Edexcel – Trinity’s Next Step Forward
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For nearly 150 years now, Trinity College has been one of the foremost and celebrated schools in not only the Kandy district but the island as a whole, and in almost all inter-school competitions that have happened in Sri Lankan history, you can be certain to find at least one student representing our name. For years, Trinity College has been considered one of the most modern schools in the island as well, quick to adapt various new educational practices, and in 2019, Trinity set their eyes on joining the set of very few schools in the nation to support both the local Advanced Level examinations and the Edexcel International Advanced Level examination. Ultimately, our first batch of Edexcel students proved to be a grand success, showing a passing rate of 94.3% in the October 2020 examinations.
What exactly is ‘Edexcel’?
Founded in 1996 by Pearson PLC, the Edexcel International Advanced Level (IAL) has evolved into an internationally respected and highly esteemed examination board with thousands of students under its wing. Currently, the Edexcel programme being carried out here in Trinity College allows a combination of any 3 or 4 subjects from the following: accounting, biology, business studies, chemistry, economics, English literature, further mathematics & mathematics, information technology, physics, and psychology.
In the IAL curriculum, all students do not sit for one exam that takes place at the end of the year, but instead their chosen subjects are split into separate ‘units’ and each unit has a different exam, which can be taken during a period of 2 years, starting from when they commenced the programme. Additionally, the number of exams that take place for each subject varies: mathematics and science subjects consist of 3 units in a year, English literature, business studies, information technology, economics, and psychology consist of 2 units in a year, and accounting consists of 1 unit in a year.
If required, a unit’s examination can be retaken, and there is no obligation to redo the entire subject; the examinations themselves occur every January, June, and October.
The 2 years that the student will be studying during is divided into 2 components: the first year is named ‘Advanced Subsidiary Level’ or AS, and the second year is simply named ‘Advanced Level’ or A2.
Why Choose Edexcel?
As time passes it is becoming more and more apparent that the local Advanced Levels simply cannot compete with Edexcel in essentially any field. First and foremost, the local A/Ls have one central problem a majority of the island have identified; they are far too outdated, not only in terms of syllabus, but also in terms of how that syllabus is digested, relying almost solely on rote-learning/memorisation instead of the genuine intelligence and skill of the student. Meanwhile IALs have a much more modernised syllabus, recognised by hundreds of universities both national and international. Moreover, a more modernized mode of teaching, including a balanced combination of both memorisation and an encouragement of self-learning, is implemented to ensure the student receives an appropriate comprehension of the material.
But by far the greatest advantage of IAL would be the ability to choose multiple subjects from different streams, a much-needed and helpful option the local A/Ls have been notorious for lacking, having caused many of its students to be forced to abandon a subject they favour and/or study a subject they despise. Additionally, the IAL allows the student to choose 4 subjects if they desire it, opening up more gates and choices for higher education.
Why Edexcel in Trinity in Particular?
Excluding the gorgeous scenery of the school, embedded with open spaces of greenery and outdoor walkways, the dozens of highly esteemed and internationally acknowledged clubs and societies, some having been founded over 100 years ago, the abundance of facilities for self-development and training, the legendary sports section, the well-experienced teachers, etc, Trinity College offers an assortment of benefits regarding the IAL.
Not only does Trinity College support IAL, we also have a time-honoured and deep-rooted local A/Ls section, which permits Trinitians a choice where both options will lead to a high-quality education that most other Sri Lankan schools just cannot offer.
The foremost schools of Colombo such as Ladies’ College, where around 40% of the students follow it, and we believe Trinity College is the prime candidate for receiving that height of education and opportunities here in Kandy.
And even for those outside of Kandy, Trinity College has recently finished renovating the Allison House, one of the oldest boarding houses in our history. The newly renovated building was fitted with polished wooden flooring, fresh windows, modern ceiling lights, etc, and generally furnished with a brand-new aesthetic of modernism, and is eager to begin housing upper school students again. Therefore, whether you’re from Jaffna or Galle or anywhere in between, Trinity is an accessible option.
Moreover, Trinity offers a more competitive environment than most international schools do, and presents the student a chance to compete and grow both academically and personally.
In Conclusion
The current Sri Lankan world of education is tense and choking with lack of opportunities, lack of facilities, inconveniences, and so forth, and during such a time, Trinity College offers a comparatively more relaxed and flexible education, especially in its Edexcel International Advanced Level section.
- Dulina Herath