School Philosophy
▼Cogdel School Chengdu is an international school located in Anren Ancient Town, Dayi County, Chengdu, with 80 years of history. It is a 12-year K-12 programme covering primary, middle, and high school, offering IGCSE, A-Level, and AP (IB-PYP candidate school, IBDP application in progress). It is an official CAIE examination centre, Edexcel official examination centre, Cambridge English KET/PET official centre, College Board AP authorized school, and holds Cognia global accreditation.
The school's mission is "Cultivating leaders who walk the world with pride." Principal Lu Kun (Tsinghua alumna) serves as Board Director & Executive Principal. The school admits approximately 100 students per year, maintaining small-scale, high-quality education.
The school is located at No.247 Section 2 Yingbin Road, Anren Town, Dayi County, Chengdu, within a National 5A-rated scenic area. The campus preserves heritage-listed Republican-era architecture and is known as "a school hidden in 80 years of scholarly heritage." Squirrels and peacocks roam freely across 52% green coverage.
Many parents and students describe their first campus visit as "love at first sight." The campus also features modern laboratories, art studios, an Innovation Hub, startup cafe, multi-sport fields, a professional photography studio, and a digital media creation lab.
- Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) IGCSE/A-Level official examination centre
- Pearson Edexcel IGCSE/A-Level official examination centre
- Cambridge English Assessment KET/PET official examination centre
- College Board (USA) AP authorized course provider
- IB-PYP candidate school
- Cognia global accreditation
- Duke of Edinburgh International Award operating centre
- Ministry of Education "Sino-Foreign Cultural Exchange Characteristic School"
Recent honors: Pearson "Outstanding School Award" for three consecutive years; Cambridge East Asia "Decade School Award" 2026; listed in the International School Brand Value Top 100.
Cogdel's faculty is known for being "hardcore." Key data: 40% graduated from UK G5 and US Ivy League; 60% from China's C9 top universities; 60% hold Master's or PhD; 100% have overseas study or work experience; 100% hold official A-Level/AP teaching certifications.
The leadership team includes Principal Lu Kun (Tsinghua University, CEIBS MBA) and vice principals with PGCEi from University of Nottingham, master's from Michigan State University, and 15+ years of international education experience.
The high school implements a "1+N Mentor System" -- 1 homeroom mentor plus specialized mentors in academics, competitions, and university guidance.
Principal Lu Kun designed the school around three education pain points:
First: Breaking the single assessment system. Cogdel uses an "8-Dimension Competency Portfolio" replacing traditional report cards -- tracking Global Vision, Learning Ability, Physical & Mental Health, Intrinsic Motivation, Innovation, Leadership, Collaboration, and Responsibility.
Second: Connecting school with society. Through project-based learning, career exploration starting from Grade 6, Investors' Classroom, and Career Fair.
Third: Turning soft skills from "mysticism" into "science." Leadership development is tracked semester by semester.
In one sentence: Using engineering logic to customize future-oriented education.
Curriculum
▼- Primary (Grades 1-5): IB-PYP + National Compulsory Education Curriculum integration
- Middle School (Grades 6-8): National Curriculum + international school-based curriculum (integrated UK Key Stage 3)
- High School (Grades 9-12): IGCSE + A-Level (21 subjects) + AP; IBDP application pending
- Additionally offers US university dual-enrolment (URP / Design Thinking)
Four core features:
Dual-track development -- Chinese and Mathematics benchmarked against top-tier public schools in Chengdu, combined with international teaching methods.
IB-PYP inquiry -- Six transdisciplinary theme units developing critical thinking, creativity, communication, and cross-disciplinary research.
Differentiated English -- Cross-grade leveled teaching, Chinese-foreign co-teaching in an immersive bilingual environment. KET highest level by Grade 5.
Personalized customization -- Weekly academic summaries, monthly PYP reports, and tri-annual three-way conferences.
Cogdel has designed a systematic transition approach:
- Grade 6 starts as part of middle school -- early secondary science, continuing IB-PYP inquiry
- China-West fusion -- Mathematics and sciences based on national curriculum with UK Key Stage 3; lab ratio increased to 40%
- Early career planning -- University planning starts from Grade 6
- English enhancement -- CLIL methodology, PET achieved by Grade 8
- Full competition coverage -- 100% student participation in AMC, BPhO, etc.
