EXPLORING INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION
...The International Baccalaureate
School. “However, there are new IB curricula being introduced, such as the Career-related Programme.”
“Each child is individual, and what works for one child might not work for another,” says Sophie Stead, head of communications at Enjoy Education, a schools advisory and private-tuition company based in London. “The structure of the IB … suits all-rounders very well, allowing them to show the breadth of their talent.”
PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME The PYP is for pupils aged from three to 12. It focuses on encouraging children to be interested and motivated in their own learning by helping them to investigate subjects that they are curious about. It inspires them to make connections between different pieces of information and, in so doing, increase their understanding of how the world works. This enquiry-based approach enables pupils to build on their knowledge through an emphasis on learning how to learn and how to find out. The PYP curriculum is designed to ensure that children also receive a grounding in the traditional basics of literacy and numeracy, while placing emphasis on broad communication skills, problem-solving skills, teamwork, and the ability to apply learning to new situations. Most schools offering the PYP will be able to provide
details of the programme, and should be able to supply a PYP curriculum guide on request.
MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME
The MYP is for students aged 11–16. It lasts for approximately five years, and classes are divided into eight subject groups:
• Language acquisition • Language and literature • Individuals and societies • Sciences • Mathematics • Arts • Physical and health education • Design
In their final year of study, students also engage in a personal
project, which allows them to demonstrate the understanding and skills they have developed throughout the programme. They are expected to lead the process, with supervision from their teacher. Students can opt to take MYP eAssessment, which
provides them with IB-validated grades based on their exams and coursework, and ultimately receive an MYP Certificate.
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DIPLOMA PROGRAMME In 1968, the IBO sought to create a programme that
would be recognised by universities around the world. Today, the DP provides learning over a very broad base of disciplines, preparing students for further learning and a future career. It has proved itself to be the success story in secondary education over the past 30 years, and is now recognised as an entrance qualification to universities in more than 140 countries. Simone Lorenz-Weir, head of upper school at Oakham, a coeducational independent day and boarding school in Rutland for pupils aged from ten to 18, recognises that the IB has grown to become one of the most highly regarded educational programmes in the world.
“The IB ticks many boxes academically because of its
rigour and the breadth of subjects students take,” she says, “but ultimately it is the skills that students learn that make the programme so very desirable.”
“While the IB emerges as a global standard for entrance to top universities around the world,” explains Charles Davis, director of strategic development at the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL), in Malaysia, “students with this credential are finding themselves well prepared for their next educational setting.”
Adds Michael Ortiz, ISKL’s IB coordinator, “Often, our greatest success stories are not with those students who score the highest, but with those who have challenged themselves the most, overcoming great odds just to pass.” In addition to their chosen subjects, all DP students take Theory of Knowledge (a challenging critical-thinking course) and undertake an Extended Essay (a dissertation- style research project). Both of these prepare them for the rigour of university, teaching them to research independently, to analyse evidence, and to translate their thoughts into a well-written (or verbalised) point of view.
“Universities certainly recognise this,” says Simone
Lorenz-Weir, “as they often find IB students settle in quicker and feel more comfortable with the self-sufficiency demanded by higher education.”
GIVING STUDENTS THE EDGE
Research reveals that the IB is indeed highly regarded by universities. In its annual survey of admissions officers, ACS International Schools, in collaboration with the IBO, asks respondents to rate three exam systems – A Levels, the DP and BTEC – and rank them against factors such as ‘encouraging independent enquiry’ and ‘developing ability to cope with pressure’. Among the 81 UK universities surveyed, the DP was rated top in developing 13 out of 14 factors considered useful in preparing students to thrive at university.
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