Author: Avenor College

What would a city look like if children could get to school safely on foot or by bike, without relying on their parents’ cars? And what happens when students do more than talk about a problem – when they research it, propose solutions and present them to those who can help make change happen?

These questions were at the heart of the third edition of Urban Future: School Mobility Conference #3, an initiative by Time to Play, hosted this year by Avenor College and organised with the active involvement of Avenor high school students and the support of their teachers.

At the conference, students from nine schools in northern Bucharest addressed an issue that affects their daily lives: the lack of safe, connected routes for walking and cycling to school. In front of public authorities and mobility experts, they presented data, shared their experiences and discussed possible solutions.

For them, school mobility is more than a topic for debate. It is the journey they make every morning.

A Problem Students Know Firsthand and Have Researched 

In the months leading up to the conference, students from the nine partner schools explored how children travel to school, how safe their routes are and what alternatives exist to travelling by car. They examined access to schools, cycling infrastructure and pedestrian routes, as well as the impact of time spent in traffic on students’ daily routines, independence and wellbeing.

The data collected showed that, if safe and connected routes to school were available, 35% of respondents would give up travelling by car in favour of cycling, while a further 30% would consider this alternative.

“Through this study, we wanted to understand how the time we spend travelling to school every day affects us. Responses from students and parents show that spending long periods in traffic causes frustration and leaves less time for activities outside school,” explained Dimitrie Iordan, a Year 12 student at Avenor College and coordinator of Urban Future: School Mobility Conference #3.

For the students, the research was the first step. The next was to present their findings and engage in dialogue with those who can help bring about change.

From Research to Dialogue with Public Authorities

Among the conference guests were Oana Gheorghiu, Deputy Prime Minister of Romania; Stelian Bujduveanu, Deputy Mayor General of Bucharest; Mair Amza, Public Administrator of District 2 City Hall; Șerban Țigănaș, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning in Cluj-Napoca; Daniel Sărdan, a cycling specialist; and Gabriel Bănică, founder of Time to Play.

The meeting gave students the opportunity to present their proposals directly to those who can help put them into practice. The discussions went beyond presentations, highlighting the steps through which a community’s needs can be turned into concrete proposals addressed to local authorities. 

Stelian Bujduveanu encouraged students to join forces and submit a collective request, inviting them to City Hall to discuss their proposals with specialists.

“Community needs become visible through debates like this one. When 10,000 children call for cycle lanes in a particular area through a petition, the authorities cannot ignore that request,” said Bucharest’s Deputy Mayor General, highlighting the role of community involvement in setting the administration’s priorities.

The message was an important one for the students: the data they have gathered and the solutions they propose can become the starting point for a dialogue that continues long after the conference has ended.

“You Are NOT the Future. You Are the Present.”

One of the most powerful messages of the conference came from Deputy Prime Minister Oana Gheorghiu, who encouraged students not to automatically accept “It can’t be done” as an answer, but to keep asking what would need to happen for things to change.

“Never stop asking why something cannot be changed when you are told, ‘It can’t be done.’ Why can’t it be done? And what can we do to make it possible?” she told them.

In the context of the issues raised by the students, her message took on a tangible meaning. Change can begin when people recognise what is not working, ask questions and work together to find solutions.

“Don’t stop, and don’t get used to things that aren’t right. Keep going, even when it feels like it’s all in vain. It is never in vain. Every small step will pave the way for the bigger one that follows,” Oana Gheorghiu urged the students as she concluded her remarks.

For the students involved in the project, taking part in the conference also meant understanding that their voices matter now, not only when they become adults.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

At Avenor, being involved in Urban Future: School Mobility Conference meant more than simply taking part in an event. High school students helped organise the conference, collaborated with partners and contributed to creating a space for dialogue between schools, experts and public authorities.

“The role of a school is to give students real opportunities to get involved, propose solutions and see that they can contribute to change. Through this meeting, we wanted, as adults, to set an example of collaboration and civic dialogue. These children are Romania’s present, as Ms Gheorghiu said, and their voices need to be heard now,” said Diana Segărceanu, Founder and Executive Director of Avenor College.

This experience reflects an approach to education in which learning goes beyond acquiring knowledge. Students start with a real-world problem, conduct research, analyse data, work together, make a case for their ideas and learn to engage in dialogue with people who have different perspectives and responsibilities.

Through this process, they develop not only their ability to find solutions, but also the confidence to ask questions, stand up for their views and take an active role in their community. 

Before Discussing Mobility, Students Experienced It Firsthand

On the day of the conference, the journey to Avenor College began with a walking bus through Băneasa Forest. Students from the partner schools walked the route together, experiencing an alternative to the usual car journey.

On arrival, they marked on a map how they usually travel to school: by car, public transport, on foot or by bike. Their individual experiences came together to create a shared picture of school mobility in northern Bucharest.

It was a practical introduction to the conference theme and a reminder that creating a city that is more child-friendly starts with understanding how children travel today and what would help give them more options.

Change Begins with the Right Questions 

Urban Future: School Mobility Conference #3 brought together nine schools, students, experts and public authorities around a shared challenge. But beyond the presentations and discussions, the project showed what can happen when students are given the opportunity to research an issue that directly affects them and take part in the conversation about solutions.

The Time to Play initiative continues to build a community of schools committed to active school mobility, bringing together students, parents, schools, experts and public authorities to identify and propose concrete solutions for safer journeys to school.

Safer journeys to school require infrastructure, collaboration and concrete decisions. But they also require people who are willing to ask why things are not working and work together to find a way forward.

And when students become part of this dialogue, civic education moves beyond theory and becomes a lived experience.

