Chinese National curriculum: A parent's guide

Curriculum guide

Chinese National curriculum

The Chinese National Curriculum is set by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and is used across mainland China's national schools, including bilingual international schools that layer English-medium subjects on top. The academic pinnacle is the Gaokao — the national university entrance exam — one of the most competitive assessments in the world.

Ages 6–12

Primary (小学 Xiǎoxué)

Six years of primary. Strong emphasis on Chinese language and mathematics; English typically starts from Year 3.

Ages 12–15

Junior Secondary (初中 Chūzhōng)

Three years of compulsory lower-secondary ending with the Zhongkao — the high-school entrance exam that determines placement.

Ages 15–18

Senior Secondary (高中 Gāozhōng)

Three years of academic upper secondary ending with the Gaokao. Students choose an arts or sciences stream. Bilingual international schools often replace the Gaokao track with IB, A-Level or AP in the final years.

Chinese

Bilingual vs pure-national

Purely national Chinese-curriculum schools primarily serve Chinese-passport students and cannot enrol foreigners at the high-school stage under current MoE rules. Bilingual international schools blend the Chinese primary/middle curriculum with English-medium tracks (IB, A-Level, or AP) at the senior stage — a common model for expatriate and mixed families.

Is Chinese right for your child?

It tends to suit families who…

•Have Chinese heritage or are moving to China
•Want strong Chinese language + maths foundations
•Are considering university in China or Hong Kong

It may be less ideal if…

•The Gaokao high-stakes model is a concern
•You want senior-year flexibility (bilingual schools handle this)
•Your child has no Chinese and is joining above primary

Common questions

FAQs about the Chinese curriculum

Can foreign passport holders join a Chinese national curriculum school? +

At primary/middle school, sometimes — regulation varies by city. At senior level (Gaokao track), generally no. That's why so many bilingual schools switch to IB/A-Level for the final three years.

Is the Gaokao accepted overseas? +

A growing number of universities (Cambridge, Birmingham, some Australian and US universities) accept the Gaokao. For most others, families rely on the parallel IB or A-Level pathway.

Find schools

Schools teaching Chinese on doris

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