Middle Years - Rotterdam International Secondary School

The RISS Middle Years (Grades 9 and 10) are an exciting period of a student’s academic, personal and social development. They form both a natural progression from the RISS Foundation Years (Grades 6-8), and an excellent preparation for the RISS IB DP/CP programmes (Grades 11 and 12) or other pathways of study and work. We hope that our students will look back on their RISS Middle Years with great memories of these formative teenage years.

Achieving their potential and enjoying their youth

As our Middle Years students grow as young adults, gain their independence, and find their place in the world, their academic, personal and social potential is supported by a strong and connected community of teachers, staff, family, peers and friends. Our students learn with and from students who represent over 70 countries, in a truly international community. Teachers collaborate to provide enabling, engaging and enjoyable learning experiences.

As a school, we support a range of learners in many ways, including programmes for pastoral care, learning diversity, English language learning and counselling. Alongside their academic studies, RISS students develop their personal interests, talents and leadership skills, through extra-curricular activities including sports, the arts, and cultural and service groups. Our school year also includes many opportunities for students in different grade levels to learn and participate together, which fosters a sense of community and belonging. Regular field trips encourage students to collaborate through teamwork and explore their learning in the real world.

Learning in the Middle Years

RISS offers the two-year International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) which has been run by Cambridge Assessment International Education for over 30 years. This flexible curriculum is designed for international contexts and encourages confident, responsible, reflective, innovative, engaged and confident learners. Each year, it attracts over 800,000 entries from around 160 countries.

Middle Years students study a combination of IGCSE and RISS subjects that is broad, balanced and connected. Students are stretched, challenged and inspired by IGCSE subjects in Languages (both English and a world language), Mathematics, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Creative and Professional areas. They have the opportunity to pursue particular interests through subject electives, as well as fostering their mother-tongue language through optional private IGCSE language study.

Alongside IGCSE subjects, RISS students develop skills in the language of their host country through regular Dutch lessons, and knowledge and understanding of social-emotional and physical wellbeing through our tutorial and Physical Education programmes. The RISS Reach programme empowers students to become thoughtful and reflective global citizens.

Subject Choices

All IGCSE students (2025-2027) will study a programme of subjects:

Subjects in columns 1-4 are compulsory non-IGCSE subjects.
Subjects in columns 5-11 are compulsory IGCSE subjects.
Subjects in columns 12-13 are additional (non-compulsory) subjects.

1

2

3

Physical Education (2 lessons)

At RISS we believe that it is important for all students to be fit and healthy. Regular activity not only helps with growth and physical development, but it also aids concentration and focus, helps to relieve stress, and therefore has an overall positive impact on performance across the subjects. For these reasons, two periods a week of Physical Education are compulsory for all students.

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

Heritage Language Private Study (First Language)

Must be a Cambridge International IGCSE First language. Requests need to be made to the Head of Middle Years at the beginning of the IGCSE programme in Grade 9. We can only support exams with reading/writing components (not speaking/listening). Parents are strongly encouraged to find appropriate private tutoring for their children and provide evidence of this.

Curriculum Scope and Sequence Grade 9 & 10

The curriculum scope and sequence documents at RISS outlines the key knowledge, skills, and concepts students learn in each grade and how these develop over time. Our curriculum is carefully planned to ensure learning builds progressively, enabling students to deepen their understanding and grow in confidence as they move through the school. This approach provides clarity, coherence, and continuity across subjects, while supporting teachers to make meaningful connections between topics and year groups. The scope and sequence is a living document and is regularly reviewed and refined in response to student needs, assessment insights, and evolving educational best practice, ensuring our curriculum remains rigorous, relevant, and responsive.

Download an overview of the subjects

Scope and Sequence Grade 9

Scope and Sequence Grade 10

For more information, please contact the Head of Middle Years: Gerald Oudman.