 

Paraphrasing the title of a famous book, I am trying to sketch out a part, probably an insufficient one, of the impressions, traces and signs left behind by the visit of Professor and explorer Sandu Stermin to Avenor College. Responding with the seriousness characteristic of Transylvania to our invitation, extended back in the spring, Sandu Stermin spent a beautiful, clear autumn day with us, alongside his fellow teachers, our middle school students and the parents of the Avenor community.

The purpose of our invitation was to reopen, with a conference given by Sandu Stermin, the ninth edition of What’s Worth Learning?, an event that has already become part of the school’s tradition. But our guest’s stay had implications far deeper than those of a simple 40-minute conference. With that power of understanding and curiosity which the condition of being an explorer has probably strengthened in him, Sandu allowed himself to be “immersed” in the atmosphere of our school, showing genuine interest and liveliness.

Around lunchtime, he led an activity with our Grade 4 and Grade 5 students, drawing on two of his books. The event naturally turned into a workshop of discovery, bringing together stories and learning. My experience as a teacher tells me that it is remarkably difficult to maintain a coherent rhythm and a discipline of active listening while talking to 120 children. Yet that is precisely what happened. Professor Stermin has preserved that innocence which allows him to enter into direct and authentic communication with the world of children just as naturally as he understands nature and its purity.

With his lecture, What’s Worth Learning? Exercises in Understanding the World, from the Heart of It, offered to teachers, parents and older students, Sandu Stermin entered a register of wide-ranging philosophical communication, grounded in his academic experience and intertwined with his knowledge of lands and peoples that may sound exotic to us, but which provide our guest with a cognitive foundation and with other ways of approaching our own existence. His nuanced understanding of the dimension of time, of the coexistence of the material and spiritual worlds, of our place suspended between the boundaries of life and death, gains solidity through the evocative power of his speaking, through the connections he makes so naturally, through his charm, spontaneity and subtle humour.

All of this was complemented by an exceptional discursive structure, a crystalline articulation of his arguments, and a symmetry and aptness in the way examples from life and nature were brought into conversation with the life of fundamental concepts.

Sandu Stermin is someone who truly lives and experiences life with a rare grace. For one day, but probably for much longer than that, he helped us move beyond the limits of the merely contingent and made us want more from ourselves and from our fellow human beings, more from our purpose on this planet and in this life.

Avenor has been part of Greenfield since 2009. Over the years, the community around us has become an important part of the Avenor story. We would now like to take this a step further and find new ways to contribute to life in the Greenfield community.

For us, education does not happen only at school. It happens through conversations, experiences, questions, and people coming together and learning from one another. And sometimes, the right conversation or experience at the right moment can make a difference for a child or a parent.

That is why we would like to open up some of Avenor’s resources and experience to families in Greenfield.

What could this look like in practice?

We are thinking about experiences and conversations that could help answer questions many parents have, regardless of which school their child attends.

For example, how well does my child know English and what could the next step be? Would you be interested in an English language assessment, together with recommendations for preparing for exams such as Cambridge Flyers, A2 Key, B1 Preliminary or B2 First?

For families with younger children, a conversation about starting nursery could be useful: how can we prepare our child, what signs show that they are ready, and what should we consider when choosing the right environment?

As children grow, other questions emerge: How do we understand academic progress? What does an assessment actually tell us? What should we be looking at at different ages? These are questions we could explore together with Avenor specialists.

For families approaching an important transition, we could talk about choosing an educational pathway – Romanian, British or international – and what each of these options means in practice.

For teenagers, we can look further ahead, towards subject choices, university and possible career paths, starting from each child’s interests and strengths.

New questions are also emerging quickly in our children’s lives. How can we use artificial intelligence in learning? How can we help children use it effectively, responsibly and with good judgement? And how can we, as parents, better understand these changes?

At the same time, education can simply mean doing, exploring and being curious. That is why we are also thinking about experiences for children – from science and technology to sports and creative activities, as well as opportunities to explore Băneasa Forest. 

We want to shape this together with the community

Before deciding what activities, conversations or experiences we might organise, we want to find out what families in Greenfield would actually find useful.

What would be useful to you right now? What questions do you have about your child’s education? What would you enjoy exploring together with other parents and children, closer to home?

It could be one of the ideas above, or something we have not thought of yet.

You bring the idea. We can turn it into an experience.

We have prepared a short form that takes approximately two minutes to complete. Your answers will help us better understand what the community is looking for and decide where to start.

👉 Tell us what would be truly useful to you:
Complete the form here by 1 October.

For us, this is the first step: to listen, gather ideas from the community, and then see what we can build together, here in Greenfield.

We would like to become not only neighbours, but also a resource for the community we are part of.

Avenor College will host the ninth edition of the “What’s Worth Learning?” conference series on 6 October, welcoming Alexandru Stermin, biologist, explorer and author. The event will draw on his experiences with Indigenous communities in Brazil and Vietnam and explore the question: what can we discover about ourselves when we look at the world through the eyes of people shaped by a different cultural context?

The topic is particularly relevant to parents because it opens up a conversation about the way we see the world and what we can learn when we choose to look at it from a different perspective. In a world where children will encounter different people, ideas and ways of life, the ability to step beyond what is familiar, understand another perspective and question their own beliefs becomes an important resource for life.

The conference will take place on 6 October at 4:30 pm at Avenor College and is open to the general public. Participation is free of charge, with prior registration through the registration form.

For Alexandru Stermin, his encounters with Indigenous communities in Brazil and Vietnam have meant much more than exploration experiences. Coming into contact with people who grew up in a different cultural environment encouraged him to look differently at his own way of understanding the world and to explore what he calls “reverse anthropology”: rather than looking at others in order to understand them, we try to understand ourselves better by looking at ourselves through their eyes.

Changing our perspective can turn things we take for granted into questions. The way we work, spend our time, relate to nature, define success or understand well-being no longer appears to be the only possible way of living, but one of many forms that life can take.