High School is built around "free course selection":
- Full IGCSE, A-Level (21 subjects), AP with free combination across disciplines
- On-campus IELTS preparation with specialist teachers
- "1+N Mentor System"
- US university dual-enrolment (URP / Design Thinking)
- On-campus academic support: tutoring, new student bridging, exam preparation, competition coaching
Yes, the "Global Art School Programme" is available from Grade 9. Curriculum: "2 years IGCSE + 2 years A-Level" covering Fine Art, Architecture, Animation, Illustration, and Music.
Results: Art exam A/B rate exceeds 90%; 100% of art graduates in the past 5 years received QS Art & Design TOP10 offers; two consecutive years of China's highest A-Level Art & Design scores.
This is the core practice of Cogdel's personalized education. The school implements full departmentalized scheduling -- students move between subject-specific classrooms.
A real example: A Grade 5 student with primary-level English but middle-school-level physics, chemistry, and biology was given a custom cross-division timetable -- English and humanities in Primary, science in Middle School for experiments and research.
At high school level, this manifests as "21 A-Level combinations + differentiated English + 1+N mentor customization."
Student Development
▼- Critical thinking -- Teachers ask "What is your evidence?" rather than seeking standard answers
- Creativity -- Encouraging things "without precedent"
- Collaboration -- Cross-age, cross-discipline project-based learning
- Communication -- Bilingual expression is fundamental
- Citizenship -- Rooted in China, facing the world
Cogdel has a scientific device management policy: phones are stored with dorm staff upon Sunday return; no phone access during weekday daytimes; 30 minutes every other evening to contact family. This policy was co-designed by students, school, and parents.
Academic competitions -- BPhO, SMC, AMC10, UKChO, NEC (100% participation)
Student clubs -- Model UN, Robotics, Business Challenge, Financial Investment, Debate, Maker, Band, Drama, Photography
Campus events -- English Drama Festival, Science Fair, International Culture Festival, New Year Concert, Panda Vision International Film Festival
Principal Lu Kun states, "Sports are the primary source of confidence." Sports teach three things: how to lose, how to persist, and teamwork. The school has a multi-sport field offering parkour, rugby, badminton, volleyball, tennis, and more.
Principal Lu Kun's methodology: First, observe three signals -- flow state, persistence despite failure, voluntary investment of time. Then cultivate through three steps -- let them try many things, create a safe environment, connect learning to the real world. "True passion is not found -- it grows out of safe trial and error."
Cogdel is ideal for such students. A-Level allows choosing just 3-4 strongest subjects from 21 options. Support includes free course selection, 1:3 student-teacher ratio with differentiated instruction, the "1+N Mentor System," and real cases of students with exceptional math but average English progressing to G5 university mathematics programs.
PBL spans K-12: Primary -- IB-PYP transdisciplinary inquiry; Middle School -- 2+ cross-disciplinary projects per year with annual Research Fair; High School -- EPQ independent research and Innovation Hub. Cogdel presented AI+PBL practices at the 2025 World Digital Education Conference.
Absolutely. Cogdel has a dedicated system: MAP diagnostic assessment, level-based grouping, Chinese-foreign co-teaching (Chinese teachers for input, foreign teachers for output), CLIL methodology, a 3,000+ book graded reading platform, and an August summer bridging camp. We focus on "how fast they can progress," not "how good their English is now."
Distinctive Features
▼Cogdel has an AI World curriculum spanning K-12: Beginner (Primary) -- interactive games, visual programming; Intermediate (Middle School) -- programming, algorithms, AI ethics; Advanced (High School) -- real-world cross-disciplinary AI projects.
Highlights: AI Innovation Center, Principal Lu Kun's AI General Studies course, presentation at the 2025 World Digital Education Conference, and deep AI+PBL integration.
The eight dimensions: Global Vision, Learning Ability, Physical & Mental Health, Intrinsic Motivation, Innovation, Leadership, Collaboration, and Responsibility. Every teacher is a "growth sensor." Real example: a student's Leadership dimension evolved from "expressed personal opinion in a four-person group" (Grade 7) to "organized viewpoints into a structured proposal" (Grade 8) to "led a cross-grade team to deliver a 30-minute English presentation" (Grade 9). Each change is concrete, traceable, and demonstrable.
