The document discusses how schools can prepare students for success in higher education. It notes that schools are responsible for not just getting students into university, but ensuring they are equipped to succeed once there. It then lists the key skills and abilities universities look for, such as content knowledge, independent learning, and higher-order thinking. The rest of the document outlines how schools can develop these skills through flexible curriculums, experiential learning, aligned pedagogy and assessment, and connections to universities and industry. It emphasizes the importance of assessment practices that encourage deep learning over memorization and the application of knowledge.

1. Ruchira Ghosh
Regional Director, South Asia
Cambridge International Examinations
Getting In, Getting On
Univariety Conference 2016

2. Schools are responsible not
only for preparing students
for entry into higher
education, but preparing
them to be successful once
there.
The bottomline

3. What universities want…
 Content knowledge
 Independent learning skills
 Ability to organise thoughts and
information
 Research skills
 Higher order thinking
 Technology skills
 Agility and adaptability
How are schools doing?
 Flexibility and choice of subjects
 Access to up-to-date syllabuses
 Pedagogies catering to learner
styles and abilities
 Projects; experiential learning
 Fit for purpose assessments
 University and industry
connections
“When students have reached the stage of owning their progress and learning before leaving
school, then we know they are equipped for university.” Capetown International School Head

4. Getting In,
Getting On
A Cambridge Perspective

5. Aligning the 3 pillars
Assessment
Pedagogy Curriculum

6. Curriculum
School curriculum should allow
students to:
• Build on their previous learning
• Make connections across
content areas
• Apply their knowledge in
unfamiliar circumstances
Spiral approach to syllabus
design
Rooted in academic rigour,
backed by latest research
Interdisciplinary learning and
transferable skills: E.g.
Cambridge Global Perspectives

7. Teaching and Learning
Teachers have a responsibility to:
• Provide opportunities, tasks and
instruction that foster deep learning
• Help students build connections
between what they are learning
• Challenge, stretch and inspire
learners
• Reflect upon and improve their own
knowledge and practice
Active learning approach to engage
learners in their own learning
Teacher Training and Professional
Development Qualifications
Cambridge learner and teacher
attributes: habits and culture of
lifelong learning

8. Assessment
• What we assess and how we
assess has a backwash effect on
curriculum and pedagogy
• Assessment practices that provide
a positive backwash effect:
• Questions/ tasks focusing on
higher order thinking skills
• Problem solving
• Application of knowledge
• Interpretation and evaluation
Assessment objectives explicitly
defined and linked to learning goals
Linear approach to allow students
more time to think, mature and
practice before being assessed
Assessment for Learning – using
assessment for feedback and
improvement

9. The bottomline

10. Thank you
Ruchira Ghosh
ghosh.r@cie.org.uk