Who are we when, for a moment, we let go of what we consider normal? What does freedom mean? How do we define welbeing? What place does nature have in our lives, and how much of the way we live is shaped by the culture in which we grew up? These are some of the questions that will be at the heart of the conversation.

“At just 41 years old, Sandu Stermin excels in a remarkable range of fields, bringing together, with uncommon harmony, qualities and virtues that many of us would struggle to cultivate even after a lifetime of effort. His professional biography bears witness to this: a passionate university professor, gifted with a vocation for sharing experience and the fruits of rigorous academic knowledge; an explorer of unfamiliar territories, where scientific inquiry meets the impulse to understand our fellow human beings; and a natural communicator, equally at ease with children of all ages and with the ever-growing public audience he has rightly earned in recent years.

He is the author of best-selling books, scholarly articles and studies, and the founder of institutions that work constructively to protect the environment and endangered species. Sandu Stermin presents himself as a fully realised human being, in whom the outward pursuit of empirical knowledge is complemented by the force of an inward search: the search for – perhaps even the discovery of – something that might be understood as the meaning of life. Sandu brings the academic world out of the sometimes sterile confines of university life, while allowing the living, pulsating world of nature to find its place in books and across the many channels through which we communicate with one another. From science to life, and back again. A fully realised human being.

On 6 October, the Avenor community will be honoured to welcome Sandu Stermin as a speaker and as a friend.” – says Dana Papadima, Educational Director at Avenor College.

A perspective that matters to parents

The conference also opens up a conversation about education and what we choose to pass on to our children.

Beyond knowledge, skills and values, one of the important lessons we can offer children is the ability to look beyond what is familiar: to remain curious, encounter different perspectives without immediately judging them, and question their own beliefs.

In a world where children are growing up in an increasingly diverse and connected environment, the ability to understand a different point of view is becoming an essential part of education for life. And if we want to teach children to see the world through another person’s eyes, it may be important for adults to give themselves the same experience from time to time.

“What’s Worth Learning?” – a space for reflection on education

The conference with Alexandru Stermin is part of the “What’s Worth Learning?” series, initiated by Avenor College as a space for meeting and dialogue about education and the skills, values and perspectives we need in a constantly changing world.

The series explores topics relevant to education and society, from psychology and technology to the future, relationships and the way we learn. Each edition starts from the same question: what is truly worth learning, for ourselves and for our children, beyond what can be measured by a grade or an exam?

In the case of the conversation with Alexandru Stermin, the answer begins with the experience of stepping outside our own cultural context and looking at the world from somewhere else.

Sometimes, to learn something genuinely new, we do not need to acquire yet another piece of information. We simply need to look at what we already know from a different perspective.

In the beginning, at school, Horia simply did what was asked of him. He wasn’t necessarily the child seeking extra activities or opportunities beyond the standard school curriculum. Over time, however, something changed. He began saying “yes” to projects, asking more questions, looking for answers beyond what was taught in class, and testing his own choices.

Years later, he graduated from Avenor High School with exceptional A Level results: A* in Chemistry, A* in Mathematics, A* in Economics, and A in Biology, alongside a clear direction for his next chapter: he will study medicine at a top university in Italy.

Looking back, Horia doesn’t speak of a single defining moment that changed his path, but rather a series of experiences that, put together, helped him become more curious, independent, and confident in his choices.

„“When I was younger, I wasn’t particularly involved in activities that required extra effort beyond what was already required at school. But over time, I discovered new opportunities that showed me there is much more to learn from school than just what is mandatory. This is the mindset I try to carry forward in life.” ”

The First Step: Saying “Yes” to Things Nobody Asked For

One of the experiences that marked this shift was his involvement in student-led projects. The 24h Business Challenge, a project coordinated entirely by students, took him out of his usual role as a participant in school activities and gave him the responsibility of building a project alongside his peers.

„“The 24h Business Challenge wasn’t just a competition; it was an opportunity for growth, both for participants and organizers. We developed essential business skills, learned to work under pressure, and collaborated with inspiring experts,” says Horia.

These types of experiences gradually taught him to look beyond the answers he was already finding in class. That is how he learned to ask questions, delve deeper, and follow his curiosity—skills that would prove invaluable as he began building his path toward medicine.

When Questions Become Part of Learning

Teachers played a vital role in this transformation. For Horia, his relationship with them wasn’t limited to classroom lessons; it extended to the questions he had and his desire to explore topics of interest in greater depth.

„The teachers made an essential contribution to my results—not only through the lessons they taught, but also through their enthusiasm in answering all my questions and their encouragement to seek more information and delve deeper into subjects beyond what we learned in class. ”

It is a change that isn’t necessarily visible in a grade book. It shows how a student begins independently searching for the next question and the next answer. This autonomy would become especially important when Horia started shaping his journey toward medicine.

From Family Influence to a Personal Choice

For Horia, medicine was always an option.

“For me, medicine was always a clear path—initially influenced, perhaps, by my father, who is a doctor—but over time, that influence gradually turned into a calling.”

Thus, medicine was a direction present early on in Horia’s journey. During his high school years, his experiences helped him explore it, understand it better, and ultimately confirm it as his choice for the future.

When it came to A Levels, selecting subjects felt natural for someone aiming for Medicine: Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics. Yet Horia also chose Economics, a discipline not directly tied to his career path.

„“Pursuing the path of medicine made my A Level choices—namely Biology, Mathematics, and Chemistry—fairly straightforward. However, I chose to study Economics as well to gain a broader understanding of the global economic situation and the changes it drives. .”

The results came at the end of this journey: A* in Chemistry, A* in Mathematics, A* in Economics, and A in Biology.

However, choosing a university wasn’t as clear-cut from the start for Horia.

