This Syllabus Booklet has been prepared exclusively for students appearing

in Cambridge Checkpoint Exams – 2024, faculty and parents of GMIS

Semarang to know about the subjects offered, detailed syllabus & format
of the question paper, etc. for the school year 2023-2024.

The information contained herein is complete and care has been taken to
verify its accuracy. However, if there are any amendments from
Cambridge, they will be shared with all stakeholders at the earliest.

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 CAMBRIDGE CHECKPOINT
LOWER SECONDARY 2024

The Cambridge Checkpoint offers 2 different leveled assessments –

Cambridge Primary Checkpoint and Cambridge Lower Secondary program.
Cambridge Primary Checkpoint is for students aged 5 to 11, whereas
Cambridge Lower Secondary program is meant for students aged 11 to 14.

Cambridge Primary & Secondary Checkpoint tests are fully marked by

Cambridge International and benefit in the following ways:

• Help students identify and understand their strengths and weaknesses in

the subjects at the end of their primary and lower secondary education
respectively.

• It helps parents and teachers, as well as students, to realize learning

needs for cooperative action planning for more effective learning.

• It enables teachers and schools to help students make the most of their
educational opportunities

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Assessment / Grading System
The Cambridge Primary Checkpoint scoring will be out of 50 and given as
whole numbers. This replaces the previous 0.0–6.0 scoring system, which
reported to one decimal place. A new set of performance bands will be used
from 2023 for Cambridge Primary Checkpoint.

The six new performance bands are: Outstanding, High, Good, Aspiring, Basic
and Unclassified. The following table shows the new scores and performance
bands.

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The students sitting for the Cambridge Checkpoint assessments will receive
detailed feedback reports as well as a Statement of Achievement. This
Statement of Achievement that is provided is to show how well the student
has performed.

The Cambridge Checkpoint assessment is a great way to assess student’s

learning progress. This assessment helps students to realize their strengths
and weaknesses which are vital to know to make any needed adjustments to
their learning.

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CAMBRIDGE LOWER SECONDARY
CHECKPOINT – GRADE 8

Subjects Offered – Academic Year 2023-2024

English as Second Language ( ESL)
Mathematics
Science

Assessment Schedule
Mock Examination
Final Exam Schedule

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ENGLISH as a SECOND LANGUAGE

Syllabus Details

No. TOPIC CONTENT

1. Listening Listening for Global Meaning
Understand the main points of short and extended talk.

Listening for Detail

Deduce meaning from context and understand some implied
meaning, with little or no support, in short and extended talk.
Understand specific information and detail of short and extended
talk.
Understand the detail of an argument in short and extended talk.
Recognise, with support, inconsistencies in argument in short and
extended talk.

Listening for Opinion

Recognise the opinions of the speaker(s) and draw relevant
conclusions for short and extended talk.
Recognise the difference between fact and opinion [including
bias] in short and extended texts.

2. Communicative achievement
Writing
Spell familiar words accurately on a wide range of topics.
Generate ideas, plan, write, edit and proofread extended texts
independently.
Use style and register appropriate to a range of written genres.
Use mostly accurate written language, without making mistakes
which cause misunderstanding, and frequently correct their own
errors.

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 Organization
Punctuate extended texts with reasonable accuracy when writing
independently and frequently correct their own errors.
Link ideas and arguments into coherent, extended text using a
range of connectives.
Use appropriate layout for a wide range of written genres.

Content
Write, with little or no support, extended texts which describe
people, places and objects, and past and present actions and
events [real and imagined] in detail.
Express opinions and develop coherent arguments, supported by
reasons, examples and evidence.

3. Reading Reading for global meaning

Understand the main points of short and extended texts.
Read a range of extended fiction and non-fiction texts with
confidence and enjoyment.

Reading for detail

Understand specific information and detail in short and extended
texts.
Understand the detail of an argument in short and extended
texts.
Recognise, with support, inconsistencies in argument in short and
extended texts.
Deduce meaning from context and understand some implied
meaning, with little or no support, in short and extended texts.

