IB: YEARS 12 – 13

The New Zealand scholarship examination

Most of the subjects offered for the International Baccalaureate examination at Higher Level benefit students who wish to enter for the New Zealand Scholarship examination.

Scholarship is a monetary award to recognise New Zealand’s top students annually. It will enable students to be assessed against challenging standards and will be demanding for the most able students in each subject.

As for the International Baccalaureate Diploma qualification, the New Zealand Scholarship examination expects students to demonstrate high level critical thinking, abstraction and generalisation, and to integrate, synthesise and apply knowledge skills and understanding and ideas to complex situations. Students who have studied the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme have these skills well developed and further extended through the Theory of Knowledge course.

Assessment is standards-based (as in the International Baccalaureate Diploma), and all assessments are externally examined. Student performance will be assessed against a schedule that ensures a ranking of students is produced.

For each standard there are three levels of reporting: ϐ Scholarship not attained ϐ Scholarship ϐ Outstanding performance.

The number of awards in each subject will be based on the proportion of the number of students in Year 13 entered for national assessment in those subjects.

There are considerable financial rewards for a ‘top’ scholar. Students are welcome to enter for scholarship and there is a separate charge for these examinations.

The International Baccalaureate learner profile

As with the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme aims to produce students who embody the qualities and attributes of the IBO Learner Profile. Units of work are planned with these outcomes in mind. The IB Learner Profile is a list of 10 descriptions of personal qualities that IB learners achieve or strive to develop within themselves. Its aim is exactly that of the IB programmes: to develop internationally- minded people who, recognising (our) common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better, more peaceful world.

IB learners strive to be Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Risk-takers, Balanced, Caring and Reflective.

School fees

Queen Margaret College does not charge any extra school fee for a student who chooses the IB Diploma programme. The fees paid at QMC are for the teaching and the consequential learning that takes place, and are not dependent on the course which the student is studying. Students will be subscribed to a www.educationperfect. com package. This will provide access to learning materials in languages, science and other subject areas. There will be a single charge of $70.00 + gst.

Examination entry cost

The total current cost is approximately $NZ1050 which will be charged to your account in two instalments in Year 13. As this figure is dependent on the exchange rate of the NZ dollar, any necessary adjustments will be made to cater for currency fluctuations at the end of the course of study.

Candidates receive the following services: ϐ Comprehensive assessment using a wide range of assessment methods, including moderated internal assessment and externally marked examinations ϐ Assessment by an international team of examiners and moderators, overseen by independent chief examiners ϐ Detailed clerical checking of every examination script to ensure administrative accuracy ϐ Accommodation for special educational needs and detailed consideration of individual special circumstances, where appropriate ϐ Access to results on the day of publication via a dedicated and secure website ϐ Printed Diploma, Diploma results or certificate (dependent on results) ϐ Up to six free requests to transmit results to universities and admission centres worldwide.

NB: the marking of examination papers is rigorous in the IB Diploma programme. Teachers submit predicted grades, and students who are two or more grades different from this predicted grade have their papers automatically completely remarked. The usual number of papers given to markers is kept low, to ensure that careful and fair marking takes place. Every marker has work sampled and checked by a senior examiner. Comprehensive grade marking meetings are held, and all students who have a mark within two marks of a higher grade, also have their paper automatically remarked.

Subject outlines for International Baccalaureate Diploma

Subjects are arranged in groups, following the International Baccalaureate pattern, and the chart of subjects offered. This is a two year course, with most final assessment done during the second year.

Pre-requisites of entry to subjects for the IB Diploma will be a satisfactory level of performance in the same or a similar subject in NCEA Level 1. Entry will be at the overall discretion of the Deputy Principal – Learning and Teaching.

Academic integrity is vital in this course, as it is assessed world-wide and high standards of integrity must be maintained. All requirements must be met.

All deadlines MUST be adhered to and will be indicated to the students in their individual Course Outlines, issued in the first week of study. Assistance is available to students who have special requirements such as the need for a reader and/or writer and/or extra time.