„“Even though I always knew I wanted to study medicine, it wasn’t until recently that I decided which university to attend. I can’t say I had a fully formed plan at first; I mostly knew I wanted to study at a top university. The search began with universities across Europe and materialized in 12th grade around an option in Milan, Italy. .”

To See Before You Choose

Another important step was the internship program, which gave him the opportunity to get closer to the profession he envisioned for his future.

For a student who knows he wants to study medicine, but doesn’t yet know exactly what life after university will look like, practical experience can reveal things that a list of universities simply cannot.

„“I think the internship program at Avenor helped convince me that this is the path I want to follow. For me, it was very important to have the opportunity to explore my target profession before making the step to university. .”

That is how Horia’s choice took shape: not as a rigid plan set in childhood and followed without deviation, but as a direction tested and confirmed over time.

“The road will be long, but don’t give up.”

If he could go back to the beginning of his 16s and speak to young Horia, the first thing he would tell him is not to rush.

“First, I would tell him that he is about to embark on a long journey, which, paradoxically, will pass quickly. Besides that, I would tell him to get involved in as many projects as possible from a young age, because that is the only way he will discover both what he likes and the things he isn’t suited for.

I would also tell him that he will face quite a few obstacles along the way, but not to give up when times get tough, because only after the hard times will he come across the most beautiful moments.”

For a 14 or 15-year-old, choosing an academic direction can sometimes feel like a decision that is simply too big for their age. Which subjects do they really enjoy? What are they good at? What would they like to study next? And, most importantly, how can they know all this before they have had enough time to discover it?

In the British system, students have more time to find these answers.

The results achieved by Avenor students in this year’s Cambridge IGCSE examinations provide a good opportunity to talk not only about their academic performance, but also about the journey that leads them to these examinations and the choices they can make afterwards.

This year, many Avenor students stood out with excellent results. In Grade 10, Teodora achieved 7 A* and 2 A grades, while Sara Maria and Sarah-Alexandra each achieved 6 A* and 3 A grades. Andrei-Mircea also achieved excellent results, with 5 A* and 4 A grades, followed by Mara Olivia with 5 A*, 3 A and 1 B, Eva-Miruna with 4 A* and 5 A, Edith Maria with 4 A*, 4 A and 1 B, and Alessia-Mara with 4 A*, 4 A and 1 B.

They were joined by Mara, who achieved 3 A*, 5 A and 1 B, Maria Teodora, with 3 A*, 5 A and 1 B, Mara Ioana, with 1 A* and 8 A, David Robert, with 1 A*, 7 A and 1 B, Raisa Olga, with 2 A*, 5 A and 2 B, Radu-Gabriel, with 1 A*, 6 A and 2 B, and Teodora, with 1 A*, 6 A and 2 B.

In Grade 9, Alexandru, Andrei, Maria-Alecsandra and Stefania-Alexandra achieved 100 PUM in IGCSE English as a Second Language, the highest possible score on the Percentage Uniform Mark scale used by Cambridge. In practice, this result confirms an exceptional level of English language proficiency: the students can understand and use the language with a very high degree of accuracy and fluency, both in written and spoken communication. PUM does not represent the percentage of correct answers in the examination; rather, it is the standardised score Cambridge uses to express a student’s level of performance, and our students achieved the highest possible level.

IGCSE: The End of an Educational Stage

Cambridge IGCSE represents one of the key stages of the British curriculum. Students study a broad range of subjects and are rigorously assessed at the end of this stage, typically around the age of 16.

But perhaps the most interesting thing about this stage is what it does not ask students to do.

It does not ask them to decide very early on what their definitive academic direction will be.

In the British system, the years of study leading up to IGCSE give students the opportunity to explore subjects from different fields. After this stage, at the age of 16, they can gradually narrow down their options and choose the subjects they want to study in greater depth at AS and A Level.

This is an important difference from the educational path many Romanian parents are familiar with. In the Romanian system, students typically choose a high school specialisation at the beginning of upper secondary education, around the age of 14–15, opting for a specialisation such as sciences or humanities.

In the British curriculum, this specialisation comes later. Students have two more years in which they can explore, test and compare subjects before making important academic decisions.

And at 16, a choice made after having had time to discover what you enjoy and what you are good at can be a more conscious and informed choice.

What are IGCSEs, actually?

The International General Certificate of Secondary Education, or IGCSE, is the Cambridge international qualification generally designed for students aged 14 to 16.

Throughout Grades 9 and 10, students study several subjects and sit examinations in each of them. The system is rigorous, and assessment focuses not only on the acquisition of knowledge, but also on students’ ability to understand, apply, analyse and use what they have learned.

One advantage of this model is that it preserves a diversity of subjects at a stage when students are still discovering their interests. A student can continue to study Mathematics and Physics while also maintaining an interest in Economics, English, Geography, Biology, Art or other fields.

This period of exploration is important because a teenager’s interests and strengths are not always obvious at the age of 14.

Two extra years to discover what suits you

Choosing an academic direction should not be only about “which subjects do you get good grades in?” It is also about curiosity, motivation, the way you think and what you imagine you might want to do in the future.

That is why the period between starting high school and making AS and A Level choices can become a time for exploration.

During these two years, students may discover that a subject they once found difficult becomes interesting, that a field they had never considered is a good fit for them or, conversely, that a subject in which they achieve very good results is not necessarily the direction they want to pursue.

At the end of Grade 10, these experiences help students build a more intentional academic profile and choose the subjects they want to study in greater depth at the next stage.

Academic achievement leaves room for exploration

The excellent results achieved by Avenor students at IGCSE show that this period of exploration does not mean lower expectations. On the contrary, Cambridge examinations require rigorous preparation and a high academic standard.

At the same time, the results are not seen as an endpoint, but as part of a broader journey.