Reading for opinion

Recognise the opinions of the writer(s) in short and extended
texts and draw relevant conclusions.
Recognise the difference between fact and opinion [including

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 bias] in short and extended texts.

4. Use of English Grammatical forms

Use a wide range of present simple active forms and passive
forms.
Use a wide range of past simple active forms and passive forms.
Use a range of present continuous active forms and an increasing
range of passive forms.
Use a range of past continuous active forms and begin to use
passive forms.
Use a range of present perfect active forms and begin to use
passive forms.
Use present perfect continuous forms.
Use a range of active and passive past perfect simple forms.
Begin to use past perfect continuous forms.
Use a range of future active and passive forms, and use future
continuous forms.
Begin to use if/if only clauses in third conditionals.
Use a range of prepositional and phrasal verbs.
Use a range of reported statements and question forms.
Begin to use a range of causative forms (e.g. have/get something
done).
Use an increasing range of past modal forms (e.g. must have,
can’t have, might have) to express speculation and deduction
about the past.
Use a range of compound and participle adjectives, and
comparative structures to indicate degree and an increasing
range of intensifying adjectives.

Vocabulary
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 Use a wide range of dependent prepositions following adjectives
and an increasing range of dependent prepositions following
nouns and verbs.
Use a range of comparative and superlative forms with regular
and irregular adverbs and comparative adverb structures.
Use a range of abstract nouns, compound nouns, complex noun
phrases.

Sentence structure
Use a range of connectives.
Use a range of relative clauses, including which to refer to the
previous clause.
Use infinitive and gerund forms after a range of verbs, adjectives
and prepositions.

EXAM FORMAT

Paper Duration Marks

Paper 1: Reading and Usage 45 minutes 42 marks
Paper 2: Listening 35 minutes 25 marks
Paper 3 : Writing 40 minutes 35 marks

Total: 102 marks

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MATHEMATICS

Syllabus Details

NO TOPIC CONTENT

1. Number Integers, powers and roots

Understand the difference between rational and irrational numbers.
Use positive, negative and zero indices, and the index laws for
multiplication and division.
Understand the standard form for representing large and small
numbers.
Use knowledge of square and cube roots to estimate surds.

Place value, ordering and rounding

Multiply and divide integers and decimals by 10 to the power of any
positive or negative number.
Understand that when a number is rounded there are upper and
lower limits for the original number.

Fractions, decimals, percentages, ratio and proportion

Deduce whether fractions will have recurring or terminating decimal
equivalents.
Estimate, add and subtract proper and improper fractions, and mixed
numbers, using the order of operations.
Estimate, multiply and divide fractions, interpret division as a
multiplicative inverse, and cancel common factors before multiplying
or dividing.
Use knowledge of the laws of arithmetic, inverse operations,
equivalence and order of operations (brackets and indices) to simplify
calculations containing decimals and fractions.
Understand compound percentages.
Estimate, multiply and divide decimals by integers and decimals.

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 Understand the relationship between two quantities when they are in
direct or inverse proportion.
Use knowledge of ratios and equivalence for a range of contexts.

2. Algebra Expressions, equations and formulae

Understand that the laws of arithmetic and order of operations apply
to algebraic terms and expressions (four operations and integer
powers).
Understand how to manipulate algebraic expressions including:
- expanding the product of two algebraic expressions
- applying the laws of indices
- simplifying algebraic fractions."
Understand that a situation can be represented either in words or as
an algebraic expression, and move between the two representations
(including squares, cubes and roots).
Understand that a situation can be represented either in words or as a
formula (including squares and cubes), and manipulate using
knowledge of inverse operations to change the subject of a formula.
Understand that a situation can be represented either in words or as
an equation. Move between the two representations and solve the
equation (including those with an unknown in the denominator).
Understand that the solution of simultaneous linear equations:
- is the pair of values that satisfy both equations
- can be found algebraically (eliminating one variable)
- can be found graphically (point of intersection)."
Understand that a situation can be represented either in words or as
an inequality. Move between the two representations and solve linear
inequalities.

