Online GCSE Ages 14 to 16
Five straight answers, including the one where we tell you not to choose us.
It is set by Cambridge International rather than by an England-regulated exam board. Ofqual does not regulate Cambridge IGCSE and does not publish a comparison of the two standards.
Entry requirements are set by each sixth form and college, and some ask for a UK ENIC statement of comparability. Check the requirement with the school your child is applying to.
UK universities set entry on A Level, with English and maths as a background requirement. Cambridge qualifications are recognised by 1,400+ universities.
At a local exam centre. You register your child with that centre yourself. We guide you through registering and prepare your child for the papers.
If your child is 16 to 18, has not yet passed GCSE maths or English, and goes on to a state sixth form or college in England, that college has to teach them towards a qualification the Department for Education approves for this purpose, and Cambridge IGCSE is not one of them. Which qualification applies depends on the grade your child already holds. In that situation the college route is the right one and we will say so. This applies only where your child has not yet passed. A student who already holds a Cambridge IGCSE at grade 9 to 4 has met the prior attainment requirement, so the condition does not apply to them.
No fee for the consultation, and you are not asked to decide on the call.
Accredited and recognised by
Scheduled classes taught in real time by qualified teachers, with classmates in the room. Not a library of videos to work through alone. Every lesson is recorded, so a missed morning is not a missed topic.
Classes are kept small enough that a teacher notices when something is not landing, and says so. That is the difference between being enrolled and being taught.
The same Cambridge-accredited British curriculum taught in schools worldwide, leading to IGCSE and A Level qualifications recognised by 1,400+ universities.
Students belong to houses, make friends across countries, and have a Mentor who tracks how they are getting on and talks to you when it matters.
Every pathway delivers the same Cambridge-accredited British education. What changes is how much live teaching and structure your child needs.
The complete British online school
Live lessons each week15
A full timetable, every weekday.
Best suited to
Structured teaching alongside your child's school
Live lessons each week5
Bridge is for families who flexi-school. It fits alongside your child's school timetable.
Best suited to
The full Cambridge course, on your own schedule
Live lessons each week0
Every lesson recorded, studied when it suits.
Best suited to
| Pathway | IWS Academy | IWS Bridge | IWS Foundation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live teaching | 15 live classes each week | 5 live classes each week | No live classes, study at your own pace |
| Structure | A fully scheduled school day | Balanced and flexible | Self-directed |
| Best suited to | Students who thrive on interaction | Busy or high-performing families | Disciplined independent learners |
| Support | Dedicated performance mentorship | Teacher check-ins and progress reviews | Full access to course resources |
| Community | Global classmates and houses | Community and workshops | Online community access |
| Curriculum | The same Cambridge-accredited British curriculum on all three pathways | ||
| Investment guide | Full school experience | Mid-tier | Most accessible |
Fees depend on the pathway and the number of subjects your child takes. See fees and funding.
No fee for the consultation, and you are not asked to decide on the call.
Our Programmes
What comes next, and where Cambridge IGCSE leads.
The Cambridge curriculum for ages 14 to 16, taught to a timetable.
Learn more
Expert live teaching and full UCAS support for top universities.
Learn more
95% of University Foundation Programme students progress to 165+ university pathways.
Learn moreParents and students, in their own words, with nobody from the school in the room.
Verified reviews
Reviews left independently by IWS parents and students. We do not select or edit them.
Teaching at IWS
Qualified, experienced educators who teach live, and the leaders behind them, all genuinely invested in every student.
“A real school, with real teachers, not just a platform.”
Frequently Asked Questions
It is set by Cambridge International rather than by an England-regulated exam board. Ofqual does not regulate Cambridge IGCSE and does not publish a comparison of the two standards.
Entry requirements are set by each sixth form and college, and some ask for a UK ENIC statement of comparability. Check the requirement with the school your child is applying to.
UK universities set entry on A Level, with English and maths as a background requirement. Cambridge qualifications are recognised by 1,400+ universities, and our team supports students through university applications.
At a local exam centre. You register your child with that centre yourself. We guide you through registering and prepare your child for the papers.
Not as a way of meeting the government's 16 to 19 funding requirement. If a student has not achieved a grade 4 in GCSE maths or English by the end of Year 11, the college they join has to teach them towards an approved qualification, and Cambridge IGCSE is not on that list. A full-time student holding a grade 3 must study GCSE. A student with a grade 2 or below, or no grade at all, can study either GCSE or Functional Skills Level 2. This applies to state sixth forms and colleges that receive government funding, not to independent schools, and only where the student has not yet passed. Where a student already holds a Cambridge IGCSE at grade 9 to 4, the Department for Education's 16 to 19 funding guidance treats the prior attainment requirement as met.
Academy is 15 lessons a week and is a full timetable. Bridge is 5 lessons a week and fits alongside a school timetable, which is what families who flexi-school use. Foundation is self-paced. Whether your child can attend their school part-time is decided by the headteacher of the school they are on roll at, not by us.
Yes. We assess where your child is, agree a starting point and plan the transition. The 2026/27 school year starts on 14 September 2026, and we also take students during the year.
Fees depend on the pathway and the number of subjects your child takes. We give you the figures for your child's stage, VAT included, and you are not asked to decide on the call.
Looking for more answers? Visit our full FAQ →
No fee for the consultation, and you are not asked to decide on the call.
Talk to us
Tell us your child's year group and what you are weighing up. You are not deciding anything today.
We reply within one working day. Your details go only to our admissions team.
Choose what happens next. Whichever you pick, we reply within one working day.
30 minutes with our admissions team, at a time that suits you.
Replies within the hour, most days.
No further action needed. Our reply will come by email.
A Cambridge-accredited British online school, delivering live, expert-taught education to students aged 7 to 19 worldwide.
A warm, close-knit school community where every child is known by name and supported to thrive.
