INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE NEWS
International Baccalaureate a 21st Century Education What you need to know about the IB What is education for? Many will recall their school days working towards GCSEs (or O Levels) before going on to select a narrow range of 3 subjects for their A Levels. The system was established in the 1950s and has endured through the decades for those seeking university entrance before embarking upon a career. Yet in 21st century society, many would challenge this system as a valid route to prepare young people for their future lives. They seek not only knowledge, but also broader skills for study and beyond, helping young people grow as
learners, as people, and genuinely as citizens of the world they are entering. Founded later than A Levels, the International Baccalaureate (IB) has long existed to broaden young people’s horizons. The IB Diploma Programme (DP) is aimed specifically at pupils in the Sixth Form. It offers a broader, holistic approach where rigour is combined with breadth, and pupils are challenged to develop both academically and personally. What does the IB Diploma entail?
Inspired by other leading
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education systems globally, the IB upholds the need to provide rigorous subject content, and akin to A Levels, pupils must study three subjects to the DP equivalent, ‘Higher Level’. Yet the programme is designed as a package, and pupils enrich their favourite subjects here by undertaking an additional three ‘Standard Level’ subjects. The idea is to diversify pupils’ experiences and abilities in ways even the best A Level programme might struggle to achieve. The DP, however, reaches further than the confines of the classroom, challenging learners