For students, the next question is not only “What grade did I get?” but also “What do I want to do next with what I have discovered about myself?”

This is the point at which they begin choosing their subjects for AS and A Level, developing a clearer understanding of their academic interests and taking their first steps towards the fields they might go on to study at university.

 

The results achieved by Avenor students in this summer’s Cambridge examinations give us plenty of reasons to celebrate. Six students who sat their AS Level examinations achieved AAA, demonstrating a very strong academic level and their ability to explore their chosen subjects in depth.

The results achieved by Avenor students in this summer’s Cambridge examinations bring further reasons to celebrate. Six of our grade 11 students stood out with excellent academic results in their AS Level and A Level examinations, confirming their high level of preparation and their ability to pursue their chosen subjects in greater depth.

Among them is Alex, who completed two full A Levels – Mathematics and Computer Science – as early as Grade 11, achieving A* in both examinations. In his AS Level examinations, Alex also achieved A in Physics and A in Economics. Matei also completed A Level Mathematics, achieving A*, while he obtained A in his AS Level Physics examination.

The fact that two of the students completed A Level examinations as early as Grade 11 is, in itself, a significant academic achievement. To reach this point, Alex and Matei took on additional study and explored the subjects beyond the usual class curriculum, working independently while receiving support from their Avenor teachers whenever they needed it.

This is a concrete example of what a student-centred educational pathway can look like: when a student is ready to move faster or explore a subject in greater depth, they need challenges that match their level, as well as teachers who can support them along the way.

A pathway shaped around the student

In any classroom, students do not start from the same level or learn at exactly the same pace. Some need more time to consolidate certain concepts, while others are ready to move further.

At Avenor, personalising each student’s learning pathway is an important part of how we support their progress. Students who demonstrate a high academic level and a particular interest in a subject are encouraged to explore it in greater depth and extend their learning through independent study, additional resources and preparation for assessments at a higher level.

Alex and Matei’s journeys are a good example of this approach. They chose to take certain subjects through to full A Level earlier than the usual pathway, taking on additional study and developing a greater degree of independence in their learning.

Their results reflect the level they reached: Alex achieved A* in Mathematics and Computer Science, while Matei achieved A* in Mathematics.

For these students, however, the achievement does not end with the examination. On the contrary, completing some of their A Levels earlier creates space for the next stage.

In Grade 12, this additional time allows them to prepare thoroughly for the A Level examinations they still have ahead of them, while also exploring areas that interest them. They can take part in internships, get involved in projects and gain relevant experiences that complement their academic profile, help them clarify their direction for university and build a strong profile for the university admissions process.

AS Levels and A Levels: how does the British pathway work?

For families who are not familiar with the British education system, AS Levels and A Levels may initially seem like simply two different types of examination. In fact, they are part of a pathway in which students gradually move from a broader curriculum towards greater specialisation and depth.

At AS Level, students study subjects at an advanced level and sit examinations which can form part of the pathway towards A Level. At A Level, students take their study of a subject further and are assessed at full A Level standard.

Within this system, students study a smaller number of subjects than in the earlier stages of school. This allows them to dedicate more time to the subjects they are passionate about and that connect with their future plans.

For a student with a particular interest in Mathematics, for example, this can mean having the opportunity to go much further in the subject. For another student, it may mean exploring several areas before deciding which subjects they want to pursue to A Level.

There is therefore no single pathway. Students can gradually shape their academic profile around their strengths, interests and future goals.

More than examination preparation

This type of pathway also develops skills that go beyond the content of an individual subject.

At AS and A Level, students are expected to demonstrate that they understand concepts, can apply what they have learned, analyse and build arguments, and solve complex problems. When they choose to study part of the curriculum independently, they also learn to manage their time, set goals and take greater responsibility for their own learning.

These skills become particularly valuable as students prepare for university, where independence and the ability to work autonomously are essential.

The results achieved by the six Avenor students therefore represent more than examination performance. They also reflect different academic pathways built around the individual student.

Dimi achieved AAA, while Andreea, Marius and Sonia achieved AAAB, with AAA in their top three subjects. For each of them, these AS Level results represent an important stage in their academic journey and provide a strong foundation for their next choices.

When performance meets the right challenge

For Avenor, these results matter not only because they demonstrate a high academic level, but also because they show what learning can look like when it responds to each student’s needs and potential.

A student who is ready to move forward needs the opportunity to do so. A student who has a particular interest in a subject needs opportunities to explore it in greater depth.

The journeys of Alex and Matei, who completed A Level examinations as early as Grade 11, are examples of this approach in practice: performance is supported through academic challenge, independence and teacher guidance, allowing each student to progress as far as their potential takes them.

Congratulations to Alex, Dimi, Matei, Andreea, Marius and Sonia on their results and, above all, on the hard work, curiosity and determination behind them!

At Avenor, we want our students to have the opportunity to go beyond a standard pathway and keep moving forward whenever they are ready for the next challenge.

What would it be like to see, at a glance, a child’s entire educational journey, from Nursery to High School?

This was the challenge Avenor teachers took on as they began preparing for the new school year. Together, they created a visual representation of a child’s learning journey from age 2 to 18, starting with three questions:

How many teachers does a child interact with over 16 years?

How many subjects do they encounter along the way, and when does this range begin to diversify?

How many individual lessons are planned, prepared and taught throughout this learning journey?

The challenge seemed simple at first, but it soon became clear that, beyond the mathematical exercise, the real challenge was connecting all this information and turning it into one continuous journey. Watch the video below to see how the entire activity unfolded. 

From separate subjects to one learning journey

Divided into 16 teams, the teachers used differently coloured construction pieces to represent each of the 16 years of a child’s educational journey, from Nursery to High School. Each team received the construction pieces corresponding to the subjects and volume of learning for the year they represented and had to build that particular year on their table. At the end, the 16 individual constructions were brought together to form one continuous journey — the educational journey of a child from age 2 to 18.

