TOMORROW’S WORLD

Preparing our students for the world of tomorrow starts with their education today, says the Head of Sixth Form at King’s InterHigh

From rapid technological developments to increasing globalisation, the world is advancing at an unprecedented pace.

The World Economic Forum estimates that, by 2025, children and teens will need a new suite of skills to succeed in the world of work.

How do we support young people to build those attributes? Today, the International Baccalaureate (the IB) is rapidly growing in popularity as a future-ready way of learning. Designed to cultivate inquiring, internationally minded young people, the IB Diploma Programme is a rigorous, rewarding qualification for students aged 16 to 19.

Every curriculum has its own aims and benefits. A levels, for example, provide a specialised education in a specific set of subjects. The IB Diploma emphasises a broader, interdisciplinary approach. Rather than focusing on a specific field, students choose one subject from each academic discipline – from the sciences to the arts – building a rounded education. Global mindedness and cultural understanding are interwoven through every subject. In biology, students may learn about sickle cell anaemia in parts of Africa or the Chernobyl nuclear accident in Ukraine. In English literature, they’ll examine how both original and translated works approach common global issues. Every student also takes a foreign language, opening doors for the future.

Alongside this, learners also study three subjects known as the ‘DP core’, which challenges them to put their learning into action and does a wonderful job of developing future-ready skills. Theory of Knowledge, for example, builds critical and analytical thinking, while a successful Creativity, Activity, Service project requires everything from active learning to leadership and influence.

In September 2022, King’s InterHigh became the first school to o er the IB Diploma Programme fully online. In partnership with the International Baccalaureate Organization, we bring all the benefits of the IBDP curriculum to our students anywhere in the world.

With students from over 100 nations, our learning community is inherently international, putting the IB’s mindset into real action. For Matt, who graduated last year, the introduction of contributions from around the world was the best part of learning online with us. “People were able to bring in perspectives I would have never been exposed to before joining such a diverse school environment,” says Matt, who now studies at the University of British Columbia.

As we shift towards a post-pandemic economy, where remote and hybrid work is commonplace, learning online is also a way to build essential digital skills. At

King’s InterHigh, we teach using innovative technologies like virtual reality, immersing students in that innovative way of thinking.

We’re firm believers that great online education is just as rigorous, warm, and inspirational as traditional learning – but with more flexibility, more personalisation, and more innovation. Unlike distance learning during the pandemic, this approach truly works. Our Sixth Form students prove that year after year by going on to renowned universities.

The future belongs to young people who can think critically and creatively, collaborating across borders and cultures. With online IB learning, we’re guiding our students to make that future theirs.