Sequences, functions and graphs

Generate linear and quadratic sequences from numerical patterns and
from a given term-to-term rule (any indices).
Understand and describe nth term rules algebraically (in the form an ±

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 b, where a and b are positive or negative integers or fractions, and in
the form n/a, n^2,n^3 or n^2 ± a, where a is a whole number).
Understand that a function is a relationship where each input has a
single output. Generate outputs from a given function and identify
inputs from a given output by considering inverse operations
(including indices).
Understand that a situation can be represented either in words or as a
linear function in two variables (of the form y = mx + c or ax + by = c),
and move between the two representations.
Use knowledge of coordinate pairs to construct tables of values and
plot the graphs of linear functions, including where y is given implicitly
in terms of x (ax + by = c), and quadratic functions of the form y = x^2
± a.
Understand that straight-line graphs can be represented by equations.
Find the equation in the form y = mx + c or where y is given implicitly
in terms of x (fractional, positive and negative gradients).
Read, draw and interpret graphs and use compound measures to
compare graphs.

3. Geometry and Geometrical reasoning, shapes and measurements

Know and use the formulae for the area and circumference of a circle.
Measure
Know and recognise very small or very large units of length, capacity
and mass.
Estimate and calculate areas of compound 2D shapes made from
rectangles, triangles and circles.
Use knowledge of area and volume to derive the formula for the
volume of prisms and cylinders. Use the formula to calculate the
volume of prisms and cylinders.
Use knowledge of area, and properties of cubes, cuboids, triangular
prisms, pyramids and cylinders to calculate their surface area.
Identify reflective symmetry in 3D shapes.
Derive and use the formula for the sum of the interior angles of any
polygon.

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 Know that the sum of the exterior angles of any polygon is 360°.
Use properties of angles, parallel and intersecting lines, triangles and
quadrilaterals to calculate missing angles.
Know and use Pythagoras’ theorem.
Construct 60º, 45º and 30º angles and regular polygons.

Position and transformations

Use knowledge of bearings and scaling to interpret position on maps
and plans.
Use knowledge of coordinates to find points on a line segment.
Transform points and 2D shapes by combinations of reflections,
translations and rotations.
Identify and describe a transformation (reflections, translations,
rotations and combinations of these) given an object and its image.
Recognise and explain that after any combination of reflections,
translations and rotations the image is congruent to the object.
Enlarge 2D shapes, from a centre of enlargement (outside, on or
inside the shape) with a positive integer scale factor. Identify an
enlargement, centre of enlargement and scale factor.
Analyse and describe changes in perimeter and area of squares and
rectangles when side lengths are enlarged by a positive integer scale
factor.

4. Statistics and Statistics

Select, trial and justify data collection and sampling methods to
Probability
investigate predictions for a set of related statistical questions,
considering what data to collect, and the appropriateness of each type
(qualitative or quantitative; categorical, discrete or continuous).
Explain potential issues and sources of bias with data collection and
sampling methods, identifying further questions to ask.
Record, organise and represent categorical, discrete and continuous
data. Choose and explain which representation to use in a given
situation:
- Venn and Carroll diagrams

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 - tally charts, frequency tables and two-way tables
- dual and compound bar charts
- pie charts
- line graphs, time series graphs and frequency polygons
- scatter graphs
- stem-and-leaf and back-to-back stem-and-leaf diagrams
- infographics."
Use mode, median, mean and range to compare two distributions,
including grouped data.
Interpret data, identifying patterns, trends and relationships, within
and between data sets, to answer statistical questions. Make informal
inferences and generalisations, identifying wrong or misleading
information.

Probability
Understand that the probability of multiple mutually exclusive events
can be found by summation and all mutually exclusive events have a
total probability of 1.
Identify when successive and combined events are independent and
when they are not.
Understand how to find the theoretical probabilities of combined
events.
Design and conduct chance experiments or simulations, using small
and large numbers of trials. Calculate the expected frequency of
occurrences and compare with observed outcomes.