Beyond the construction itself, the joy of playing and collaborating, teachers identified, for each year of learning, the essential elements that move learning forward, centred around three dimensions: Concepts, Competencies and Character.

The 3Cs help us look at a child’s development as a whole: not only what they know, but also what they can do with what they learn and, most importantly, who they become along the way.

Concepts help students develop a deep understanding that they can transfer to different contexts. Competencies give them the tools to apply what they learn, solve problems and collaborate with others. Character is shaped through the way they learn to make decisions, relate to others and contribute to the world around them.

The activity challenged teachers to look at each year not as an isolated stage, but as part of a much larger construction:

What does a child need to understand at this stage? What competencies are they developing? What kind of person are they becoming? And how does what happens this year connect with what has been built before and what comes next?

When the individual paths were brought together, teachers were able to see the bigger picture: one continuous educational journey, from Nursery to High School.

When the pieces begin to connect

From a distance, a child’s educational journey may seem like a succession of subjects, school years and stages. Look more closely, and it becomes a network of connections built over time.

“When I think about all the subjects a child learns from Nursery until they leave school, I think about all the connections that are built over time, just as we are building with pieces now. And I thought it was really interesting how, within our team, some of us chose to build elements of nature, objects and other kinds of details, because I think this is the element of character that is so important for children’s development, beyond the academic side.” – says Cristina Farcaș, Deputy Head of Nursery.

Because a coherent educational journey is not simply about adding new knowledge year after year. It is about building connections between what children learn, the competencies they develop and the people they become.

But how do we make all these pieces connect? One of the most important conclusions from the activity was the need for collaboration and communication across subjects, teachers and stages of learning.

Mari Nicolae, Academic Learning Lead Primary, speaks about this challenge from the perspective of connections between subjects: “The biggest challenge in building a coherent curriculum from the age of 2 to 18 would be communication between subjects. How do you make all the subjects communicate with one another, teachers talk to each other, and children see the transfer from one subject to another?”

Communication between subjects, however, is only the first step. For these connections to become visible and meaningful to children, concepts need to come together within a coherent learning structure. “For 16 years of learning to become one single journey, we need to integrate subject-specific concepts in a coherent way,” explains Cristina Bumboiu, Curriculum Development and Teacher Training.

When a concept appears across different subjects, when a competency is practised in different contexts, or when a skill developed at one stage becomes the foundation for the next, learning gains continuity and meaning.

For Georgiana Socoliu, Deputy Head – Pastoral of Secondary, coherence also means becoming more aware of the whole journey, rather than focusing only on the stage in which each teacher works: “We need to be aware of the work happening across the other stages, to know about one another and to be aware of the work that comes before and after us, staying connected to the present, the past and the future.”

Daniel O’Connell, Teacher of English, emphasises communication between teachers as the element that connects all these stages: “I think communication is what we need. That way, it’s not separate trips, but one continuous journey with lots of stops and teachers communicating along the way.”

It is an important shift in perspective. A Nursery teacher lays the foundations that a Primary teacher builds upon. A Primary teacher develops competencies that Middle School teachers will extend later on. AndHigh School teachers work with students whose knowledge, competencies and character have been shaped over many years.

Each teacher sees one part of the journey. The child experiences the whole journey.

From vision to a coherent learning journey

The activity was more than a collaborative exercise or a creative way to begin preparing for the new school year. It made visible an important direction in the development of the Avenor curriculum: building an increasingly coherent and intentional educational journey, from Nursery to High School.

In this context, the Avenor Curriculum team is developing Learning Progressions – clear continuities in Concepts, Competencies and Character, from Nursery through to graduation.

These progressions help teachers understand what students have already built before reaching a particular stage and what they will go on to develop next. At the same time, they provide a shared direction for designing deep, active and meaningful learning experiences.

In a way, this is the same construction that teachers created during the activity, carried forward into everyday practice: seeing the individual pieces, but, above all, seeing the bigger picture they create together.

Teachers learn so they can help children learn

There is something symbolic about the fact that, as the new school year begins, teachers find themselves in the role of learners. They collaborated, communicated, made decisions together with colleagues from different stages of the school and transformed a collection of individual pieces into a whole.

They experienced, in turn, an interactive approach to learning, in which experience, collaboration and reflection were just as important as the final outcome.

Because preparing teachers for a new school year is not only about giving them information. It is also about creating meaningful learning experiences that encourage them to be curious, collaborate, reflect and make connections.

A child’s education is made up of thousands of moments — a question asked, a concept understood, a competency practised, a challenge overcome, a teacher’s encouragement, a friendship, a mistake, a new perspective.

Each one is a piece. But the pieces become meaningful when they connect.

At Avenor, this is the journey we continue to build together: a coherent educational journey from Nursery to High School, where Concepts, Competencies and Character develop over time, and every teacher contributes to the bigger picture.

Many parents share the same impression when they ask their children about their day at school: the day feels full – packed with information and a wide range of subjects—but there is rarely enough time to explore any one topic in real depth.

Lessons move quickly from one to the next, the school bell often interrupts just as discussions become engaging, and students switch rapidly from mathematics to literature, then biology and foreign languages, in a rhythm that leaves little room for reflection, questioning, or meaningful exploration.

In response to this reality, Avenor College will introduce 90-minute learning sessions for middle and high school students beginning in September 2026.

Why the Traditional 50-Minute Lesson Is Becoming Outdated

The change does not mean “more school” or simply extending traditional lessons. The thinking behind the new timetable is straightforward: students need time to develop deep understanding, ask meaningful questions, make connections, and apply what they learn.

“If we want students to develop critical thinking, analytical skills, and independence, we also need to provide the conditions that make this possible. Deep learning cannot happen in a rush,” explains Dana Papadima, Educational Director at Avenor College.

