjoyable.

A Levels

3 or 4 subjects in Years 12 & 13.

With AS Levels, able to drop one subject at the end of Year 12.

Plus: International A Levels allow students to sit examinations in two years, Year 12 and Year 13 (not just terminal examinations in Year 13 as with the IB Diploma).

BSL’s enhanced A Level Programme

  • At BSL there will be a complete choice of 4 AS/A Level subjects (4 subjects at AS Level and then 3 or 4 subjects at A Level is the norm in British curriculum schools outside the UK). 

  • Students at BSL will be able to specialise in specific areas, focusing on their strengths and interests.

  • Having studied fewer subjects in far greater depth, our A Level students will have a far better subject knowledge (than IB Diploma students) and a better foundation for further study at university.

  • With international AS/A Levels, students will be able to take examinations in Year 12 and Year 13. 

  • Students will also be able re-sit (re-take) examinations in Year 13 (if necessary).

  • BSL students will also need to demonstrate they have spent time doing community service, work experience and sports programmes.

  • We will help organise work placements for students, as well as an array of volunteer/community and sporting opportunities.

  • There will also be a comprehensive career programme, with students receiving one-to-one mentoring/university guidance.

  • Students at the British School of Lisbon will also complete the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). The EPQ is an A Level standard standalone qualification. The EPQ is designed to extend and develop students' abilities beyond A Level and to further prepare them for university or their future career.

The EPQ is:

  • worth half an A Level (28 UCAS points).

  • recognised by universities and employers

Many universities make lower A Level offers to students that have undertaken an EPQ