EXAM FORMAT

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 Paper Duration Marks

Paper 1: Written test 60 minutes 50 marks

Paper 2: Written test* 60 minutes 50 marks

* Calculator is permitted Total : 100 marks

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SCIENCE
Syllabus Details

No. TOPIC CONTENT

1. Thinking and Models and representations
Working Understand that models and analogies reflect current

Scientifically scientific evidence and understanding and can change.

Describe some important models, including analogies,
and discuss their strengths and limitations.
Use symbols and formulae to represent scientific ideas.

Scientific enquiry: purpose and planning

Suggest a testable hypothesis based on scientific
understanding.
Describe examples where scientists' unexpected results
from enquiries have led to improved scientific
understanding.
Make predictions of likely outcomes for a scientific
enquiry based on scientific knowledge and
understanding.
Plan a range of investigations of different types to
obtain appropriate evidence when testing hypotheses.
Make risk assessments for practical work to identify
and control risks.

Carrying out scientific enquiry

Sort, group and classify phenomena, objects, materials
and organisms through testing, observation, using
secondary information, and making and using keys.
Decide what equipment is required to carry out an

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 investigation or experiment and use it appropriately.
Decide when to increase the range of observations and
measurements, and increase the extent of repetition,
to give sufficiently reliable data.
Take appropriately accurate and precise
measurements, explaining why accuracy and precision
are important.
Carry out practical work safely, supported by risk
assessments where appropriate.
Make an informed decision whether to use evidence
from first-hand experience or secondary sources.
Collect, record and summarise sufficient observations
and measurements, in an appropriate form.

Scientific enquiry: analysis, evaluation

and conclusions
Evaluate the strength of the evidence collected and
how it supports, or refutes, the prediction.
Describe trends and patterns in results, identifying any
anomalous results and suggesting why results are
anomalous.
Make conclusions by interpreting results, explain the
limitations of the conclusions and describe how the
conclusions can be further investigated.
Evaluate experiments and investigations, including
those by others, and suggest improvements, explaining
any proposed changes.
Present and interpret results, and predict results
between the data points collected.

2. Biology Structure and function

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 Describe the pathway of water and mineral salts from
the roots to the leaves in flowering plants, including
absorption in root hair cells, transport through xylem
and transpiration from the surface of leaves.
Describe the structure of the human excretory (renal)
system and its function (limited to kidneys filtering
blood to remove urea, which is excreted in urine).
Know that chromosomes contain genes, made of DNA,
and that genes contribute to the determination of an
organism's characteristics.

Life processes
Describe the fusion of gametes to produce a fertilised
egg with a new combination of DNA.
Describe the inheritance of sex in humans in terms of
XX and XY chromosomes.
Describe variation within a species and relate this to
genetic differences between individuals.
Describe the scientific theory of natural selection and
how it relates to genetic changes over time.
Know that plants require minerals to maintain healthy
growth and life processes (limited to magnesium to
make chlorophyll and nitrates to make protein).
Know that photosynthesis occurs in chloroplasts and is
the process by which plants make carbohydrates, using
the energy from light.
Know and use the summary word equation for
photosynthesis (carbon dioxide + water -> glucose +
oxygen, in the presence of light and chlorophyll).
Discuss how fetal development is affected by the health
of the mother, including the effect of diet, smoking and

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 drugs.

Ecosystems
Describe what could happen to the population of a
species, including extinction, when there is an
environmental change.

3. Chemistry Materials and their structure

Understand that the structure of the Periodic Table is
related to the atomic structure of the elements and the
Periodic Table can be used to predict an element’s
structure and properties.
Understand that a molecule is formed when two or
more atoms join together chemically, through a
covalent bond.
Describe a covalent bond as a bond made when a pair
of electrons is shared by two atoms (limited to single
bonds).
Describe an ion as an atom which has gained at least
one electron to be negatively charged or lost at least
one electron to be positively charged.
Describe an ionic bond as an attraction between a
positively charged ion and a negatively charged ion.

Properties of materials
Understand that the groups within the Periodic Table
have trends in physical and chemical properties, using
group 1 as an example.
Describe how the density of a substance relates to its
mass in a defined volume.
Calculate and compare densities of solids, liquids and
gases.