Longer learning blocks allow teachers to design experiences that more closely reflect how learning happens in real life. There is time for explanation, collaboration, debate, hands-on activities, experimentation, mistakes, and meaningful feedback.

“Sometimes the most valuable moments in a lesson happen only after students have had time to immerse themselves in the topic, formulate their own questions, and begin thinking more deeply,” says Dana Papadima.

This model has been widely adopted for many years in international schools, where longer learning sessions are common practice, particularly at middle and high school level.

Richard Thomason, Head of Secondary School at Avenor College, believes that the way learning time is organised has become an increasingly important topic in international education.

“Across many international education systems, learning blocks longer than 50 minutes are already standard practice. This is not an experimental trend but part of a long-standing discussion about how to organise time in ways that support deep learning rather than simply covering content as quickly as possible,” he explains.

He points to international research on school timetabling and its impact on learning, which suggests that well-designed extended learning sessions create stronger opportunities for inquiry-based learning, collaboration, problem-solving, and immediate feedback. A recent report published by Brown University distinguishes between the amount of time students spend at school and what the authors describe as active learning time – the time during which students are genuinely engaged in the learning process. Ultimately, this is the key question: not simply how long students spend in the classroom, but what kinds of learning experiences that time makes possible.

How Longer Lessons Support Critical Thinking and Deeper Learning

Richard Thomason emphasises that 90-minute sessions are not simply an extension of the traditional lecture-based lesson.

“No student can remain fully engaged for 90 minutes if a lesson consists solely of teacher-led instruction. These learning blocks are effective because they combine different rhythms and approaches: direct instruction, reflection, collaborative work, practical application, feedback, discussion, and independent learning. In reality, longer sessions give teachers greater pedagogical flexibility while giving students more space to think,” he says.

In other words, they reduce the feeling of constantly rushing through the curriculum. Students have more time to process new information, engage actively with ideas, and become participants in the learning process rather than simply receiving new content.

How Student Assessment Changes Within 90-Minute Learning Sessions

Mihaela Ancuța, Mathematics Teacher at Avenor College and BSO Inspector, explains that longer learning blocks also transform the way teachers can assess students’ progress.

“In a traditional 45 or 50-minute lesson, there is often not enough time to truly understand how a student thinks. Within a 90-minute session, however, teachers can observe how students analyse problems, explain their reasoning, collaborate with others, learn from mistakes, and gradually build understanding. At the same time, teachers can design opportunities for inquiry and discovery, creating different contexts in which students think deeply, ask questions, and develop solutions both independently and collaboratively.

For teachers, this is incredibly valuable. Mathematics is about far more than applying an algorithm quickly. It is about analysis, reasoning, exploration, and the ability to transfer concepts to new situations. All of this requires time,” she says.

We invite you to read the full article on the DespreCopii platform.

At Avenor, we actively contribute to the conversation about education in Romania by promoting best practices and collaborating with respected editorial partners in the education sector. Our goal is to bring greater clarity and perspective to the dialogue between schools and families, supporting informed, thoughtful decisions about children’s educational journeys.

No one can say with certainty what the world will look like when our children become adults. Perhaps that’s why more and more parents are no longer asking simply, “Which is the best school?” Instead, they are facing a much more challenging question: How do I choose an educational journey that will still be relevant 15 years from now?

It is a valid question. School should prepare children for the future.

Yet while the future may be difficult for many parents to imagine, the present is remarkably tangible. You see it every morning when you drop your child off at school. In the way they talk about their teachers. In the excitement with which they share what they have discovered. In the confidence they gradually build. In the friendships they form. In the questions they begin to ask.

That is why the value of an educational journey cannot be measured solely by the promise that it will prepare children for tomorrow’s world. It is equally defined by what it offers them today, at every stage of their development. What a three-year-old needs is very different from what a ten-year-old needs. What matters during the middle school years is different from what becomes essential in the final years of high school. One of the greatest challenges for any school is to remain relevant throughout every stage of that journey.

At Avenor College, the answer has been to build a continuous educational pathway – from the Early Years through to A Levels – in which each stage has distinct objectives while pursuing the same overarching goal: developing young people who are prepared for the future without losing sight of what they need today.

A Bilingual International School Built in Romania

Perhaps the greatest challenge facing education today is resolving this apparent contradiction. On the one hand, schools must prepare children for a world that does not yet exist. On the other, they cannot sacrifice the present in the name of an abstract future.

A two-year-old first and foremost needs security, opportunities to explore, and the confidence to grow. A primary school student needs to discover the joy of learning and develop independence. During the middle school years come questions of identity, belonging, and purpose. By high school, academic specialization, career guidance, and university preparation become increasingly important.

No single educational model can meet all of these needs in the same way. Schools need a vision that understands what is relevant at every age while maintaining a clear long-term direction.

This idea has guided the development of Avenor College for nearly 20 years: creating a continuous educational journey that combines the international perspective of the British curriculum with the preservation of the Romanian language, culture, and identity. It is a model designed to prepare students for the universities and careers of the future without disconnecting them from the place they call home.

“There is a common assumption when people talk about international education: that, in order to succeed in a global world, children must gradually distance themselves from where they come from. We believe exactly the opposite. Children need roots just as much as they need wings. They need to understand the world, but they also need to understand who they are. That is why we have built an educational model that opens doors to international universities and opportunities while remaining firmly connected to the language, culture, and values that shape our students’ identities. Our goal is not to produce graduates who feel they must choose between Romania and the wider world, but young people who are confident enough to contribute meaningfully to both,” says Diana Segărceanu, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Avenor College.

