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Become a British Council-attached centre and join a global learning network of thousands of ambitious schools and institutions. 

As an attached centre, you can offer world-renowned exams from Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) or Pearson Edexcel. This can boost your profile and reputation, while making it convenient for students to sit exams in the same venue as they are taught. You can also benefit from co-branding your centre with the British Council and the exam board.

The British Council will:

  • help to organise registration
  • handle all exam administration
  • offer support and advice for students and teachers
  • ensure the security of all exam venues
  • be on hand to help teachers and principals where needed.

Guidelines and Form

The British Council inspects GCE schools that want to register themselves with Cambridge and Pearson Edexcel International Examinations. The general guidelines for affiliate institutions are listed below.

The school must be a high quality teaching institution with awareness of the responsibilities involved in becoming an affiliated GCE teaching centre. No Objection Certificate should have been obtained from the local Education Board. If you fulfil the following criteria, please complete the Cambridge Attached Center Form (available in downloads section at the bottom of this page) and return a signed copy (scanned) of the completed form in pdf, along with pictures of your standard classrooms, library, computer lab, science labs and play area on the following email address: PK_schools.pkexams@britishcouncil.org.pk

Your institution should adhere to the following standards:

Staff

  • Teachers should have a first degree or equivalent, plus a minimum of three years’ full-time, relevant teaching experience.
  • Senior academic staff should possess a Master’s degree or equivalent, and at least five years’ full-time, relevant teaching experience.
  • All teachers should be able to display a sound knowledge of their subject. Foreign language teachers must also have an appropriate command of therelevant language.

Science and laboratories

  • A school teaching all three science subjects should have a minimum of two good laboratories.
  • The laboratories should be well equipped for teaching the three science subjects, including appropriate apparatus and stocks of chemicals. Students should be able to work on their own individual apparatus during practical work.
  • Laboratory staff should have received appropriate training, and be aware of health and safety issues i.e. they should be trained in First Aid and the lab should have a fire extinguisher installed in working order.
  • All labs should be well ventilated, appropriately lighted and should have ceiling fans or air conditioners as well as exhaust fans.

Library

• The library collection must reflect the range of subjects taught.
• The reference section should contain a sufficient number of titles for students to prepare assignments and coursework.
• Library staff should have received appropriate training, and be aware of the resources available.

Computer laboratories

• The computer lab should be equipped with modern computer systems and accessories.
• If the school intends to run computer based tests in its laboratory, the equipment must meet the minimum specifications required.
• There should be sufficient computers to allow students to work at each workstation in pairs.

Classrooms

  • The classrooms must be spacious, well ventilated and have a source of natural light.
  • Classroom furniture should be of appropriate quality, suited to the age groups being taught and light enough to be easily moved.
  • All students must be able to read from the whiteboard or blackboard with ease.
  • Classrooms should be well decorated with relevant charts and posters. Notice-boards should be covered in coloured cloth or paper and appropriately labelled.
  • A member of staff should be responsible for a weekly check of notice-boards.
  • Audio visual equipment should be available.
  • Class sets of dictionaries should be available.

Health and safety

• An appropriate number of staff should have received training in First Aid.
• Fire extinguishers must be provided, and fire drills must be held on a regular basis.

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