Curriculum
We provide a comprehensive, systematic American elite curriculum comprising more than 100 courses, including AP offerings. With tiered education and a course elective system, each student receives a custom schedule tailored to their needs.
Philosophy of Education
- Upholding the American philosophy of holistic education
Enlighten School has adopted the curriculum system of international high schools and embraced its educational philosophy of holistic education. Beyond core academic courses, international education places greater emphasis on students’ performance in group discussions. It values innovation, logical reasoning, and critical thinking and prioritizes the development of oral communication and writing skills. International classrooms feature interactive, collaborative, and inquiry-based learning, guiding students to engage in self-reflection, questioning, and critical thinking.
To enrich students’ after-school experiences, Enlighten School has invested substantial human and financial resources to build a well-rounded program. It offers diverse resources and platforms spanning athletics, intellectual development, debate and public speaking, social research, music, fine arts, and social engagement. All students are given opportunities to participate and showcase their strengths in extracurricular pursuits they enjoy and excel at, including club activities, exhibitions, competitions, and performances. A range of awards is also available to encourage participation and foster students’ all-round development.
- Leadership and Teamwork: Indispensable Competencies
Overseas universities evaluate applicants against multiple criteria. Aside from academic transcripts, they attach great importance to well-rounded growth and place high demands on students’ comprehensive qualities. The educational mission of Enlighten School Shenzhen is to fully discover each student’s talents and potential, help them reach high levels of achievement, and support their smooth transition from domestic to overseas study. This prepares them to compete on an equal footing with their global peers upon entering university and ultimately become versatile talents needed by society.
To this end, the school encourages students to actively join the Student Union, Peer Mentor Team, and Student Council. These student leadership bodies take on distinct responsibilities. They organize and manage extracurricular activities from various perspectives and even participate in school governance, enabling students to strengthen their leadership, organizational, managerial, and coordination skills.
- Cultivate a Spirit of Philanthropy and Social Responsibility
Students at Enlighten School are expected to seek out suitable group activities through their efforts. They take part in community service, fundraising, public welfare advocacy, and other initiatives to contribute to a more harmonious society. A required number of service hours each academic year is a prerequisite for grade promotion and graduation. The school attaches great importance to nurturing students’ compassion and sense of social responsibility—a notable distinction between American-style education and traditional domestic education.
Curriculum & Course Offerings
Enlighten School operates as an international institution and offers a global curriculum portfolio covering IB, IGCSE, A‑Level, AP, DSE, Singapore O-Level, and standard curricula from Canada, Australia, and more. While prioritizing the development of Chinese students’ competitive edge, the school integrates international courses with university admissions preparation to help students build a solid foundation of academic knowledge and skills. We prepare students for admission to top-tier global universities upon graduation and to become accomplished global citizens.
Enlighten School adopts small-class teaching and a team of both local and international teachers, enabling students to adapt quickly to international education and grow into competitive global talents. Alongside international and university-preparatory courses, the school arranges a series of applied-science academic presentations, seminars, and subject extension tutorials, as well as international competitions and global study tours.
The school’s curriculum framework consists of compulsory courses, elective courses, internationally accredited courses, and university counselling courses. This transforms students from passive recipients of knowledge into active learners, empowering them to explore and develop their strengths and interests.
Credit System
Compulsory Subjects: Courses that all students must complete across Grades 9 to 12. They serve as the primary requirement for earning a high school diploma and advancing to tertiary education.
Elective Subjects: Individual courses or clusters of related courses. Selections are largely determined by students’ future university plans. Students may choose from a wide range of subjects such as STEM, economics, and psychology based on their personal interests and career aspirations. The credit system grants students extensive flexibility. The combination of core coursework and specialized electives embodies personalized learning and aligns with the core admission principles adopted by overseas institutions.
Grade Point Average (GPA): The cumulative average of grades across all courses a student is taking (a point-scale system such as 3.9 or 4.0, instead of a percentage system). Subject teachers dynamically update grades according to students’ overall performance, and the GPA is refreshed accordingly. This allows students and parents to track academic progress clearly and promptly. It also matches the transcript review standards of most overseas universities, presenting results straightforwardly without lengthy explanations.
Teaching Objectives & Curriculum Framework: Enlighten School delivers an American-style education aligned with universities in developed nations worldwide. It strives to foster an academic environment that encourages student initiative and creativity, while cultivating independent learning capabilities.
Meanwhile, Enlighten School has integrated international high school curricula delivered in English to build an immersive academic environment, following the internationally recognized credit system. Preparation courses for ACT, SAT, AP, TOEFL, and IELTS are embedded within the school’s curriculum. This gives our students a competitive edge when applying to top global universities, eliminating the need for external tutoring.
Teaching Environment
Enlighten School adopts English-medium instruction and elite small-class teaching. The campus is fully equipped with comprehensive facilities, enabling students to strengthen their academic competence and personal qualities and develop sound character within a professional, comfortable setting.
Classroom Model: Small-Class Instruction and Targeted Support
Students at Enlighten School will never feel adrift during their studies. From enrollment all the way to admission into their dream universities, they receive ongoing personalized guidance tailored to their individual needs, covering course selection, extracurricular choices, and university admission planning. Class sizes are kept at around 20 students. This favorable teacher-student ratio ensures every learner receives adequate teacher attention for steady, healthy growth. Small-class settings help students stay focused, support differentiated and personalized instruction, and make it easier for students to communicate with teachers and peers. Rich teacher-student interaction leads to deeper learning.
For high-achieving students with outstanding capabilities, the school recommends profile-enhancement programs to fully unlock their potential and strengthen their university applications. For students facing academic challenges and falling behind, targeted support is provided, including after-school group tutorials and one-on-one coaching. For students struggling with learning attitudes, habits, or strategies, specialist staff offer behavioral coaching. Individual action plans are designed and implemented for each student, with continuous progress tracking.
Immersive English Environment
With the exception of Chinese language and history courses, all subjects are delivered in English. English is the primary language for campus signage, notices, and promotional materials. Internal documents, emails, and handbooks within the school are written in English. Students communicate verbally with international teachers in English. Instruction, academic writing, group discussions, club activities, and other academic engagements are conducted in English.
Core Features of Holistic, Interactive American-Style Education
- Discussion: Students share diverse perspectives, cultivating independent thinking and openness to different viewpoints through dialogue.
- Engagement: Varied teaching activities fully stimulate students’ interest and motivation to learn.
- Evidence-based inquiry: Learning is rooted in research and analysis rather than rote knowledge transmission.
- Practicality: International education prioritizes all-round development. Students gain marked improvements in practical and social skills, laying a solid foundation for future careers.
Support Tutorials
- Setting personal goals
- Coaching on time management, study skills, exam preparation, test-taking strategies, and other academic competencies
- Building the ability to communicate, think, and analyze in English
- Independent learning skills
- Guidance on effective learning methods
- Counselling and mental wellbeing support
Standardized Test Preparation Courses
Enlighten School’s curriculum includes leveled ESL intensive programs, AP courses, TOEFL, ACT, and SAT preparation. Students can complete standardized test training for overseas university applications on campus, cutting extra tutoring costs. The school recruits teachers with specialized experience in these standardized examinations to deliver ESL, AP, TOEFL, ACT, and SAT instruction full-time.