Nova Pioneer offers the Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) curriculum. The Cambridge Curriculum is designed to teach students how to learn and to go on learning. The Cambridge curriculum is globally recognised for its rigour and high academic standards. It is developed and maintained by the University of Cambridge, a renowned institution with a long history of academic excellence.
Our role goes beyond helping students achieve good results, and beyond giving students passports for progression to university or employment. We give our students a curriculum that will bring lifelong success in tomorrow’s world.
Nova Pioneer has a track record of strong performance in the various Cambridge International Assessments, across Upper Primary through to A-levels. Our students have consistently exceeded international benchmarks and have been amongst the top performers in the world.
Currently, Nova Pioneer offers the Cambridge curriculum in the following pathways:
IGCSE – Grade 9 and Grade 10
AS – Grade 11 and Grade 12
A-Levels (Option for some students) – Grade 13
The AS level (Advanced Subsidiary) is the first stage of A levels and has replaced the HIGCSE course. Cambridge A-Levels are welcomed at the world’s leading universities. Cambridge IGCSE, AS Level, and A Levels are recognised locally by the South African Matriculation Board for entrance into South African Universities. In order to comply with the requirements for Matric Exemption, certain subject groupings are required.
We will guide our students in their subject choices to ensure compliance with the Matriculation Board’s requirements should they intend going on to university.
The Cambridge curriculum places a strong emphasis on nurturing critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. In a rapidly evolving world, these skills are paramount for success. South Africa, with its unique challenges, benefits immensely from a curriculum that encourages students to think critically and creatively.
One of the lasting impacts of the Cambridge curriculum is its ability to instil a passion for lifelong learning. By promoting a curiosity-driven approach to education, it equips South African students with the mindset necessary to adapt to a continually evolving world.
We, at Nova Pioneer, measure success by the number of our graduates that complete their tertiary education within the prescribed years for the courses they undertake. In a country where first-year university pass rates sit at around 30%, we believe that the Cambridge curriculum places our graduates at a distinct advantage when it comes to tertiary education. Feedback from our alumni in the first-year of university tells us that the AS and A Level courses they completed at Nova Pioneer put them at least a 6 months ahead, in terms of content knowledge and skills, than their peers from other curricula.