Overview
- Public education in Canada is decentralized. This implies that each province can develop its own curriculum and standardized assessments.
- Canadian curriculum schools in Abu Dhabi follow either the Alberta or Nova Scotia curriculum framework.
- Apart from statutory subjects, such as English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies, curricula from Canada have specific subjects to build a range of competencies:
- Alberta: Career and Life Management, Physical Education, Career and Technology Studies and a range of elective subjects to suit the students' interests.
- Nova Scotia: Healthy Living, Personal Development and Society, Global Studies and a range of electives to suit the students’ interests.
Progression
- Entry to Kindergarten begins at age 4-5.
- Students complete 12 years of education to receive a High School Diploma if they complete the credits required by their respective province.
|
Age |
Grade/Level Nova Scotia |
Grade/Level Alberta |
|---|---|---|
|
4-5 |
KG1 |
KG1 |
|
5-6 |
KG2 (Primary) |
KG2 |
|
6-7 |
1 |
1 |
|
7-8 |
2 |
2 |
|
8-9 |
3 |
3 |
|
9-10 |
4 |
4 |
|
10-11 |
5 |
5 |
|
11-12 |
6 |
6 |
|
12-13 |
7 |
7 |
|
13-14 |
8 |
8 |
|
14-15 |
9 |
9 |
|
15-16 |
10 |
10 (level-10) |
|
16-17 |
11 |
11 (level-20) |
|
17-18 |
12 |
12 (level-30) |
Assessments
Alberta:
- Annual Provincial Achievement Tests (PAT) for Grades 3, 6 and 9.
- Internal assessments (coursework) and external assessment (exams) are used to award students a High School Diploma at the end of Grade 12.
- Alternatively, students can opt to obtain a Certificate of High School Achievement by completing lesser coursework. However, this Certificate does not meet the minimum requirements for university admission in Canada.
Nova Scotia:
- Nova Scotia Assessments for Grades 2, 6 and 8.
- Nova Scotia Examinations in English and Mathematics in Grade 10.
- The High School Diploma is awarded on the basis of internal assessment and the result of the Nova Scotia Examinations.
Accreditation
Alberta:
- Alberta Education works with international schools to enable them to offer the Alberta curriculum and its associated qualification, the Alberta High School Diploma, to students.
- To become an Alberta Accredited International School (AAIS), schools must undergo a process of school inspection and continuous monitoring of the school’s compliance with the requirements of accreditation.
Nova Scotia:
- An international school (public or private) may be approved to offer a Nova Scotia program, giving their students the opportunity to graduate with a Nova Scotia High School Diploma.
- To be accredited, schools undergo an annual cycle of inspection, undertaken by inspectors from the Nova Scotia Department of Education, against recognized standards and expectations
Further Details
More details regarding the Alberta curriculum are available here and here.
Details on the Nova Scotia curriculum are available here.