Page 28 - StudyTravel Magazine August 2018 Issue

SeCOndAry FOCUS StUdytrAvel mAgAZIne AUgUSt 2018

Secondary Focus:
50 years of IB

With a solid reputation for producing well-rounded creative thinkers, the
International Baccalaureate (IB) is fast gaining ground as the high school
leaving qualification of choice, as GILLIAN EVANS reports.

Celebrating its 50th birthday, the IB is going from at Felsted School www.felsted.org in the UK, is
strength-to-strength. According to the International that it has a reputation for “producing well-rounded,
Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO), the number of IB global learners”.
programmes offered worldwide grew by almost 40 “The IB is widely regarded as the gold standard
per cent between 2012 and 2017, testimony indeed academic programme,” says David McBride at Upper
to its growing appeal. While the USA’s public school Canada College www.ucc.on.ca in Canada, “and is
sector still accounts for the lion’s share of IB provid- recognised by universities around the world.”
ers, numbers are mushrooming around the world. The Benjamin Franklin International School (BFIS)
The secret of its success, according to Sophy Aitken www.bfi s.org in Spain has been offering the IB
Diploma (IBDP) since 2011 because the
BROOkES EDUCATION GROUp qualifi cation “is recognised globally by
governments, universities and employers”,
asserts Charo Rodriguez. And its reputa-
tion continues to expand. “In Spain there
are 108 schools offering the IBDP and this
fi gure keeps growing. Recognition of the
programme by universities and govern-
ments and the aspiration of parents and
IB pREpARATION AND ENTRANCE students to be able to study and work any-

For entrance onto their IBDP, most schools require the student to sit an where in the world is making international
entrance exam and/or to supply school reports. “We don’t have an entrance education very popular in our country as
exam, however, we will look at three years’ school transcripts, and ask for
teacher references. We also test for English ability,” says Mark London of ACS around the globe.”
International School in the UK. Mark London at ACS International
At Villiers School in Ireland, prospective IBDP students are expected to
have a minimum of a B2 (CEFR) in English. Those students who do not yet Schools www.acs-schools.com in the UK,
meet the levels required in English and Maths can take a pre-IB programme. reports that over the past 10 years, ACS
At other schools students can join a year early. “We don’t brand it as an
‘IB prep’ programme, but this is effectively what they will get,” says Mark. has carried out research among university
To support students in their studies, Oxford International Study Centre of- admissions offi cers to ask what qualities
fers IB vacation revision and autumn term retake courses. “We teach all sub-
jects at both higher and subsidiary level, and also give help with the Extended they look for in applicants. “Year after year,
Essay and Theory of Knowledge requirements,” says Carolyn Llewelyn. they tell us that they believe IB students

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