“Preserving cultural identity cannot be achieved simply by adding a Romanian language class to an international timetable. It is built every day through what students study, the questions we ask them, and the connections we encourage them to make. At Avenor, we want our students to understand both the great universal ideas and values and the culture they come from. We study Romanian literature alongside world literature, explore questions of identity, history, and society, and develop students’ writing, reasoning, and communication skills in Romanian to the highest standards. We believe that a young person who is prepared for the future should be able to think critically and communicate with equal confidence in both the language of the world and the language that defines them,” adds Dana Papadima, Educational Director of Avenor College.

From Exploration to Independence: How the Learning Journey Begins

In the early years, the focus is on a child’s relationship with learning itself. From nursery through primary school, Avenor places equal emphasis on children’s academic, emotional, and social development. Outdoor learning, independence, a close connection with nature, and exploration-based learning are integral parts of everyday school life.

Avenor College’s proximity to the Băneasa Forest has a tangible impact on the way learning takes place. Nature is not simply a backdrop – it becomes an extension of the classroom and an active learning environment.

“In the British Early Years system, learning is not artificially separated from play, exploration, or movement. It is built around the core principles of the British curriculum, which place each child’s individuality, positive relationships, and a stimulating learning environment at the heart of education. Young children learn through direct experiences, through their interaction with the world around them, and through the freedom to discover independently. That is why outdoor learning and autonomy are essential during the early years at Avenor College. When children are given the space to explore, make age-appropriate decisions, take on meaningful responsibilities, and learn through their interaction with nature, we are building far more than academic knowledge – we are fostering confidence, independence, and a lifelong positive relationship with learning,” says Tania Răduță, Head of Nursery at Avenor College.

In primary school, which follows the Romanian national curriculum, one of the core teaching approaches is Project-Based Learning. Through this interdisciplinary methodology, students investigate real-world questions and authentic contexts, with an emphasis on meaningful learning, collaboration, critical thinking, and practical application.

“In the early years of school, children need an environment where they feel safe, seen, and encouraged, while also benefiting from clear boundaries and consistent expectations. We believe that learning thrives when there is a balance between warm, supportive relationships and high standards. Our role is to create a framework in which children develop strong academic foundations through rigorous study while also nurturing their curiosity, collaboration, and creativity through play, transdisciplinary projects, and meaningful learning experiences,” says Ramona Mucenic, Head of Primary School at Avenor College.

The primary school years are a defining stage not only for acquiring knowledge but also for shaping a child’s confidence and relationship with learning. A strong foundation – from Pregătitoare class through Grade  4 – ensures that children are well equipped to make the transition to middle school.

Middle School: Where Future-Ready Skills Take Shape

For many parents, one of the greatest sources of anxiety begins in middle school. This is often the stage when academic pressure starts to increase and many children gradually lose the curiosity and motivation that once made learning enjoyable.

At Avenor College, learning is built around an educational model that integrates three essential dimensions: content, competencies, and character. In other words, what students know, what they are able to do with that knowledge, and how they choose to act and interact with others.

“Middle school is where students develop the skills they will need to navigate an unpredictable future. That is why, at Avenor College, we intentionally focus on the three dimensions of learning – content, competencies, and character. It is not enough for students to accumulate information; they also need to know how to ask meaningful questions, think critically, collaborate effectively, and take ownership of their own learning. We believe that academic excellence is achieved when knowledge is complemented by transferable skills and a strong character built on responsibility, independence, and integrity,” says Diana Segărceanu, Founder and Executive Director of Avenor College.

During the middle school years, many parents are understandably concerned about preparing their children for Romania’s National Assessment at the end of Grade 8. At a bilingual international school such as Avenor College, however, students follow a different assessment pathway. Around the age of 16, they sit the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) examinations – an internationally recognised qualification that assesses achievement across multiple subjects rather than focusing on just two. The IGCSE provides a rigorous yet balanced evaluation of students’ knowledge and abilities, encouraging broad academic development, critical thinking, independence, and ownership of their educational journey. For many families seeking an international education in Romania, this represents a valuable alternative to the pressure of a single high-stakes examination.

The British Curriculum in High School: IGCSE and A Levels

In high school, Avenor College students follow the British curriculum through the IGCSE programme and subsequently A Levels, one of the world’s most widely recognised international academic qualifications.

During the IGCSE years (Grades 9 and 10), students study a broad range of subjects while building a strong academic foundation. In the final two years of high school, as they move into A Levels, their learning pathway becomes increasingly personalised. Students choose three or four subjects aligned with the university courses and career fields they intend to pursue.

The A Level model differs from more traditional educational systems by placing greater emphasis on responsibility, depth of study, and independent learning. Students are encouraged not simply to acquire knowledge but to develop deep understanding, construct well-reasoned arguments, apply what they learn, and take increasing ownership of their academic progress.

“For students in Romania, A Levels offer a significant advantage: these qualifications are recognised and accepted directly by universities across the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, Canada, and Asia, making them a genuine international academic passport. Each year, the range of universities welcoming Avenor College graduates continues to grow, including prestigious institutions around the world as well as leading universities in Romania. The British curriculum is much more than a series of international examinations. It is a framework that gradually develops students’ independence, critical thinking, and confidence in making their own academic decisions. Students begin with a broad curriculum that provides strong foundations across multiple disciplines and, as they progress, are encouraged to personalise their educational pathway according to their interests, strengths, and aspirations. This balance between academic rigour and flexibility naturally reflects the profile of Avenor students: curious, engaged young people with a global perspective on education,” says Richard Thomason, Head of Secondary School at Avenor College.

We invite you to read the full article on the Clubul Copiilor platform.

At Avenor, we actively contribute to the conversation about education in Romania by promoting best practices and collaborating with respected editorial partners in the education sector. Our goal is to bring greater clarity and perspective to the dialogue between schools and families, supporting informed, thoughtful decisions about children’s educational journeys.