All enquiries should be directed to the Deputy Principal – Learning and Teaching, Holly Payne (holly.payne@ qmc.school.nz) or IB Diploma Coordinator, Emma Birch (emma.birch@qmc.school.nz).

Group 1 Language A English A

This course will encourage a personal and critical appreciation of literature and develop an understanding of the techniques involved in literary criticism through the study of several literary works over the course of the two year programme. Works are selected from different periods, genres, styles and contexts. These literary works include some works in translation and a reflection on the culture to which they belong so that the students’ cultural perspective is widened. Works will be chosen with the students’ interests in mind. Students will gain a deep appreciation of literature and be prepared for a seamless transition to tertiary study. They will develop skills in oral commentary and discussion, literary essay writing, and critical thinking.

LANGUAGE A SCHOOL-SUPPORTED SELF-TAUGHT

This course is similar to that described for English A above however, literature in the students’ mother tongue is studied. There is a self-taught component, students are supported with a tutor and classroom teaching takes place where mother tongue versions of works in translation are discussed and analysed.

Group 2 Language B

SPANISH AB INITIO (TWO YEAR BEGINNERS’ COURSE)

This course is for those with little or no knowledge of the Spanish language. The topics covered give students exposure to a variety of contexts and situations related both to their personal experiences and to the culture. This expands the students’ knowledge of other cultures and also ensures that they become aware of different views and beliefs. The focus is on speaking, listening, reading and writing. The course is fast-paced to enable learners to acquire a useful degree of proficiency. They study the following themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organisation and sharing the planet. Students also have regular conversation practice with our Spanish language assistant to help develop their fluency and comprehension.

French B

The concept of international-mindedness is at the heart of language learning. The study of French will help students build their confidence by improving their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Emphasis is on making the language a vibrant and current tool for the understanding of another culture. Students work with authentic material and discuss current issues in detail. They study the following themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organisation and sharing the planet. The course is taught in the language whenever possible, and students have regular conversation practice with our French language assistant to help develop their fluency and comprehension.

Chinese B

The aim of the two year Chinese B course is to develop students’ international-mindedness through the study of the language, culture, and issues of global significance. Students have opportunities to communicate about matters of personal, local and global interest covering five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organisation and sharing the planet. They develop their confidence in using and understanding the language in a range of relevant contexts, and for different purposes. Students consolidate grammatical structures and write a variety of text types. They are taught in Chinese whenever possible and have regular conversation classes with our Chinese language assistant to help develop their fluency and comprehension.

English B

The English B course is designed for students whose mother tongue is a language other than English. Typically, our international students will choose this course in order to develop their language skills through the study of authentic written and spoken texts covering a range of contemporary topics. Discussion will focus on intercultural understanding and awareness of different views and beliefs. In the higher level course, the students will study two literary works in the target language. The development of skills in comprehension, essay writing and creative response to literary texts will be beneficial to students who are undertaking their course of study in English as their second language.

Spanish B

For students electing to continue their study of Spanish, this course extends their knowledge of both the language itself and the cultures of Spanish speaking countries. They practise the four key skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing through authentic texts. The course is taught in Spanish whenever possible and students are exposed to examples of the various forms of Spanish found across Latin America and Spain. They study the following themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organisation and sharing the planet. Students also have regular conversation practice with our Spanish language assistant to help develop their fluency and comprehension.

Japanese B

The aim of the two year Japanese B course is to develop students’ international-mindedness through the study of the language, culture, and issues of global significance. They have opportunities to communicate about matters of personal, local and global interest covering five themes: identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organisation and sharing the planet. Students develop their confidence in using and understanding the language in a range of relevant contexts, and for different purposes. They consolidate grammatical structures and write a variety of text types. Students are taught in Japanese whenever possible and have regular conversation classes with our Japanese language assistant to help develop their fluency and comprehension.