SCIE was registered as a centre of Cambridge International Examinations of UCLES in April 2003 and the school inaugurated in September 2003. The College is founded principally along the lines of a British A level College and is approved by the Shenzhen Education Bureau SCIE's aim is to enable students to gain the necessary A level qualifications for university entrance mainly in the UK but in the last two years almost 50% of SCIE students have been opting for universities in the United States of America.

SCIE has a selective student intake by examinations in Mathematics and English language as well as by interview. The academic standard of our students is very high. All of our students, including the first group who graduated in 2005 have had 100% success in gaining entry to universities in the UK and elsewhere. It is encouraging that we have managed to place a few of our students in Oxbridge every year since our first graduates in 2005. The details of our first two graduate cohorts can be seen in the appendix.

SCIE's first campus consisted of a few classrooms and labs catering to approximately 100 students: about 40 in A1 level (year 12) and the rest in IGCSE level (years 10 & 11). After a number of moves we are now well established in our own campus in Futian District in the heart of Shenzhen. The campus is located within easy walking distance of accommodation, supermarkets, shops, restaurants and entertainment. Hong Kong is readily accessible by bus and train and takes about one hour and a half depending on the traffic.

We function as an entirely independent body and conduct our own academic programmes. Within four years the College has grown to around 550 students. There are currently seven A2 classes and eight A1 classes + 5 G2's and 3 G1's. At full capacity SCIE will cater to approximately 600 students with an 8, 8, 4, 4 distribution from A2 to G1.

The Staff has grown in tandem with the increasing student population. From only five expatriates (3 at A level) and around 10 local staff at the start of the school, we now have a Staff roll of 80, 35% expatriate. The majority of our highly qualified expatriate Staff are very experienced in the International arena, and have spent most of their careers teaching A-Levels in their specific subject areas. This, combined with an excellent quality of student intake, has resulted in some of the highest grades at AS and A-Level in any comparable School or College in China. The results are quoted elsewhere for your interest. This year 37 out of a total of 135 of our A2 students applied for Oxbridge; 15 were interviewed for Oxford, 11 for Cambridge within China, with another ten going to the UK specifically for Cambridge interviews. The list of our 2007 graduates, all of whom gained places at universities, is also given in the appendix.

The courses offered at SCIE have also expanded. From being a purely Maths/Science College in 2003, SCIE now has 11 subject choices at the IGCSE level and 13 at A level in the 2007-08 session. The emphasis has changed from mainly Science based subjects to Commerce subjects: Economics, Business Studies and Accountancy. This year we have introduced Art, Computer Science, Geography and History. In the last two years we have also offered Psychology at AS level. Students now have a broad choice in a comprehensive range of subjects at both IGCSE and A level.

We look to the future with great enthusiasm, and with the conviction that SCIE will grow from strength to strength. Our students have proved themselves worthy of the challenge and have gained places at some of the most prestigious universities throughout the world. The accomplishments so far have not been achieved without great effort and persistence on the part of Staff, students and management alike. Throughout our development we have always tried to work as a team with clear goals and aims and have gained much experience in this process. We continue to learn and progress as we evolve. In our short history we have established a good infrastructure and many unique teaching practices and operational systems which have achieved a remarkable measure of success. This has gained for SCIE a notable reputation in Shenzhen and beyond. In the future we hope to enhance this reputation further with SCIE as the unchallenged leader of Academic excellence for International Education in China.

Jim Glancy
Academic Head
SCIE