International Baccalaureate
Diploma Programme
Parents’ Information Evening
What is the IB?
• The IB Diploma Programme requires
students to study six subjects
• Usually study 3 standard level courses
and 3 higher level courses
• Write an extended essay
• Complete a course on the Theory of
Knowledge
• Follow a programme of 150 hours of
community action and service.
How are the subjects arranged
• All students study English and Maths
• Maths is the only subject that can be studied at a lower
level than standard
• All students study another language
• Students study one subject from the ‘individuals and
societies’ group
• Students study one subject from the ‘experimental
science’ group
• The sixth subject is either an arts subject or another
subject from the languages, ‘individuals and societies’ or
‘maths and computer science’ groups.
Proposed IB Diploma Subjects at
‘Chis and Sid’
• Group 1 – English (HL/SL)
• Group 2 – French (HL/SL); German (HL/SL);
Latin (HL/SL); Italian (ab initio)
• Group 3 – Economics (HL/SL); History (HL/SL);
Philosophy (HL/SL)
• Group 4 – Biology (HL/SL); Chemistry (HL/SL);
Physics (HL/SL)
• Group 5 – Maths (HL/SL/Studies)
• Group 6 – Visual Arts (HL/SL); Music (HL/SL);
another subject from groups 2, 3 or 4.
IB Subject Choices
• If a student already has a very clear idea
about the degree subject / career path
they wish to follow it is up to them to ask
universities which components of IB they
need to study and at which level
• The school cannot give specific advice
about courses because different
universities will have different
requirements
Creativity, Action and Service
• This accounts for 150 hours over the two
year course
• The idea is that students learn from the
experience of doing real tasks beyond the
classroom and to develop new interests
and skills
• It is a non examined course but students
are required to keep a CAS Diary and
hand it in at the end of the course
Theory of Knowledge (ToK)
• This is a philosophical course that
considers the way in which people acquire
knowledge
• It is central to the IB Diploma and has an
impact in all subject areas
• TOK is assessed through an externally
marked essay and an internally marked
presentation
Extended Essay
• Students are required to write a 4000 word
essay
• It is a research piece in an area of the
student’s choice
• Students are expected to spend 40 hours
outside the classroom on the extended
essay and they have a staff supervisor to
guide them
• The essay is externally marked
What type of student is suitable to
study for the IB Diploma?
• A student that is committed to their studies
• A student who is able to meet deadlines
• A student who is committed to the school
community beyond the classroom
• A student who has a breadth of interests
• A student who will be capable of working
effectively on their own as well as in
lessons
How do we intend to introduce the
IB?
• If the application process is successful, the first
cohort will begin studying for the IB Diploma in
September 2009
• This cohort will be approximately 40 students
• Not every subject will be part of the IB offer to
begin with
• Staff professional development has already
started with staff undertaking official IB training
• Resources will be purchased to assist staff in the
planning for IB courses
• There will be an IB Co-ordinator to take on the
day to day co-ordination of the IB programme
The next steps
• The IB Authorisation visit takes place between
October 14th and October 16th
• In assemblies and at the Year 11 Forum the IB
will be introduced to students
• Students will be asked to indicate whether they
would like to study IB
• All of these students will be interviewed by
members of SLT / the pastoral team for Year 11.
• Students from outside the school who express a
preference for IB will be interviewed in the same
way
The next steps
• From these students the IB cohort of
approximately 40 students will be selected, with
reference to the points outlined previously
• As the school will probably not receive final
notification of a successful application until after
students make their Sixth Form choices, all
students will be asked to make both an IB DP
choice and also an AS level choice
• The requirements to enter the Sixth Form will be
the same for IB as for A Levels