At YK Pao High School, students benefit from a high-quality and rigorous Chinese/English bilingual programme with a whole-rounded holistic education. Students undertake a Chinese studies programme, including Chinese Language and Literature, Chinese Geography, Political Science and Chinese History. This component, combined with the Cambridge IGCSE and IB Diploma Programmes, comprise Pao School’s ‘International Plus’ curriculum. At the end of Year 10, students will take external examinations given by the Cambridge International Examination Board to acquire IGCSE subject certificates. At the end of Year 12, students will write external IB examinations to obtain their IB Diploma.
The name ‘Zhi Hui’ refers to the end of our Shanghai Plus curriculum in Year 9 to our International Plus curriculum in Year 10, during which students will complete a number of International General Certificates of Secondary Education (IGCSEs) to prepare them for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). All students will complete a YK Pao School Zhong Kao examination, in which students will be tested to determine if they are ready to progress to International Plus and enter the High School.
Each student’s IGCSE selection will comprise of a number of compulsory subjects, and a range of electives (optional subjects). There are also Extra Depth qualifications available in core subjects, for example English Literature and Additional Mathematics. However, this requires a lot of extra work and will only be offered to those students who have shown outstanding ability in the subject based Chinese, English, and Mathematics, Science and a Humanities subject will be offered as part of a core program. However, pupils will be entered for either First Language or Second Language English and Chinese based on their level of language proficiency. In addition, students will have to choose one Humanities subject.
Year 9 provides a unique mixture of 12 Shanghai Curriculum and IGCSE subjects. Students will gain the benefit of studying in Chinese and English to deepen their knowledge and broaden their vocabulary while meeting the requirements of compulsory education. Throughout Year 9 and in all subject areas, teachers pay close attention to providing excellent preparation for IGCSE studies in Year 10.
| Core Courses | Extension and Research Courses |
|---|---|
| Chinese (ZK Curriculum) | IGCSE Science Courses |
| English (based on IGCSE) | IGCSE Humanities Courses |
| English Literature (Pao School designed course to prepare for IBDP) | IGCSE Elective Courses |
| Mathematics (ZK and IGCSE integrated) | |
| Physics (ZK Curriculum) | |
| Chemistry (ZK Curriculum) | |
| Society and Politics (ZK Curriculum) | |
| Character Education (Beijing Curriculum) | |
| Physical Education (ZK Curriculum) |
All students will take the following combination of subjects to gain the ICE (International Certificate of Education) Diploma and a minimum of 7 IGCSEs:
| Science (choose two) | Humanities (choose one) | Art and Electives (choose one) |
|---|---|---|
| Biology Chemistry Physics | History Geography Business Studies | Physical Education Sociology Art Computer Science Drama MusicEconomics Triple Science |
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) at YK Pao School is a rigorous two-year pre-university curriculum, primarily aimed at students aged 16 to 19. It leads to a qualification that is widely recognized by the world’s leading universities. Many universities award advanced standing or university credits for successfully completed IB diplomas and courses. Students learn more than a collection of facts. The Diploma Programme prepares students for university and encourages them to:
•Develop the ability to communicate and understand people from other countries and cultures (IBO, 2005)
The IBDP is recognized by universities in many countries for its academic rigour and thoroughness in preparing students for university. YK Pao School is very proud to be able to offer this programme to its students.
Group 1 Studies in Language and Literature | Group 2 Language Acquisition | Group 3 Individuals and Societies | Group 4 Sciences | Group 5 Mathematics | Group 6 The Arts | Mandatory Core required | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Higher Level/Standard Level | Chinese A Language and Literature English A Language and Literature | Chinese B English B | Business Management Economics History Geography Philosophy Psychology ESS** | Biology Chemistry Physics Computer Science SEHS* | Mathematics | Visual Art Music Theatre | Theory of Knowledge (TOK) Extended Essay Creativity, Action, Serice (CAS) (Over 18 months) |
* SEHS: Sports, Exercise & Health Science
** ESS: Environmental System & Societies is an interdisciplinary course found in Group 3/4. It will be available at higher level for the first exam session (May 2026)