Principal Lu Kun: "If education only serves exams, children cannot beat algorithms." Cogdel cultivates three irreplaceable abilities: judgment (seeing through to essence), empathy (understanding others through drama and collaboration), and responsibility (through student self-governance and community service).
Six distinctive advantages: 80-year heritage + modern international education; engineered whole-person education (8-Dimension Portfolio); extreme personalization (one student, one timetable, 1:3 ratio); world-class faculty (40% G5/Ivy, 60% Master's/PhD, 100% overseas); Tsinghua + investor principal; small-scale excellence (~100 students/year).
University Results
▼- Received Oxford and Cambridge offers and interview invitations
- 97% of graduates enter World TOP100 universities
- Art: 100% of graduates in the past 5 years received QS Art & Design TOP10 offers
- Art exam A/B rate exceeds 90%
UK: Cambridge, Oxford, LSE, UCL, Imperial College (G5 super-elite)
US: Ivy League and Top 30 universities
Art: UAL, Parsons, Berklee College of Music
Others: Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong
Cogdel's university planning is a "continuous pathway" from Grade 6, not a last-minute Grade 12 scramble: Grade 6 begins subject experience and career exploration; dedicated university guidance mentors track throughout; high school provides IELTS, 21 A-Level combinations, and dual-enrolment courses.
Boarding Life
▼Cogdel provides family-style care in boarding. Standard configuration: 3-person apartments with natural wood furniture, ergonomic desks, and spine-protecting mattresses. Over 90 rooms across 2 buildings have been recently upgraded with eco-certified materials. Single or double rooms available upon assessment.
Dining: Professional nutrition team with customized menus, monthly world cuisine themes, weekly regional Chinese specialties. Campus coffee shop for light meals and beverages.
Health: 24-hour on-campus doctor and counselling psychologist; dedicated life mentors on each floor; one-student-one-file care mechanism.
Morning: Wake up, breakfast, prepare for class. Daytime: Classes on personalized timetables. Evening: Supervised study with teachers; 30 minutes phone time with family every other evening. Weekends: House-system boarding activities. The dorm is positioned as a "lifelong competency incubator."
Cogdel is approximately 50 minutes' drive from downtown Chengdu. As a full boarding school, daily transportation is not a concern. Transport: by car via Chengwenqiong Expressway; direct buses from Chadianzi Bus Terminal; high-speed rail to Dayi Station then 15-minute taxi. Anren Ancient Town is a National 5A-rated scenic area with 80-year heritage architecture -- the location is not a disadvantage but Cogdel's most unique cultural and educational asset.
Admissions
▼Five steps: (1) Consultation with admissions team; (2) Campus visit; (3) Assessment (academic testing, English, interview); (4) Admissions discussion; (5) Enrolment confirmation. Rolling admissions year-round, with main entry in September and February.
A comprehensive assessment including academic testing (Math/English), student interview, and parent interview. Younger grades focus on learning potential; higher grades on academic foundations. Art applicants submit portfolios. The school uses "matching admissions" -- not just scores, but fit with the school's philosophy.
Tuition varies by grade level. Please call 400-803-6661 for details. Principal Lu Kun candidly shares: "Over the K-12 journey, what you're buying isn't certificates, but three things: optimized time cost, long-term capabilities over short-term scores, and preserved family relationships."
Principal Lu's three key questions: (1) What is the nature of the child's struggle -- "can't learn" or "won't learn"? (2) What direction suits the child -- "slow-burn" or "exploratory"? (3) Is the family ready? The school offers an August Academic Bridging Camp to help new students transition smoothly.
Three key differences: breadth of assessment (8-Dimension vs. single score), closeness to society (PBL and career exploration vs. classroom isolation), and degree of personalization (one student, one timetable, 1:3 ratio vs. standardized approach).
Admissions hotline: 400-803-6661. Address: No.247 Section 2 Yingbin Road, Anren Town, Dayi County, Chengdu. Book via phone, or direct message on WeChat/Xiaohongshu/Douyin (search "Cogdel School" or "Lu Kun" for the principal's accounts).