St Paul’s College is well known for its academic rigour and is regarded as one of the top academic schools in the country – a reputation closely guarded and fiercely defended, revised, and maintained.
We follow the Cambridge International Education (CAIE) Lower Secondary curriculum in Grades 7 and 8. Students make subject choices to start CAIE IGCSE in Grade 9 and complete CAIE AS Level in Grade 12, after which they have the option to complete their A Level in Grade 13.
In international CAIE examinations, our students regularly achieve top results. Recent years have seen as many as 90% of our students obtaining A*, A, B and C symbols in the IGCSE examinations. This foundation prepares our students for the AS/A Level programme of study, affording them entrance to Southern African and international universities.
The Cambridge Lower Secondary phase (Grades 7 & 8) recognises the social, cognitive, spiritual development stages that students generally go through during these grades. In this phase, our students are exposed to a wide range of subjects and activities.
The IGCSE phase (Grades 9 & 10) presumes that students are ready for greater responsibility and further challenges, and there is a more focused approach to preparing for the international IGCSE examinations.
Finally, in the AS/A Level phase (Grades 11, 12 & 13) students specialise in their chosen subjects, concentrating on key areas of interest. Subjects at this level are more tailored to each student’s further education.
Cambridge Lower Secondary
Grade 7 and 8
The following subjects are taught in Grades 7 and 8.
Examination subjects:
- English (First Language)
- An additional language – choices are:
- Afrikaans (Second Language)
- French (Foreign Language)
- German (Foreign Language)
- Mathematics
- Art & Design
- Biology
- Commerce
- Computer Studies (Grade 7 International Computer Driving Licence and Grade 8 Coding & Robotics)
- Geography
- History
- Science
Non-examination subjects:
- Drama
- Life Skills
- Physical Education
- Religious Education
*** Students who are currently in Grade 8 and lower will write the Cambridge IGCSE examinations in the October/November period of their Grade 10 year.
Cambridge Upper Secondary
IGCSE
Grade 9
Students continue with eight (8) subjects in Grade 9. This is the start of the IGCSE curriculum. The subject codes are in brackets.
Compulsory subjects:
- English First Language (0500)
- An additional language, to continue with the language taken in Grades 7 and 8.
- Afrikaans Second Language (0548)
- French Foreign Language (0520)
- German Foreign Language (0525)
- Mathematics (0580)
Additional Subjects:
Five (5) additional subjects are chosen from the 10 subjects below:
- Accounting (0452)
- Art & Design (0400)
- Biology (0610)
- Chemistry (0620)
- Computer Science (0478)
- Economics (0455)
- Geography (0460)
- History (0470)
- Information and Communication Technology (0417)
- Physics (0625)
Grade 10
Students continue with seven (7) subjects at IGCSE.
One subject from the Grade 9 additional subjects is dropped
Compulsory subjects:
- English First Language (0500)
- An additional language, to continue with the language taken in Grades 7, 8 and 9.
- Afrikaans Second Language (0548)
- French Foreign Language (0520)
- German Foreign Language (0525)
- Mathematics (0580)
Additional Subjects:
Continuing with four (4) additional subjects which were studied in Grade 9.
- Accounting (0452)
- Art & Design (0400)
- Biology (0610)
- Chemistry (0620)
- Computer Science (0478)
- Economics (0455)
- Geography (0460)
- History (0470)
- Information and Communication Technology (0417)
- Physics (0625)
*** Students who are currently in Grades 9 and 10 will write the IGCSE examinations in the May/June examination period of the students’ Grade 11 year. (2025 & 2026)
Cambridge Upper Secondary
AS Level
Grade 11 and 12
Students continue with a minimum of four (4) subjects at AS Level.
Compulsory subjects:
- English Language (9093)
Additional Subjects:
- Accounting (9706)
- Afrikaans Language (8679)
- Art & Design (9479)
- Biology (9700)
- Chemistry (9701)
- Economics (9708)
- French Language (8028)
- Geography (9696)
- German Language (8027)
- History (9489)
- Information Technology (9626)
- Mathematics (9709)
- Physics (9702)
*** AS Level examinations are written in the October/November examination period of the students’ Grade 12 year.
A Level
Grade 13
Students continue with a maximum of three (3) subjects at A Level.
These subjects must have already been passed at the CAIE AS Level.
Based on demand, the following subjects will/can be offered:
- Accounting (9706)
- Biology (9700)
- Chemistry (9701)
- English Language (9093)
- Geography (9696)
- Mathematics (9709)
- Physics (9702)