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 Know that elements and compounds exist in structures
(simple or giant), and this influences their physical
properties.

Changes to materials
Use word equations and symbol equations to describe
reactions (balancing symbol equations is not required).
Identify examples of displacement reactions and
predict products (limited to reactions involving calcium,
magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, gold and silver salts).
Describe how to prepare some common salts by the
reactions of metals with acids, and metal carbonates
with acids, and purify them, using filtration,
evaporation and crystallization.
Describe the effects of concentration, surface area and
temperature on the rate of reaction, and explain them
using the particle model.
Understand that in chemical reactions mass and energy
are conserved.

4. Physics Forces and energy

Use density to explain why objects float or sink in
water.
Describe the difference between heat and
temperature.
Know that energy is conserved, meaning it cannot be
created or destroyed.
Know that thermal energy will always transfer from
hotter regions or objects to colder ones, and this is
known as heat dissipation.
Describe thermal transfer by the processes of

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 conduction, convection and radiation.
Explain cooling by evaporation.

Light and sound

Draw and interpret waveforms, and recognise the link
between loudness and amplitude, pitch and frequency.
Use waveforms to show how sound waves interact to
reinforce or cancel each other.

Electricity and magnetism

Describe how current divides in parallel circuits.
Know how to measure current and voltage in series and
parallel circuits, and describe the effect of adding cells
and lamps.
Calculate resistance (resistance = voltage / current) and
describe how resistance affects current.
Use diagrams and conventional symbols to represent,
make and compare circuits that include cells, switches,
resistors (fixed and variable), ammeters, voltmeters,
lamps and buzzers.

5. Earth and Space Planet Earth

Explain the movement of tectonic plates in terms of
convection currents.
Explain why the jigsaw appearance of continental
coasts, location of volcanoes and earthquakes, fossil
record and alignment of magnetic materials in the
Earth's crust are all evidence for tectonic plates.

Cycles on Earth
Describe the carbon cycle (limited to photosynthesis,
respiration, feeding, decomposition and combustion).
Describe the historical and predicted future impacts of
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 climate change, including sea level change, flooding,
drought and extreme weather events.

Earth in space
Describe the consequences of asteroid collision with
the Earth, including climate change and mass
extinctions.
Describe the evidence for the collision theory for the
formation of the Moon.
Know that nebulae are clouds of dust and gas, and can
act as stellar nurseries.

EXAM FORMAT

Paper Duration Marks

Paper 1 45 minutes 50 marks
Paper 2 45 minutes 50 marks

Total : 100 marks

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MOCK EXAMS

TIMETABLE – Provisional

Mock Exams will be conducted in school in the actual exam pattern

and format, specific to each subject, for preparing the students
well for Cambridge Checkpoint exams. The question papers will be
set and corrected by our teachers, using Cambridge progression
tests as guide.

Day and Date Subjects

Mathematics – Paper 1
27 March 2024
Mathematics – Paper 2

Science – Paper 1
28 March 2024
Science – Paper 2
Paper 1: Reading and Use of English

29 March 2024 Paper 3: Writing

Paper 2: Listening

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CAMBRIDGE CHECKPOINT EXAM TIMETABLE
Question papers will be coming from Cambridge UK and students
will be tested under exam conditions. The scripts will be sent back
to Cambridge for corrections.

Day and Date Subjects Time and duration

Mathematics – Paper 1 12.00 – 13.00 (60 minutes)
Wednesday,
Break 13.00 – 13.15
17 April 2024
Mathematics – Paper 2 13.15 – 14.15 (60 minutes)

Science – Paper 1 12.00 – 12.45 (45 minutes)

Thursday,
Break 12.45 – 13.00
18 April 2024
Science – Paper 2 13.00 – 13.45 (45 minutes)

Paper 1: Reading and Use of English 12.00 – 12.45 (45 minutes)

Break 12.45 – 13.00
Friday,
Paper 3: Writing 13.00 – 13.35 (35 minutes)
19 April 2024
Break 13.35 – 14.15
Paper 2: Listening 14.15 – 15.55 (40 minutes)

End of the Booklet.

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