International curriculum schools are over 9,000 across the globe as maintained by data provided by International Schools Consultancy Group. Among these 6.734 teach in English and Local language according to statistics provided in 2013. Nearly 2,000 schools teach any of the four International Baccalaureate curriculums in other languages and not English. Countries like Switzerland, France, Germany and Netherlands teach their national curriculums in their mother tongue to expatriate children who comes from different schools.
English is the medium of instruction in most schools across the globe. The curriculum is based on the English National curriculum and is popularly embraced by nearly 3,000 schools worldwide. Moreover the British schools from across the globe contribute to nearly $1.6 billion to the UK economy. Cambridge International Examination CIE is the largest contributor of international programs. They offer courses for students between the age of 5 to 19 years. The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is the most preferred curriculum among the CIE international programs. It targets students between 14 to 16 years.
The IGCSE curriculum is taught in over 140 countries and more than 3,700 schools and it is interesting to note that not all are international schools. In the senior secondary level, the CIE offers International AS and A levels for students between 16 to 18 years in over 125 countries across 350,000 entries every year.
Another popular international qualification is the Pearson Edexcel that offer curriculums for children aged 8 to 19 years. The programs prepare the child for IGCSE and international A level examination. Edexcel also provides programs leading to vocational Diploma that are internationally recognized for students between the ages of 16-19 years.
The international schools are private in nature and are not subject to government oversight. This gives them an independent status, though these schools are accredited to international curriculums from across the globe and hence abide by their program structure and quality.
