Page 29 - StudyTravel Magazine August 2018 Issue

SECONDARY FOCUS StUdytrAvel mAgAZIne AUgUSt 2018

are best equipped for success at higher education,” nationalschool.com/ in Brunei, for example, offers a
he says. “This is because of the skills these students choice of either the IBDP, which it has been offering
have developed, such as the capacity for independ- since 2011, or A-levels. “The school decided to offer
ent study, having an open mind, being organised and the IBDP as a means of diversifying the curriculum of-
thinking creatively.” fered and also to provide a dual pathway for university
The IB comprises four educational programmes: IB entrance,” explains Principal Barnaby Sandow. Cur-
Primary Years for children aged three-to-12; IB Mid- rently around 20 per cent of their total 16-to-18 year
dle Years, designed for students aged 11-to-16; the IB olds take the IB.
Diploma (IBDP); and the IB Career-related Programme St Cuthbert’s www.stcuthberts.school.nz in New
for students aged 16-to-19. The IBDP involves tak- Zealand introduced the IBDP in 2010 and offers it
ing six subjects (three at higher and three at standard alongside the National Qualifi cation NCEA. According
level). Students have to follow a course in the Theory to Suzanne Joyce, their girls have achieved impressive
of Knowledge, write a 4,000-word research Extended IBDP scores. “Many of our students go on to study at
Essay, and take part in over 150 hours of non-aca- leading universities around the world, including Har-
demic activity covering creativity, physical action (e.g. vard, Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton, and Yale.”
sports), and service to the community. “It is a chal- IBDP newcomer, Ireland-based Villiers School
lenging and rigorous programme that encourages criti- www.villiers-school.com will welcome its fi rst IBDP
cal thinking, global mindsets as well as breadth and students in September 2018. It is only the second
depth of learning, and thoroughly prepares students IBDP school in Ireland and the country’s only IBDP
for university and beyond,” says Charo. boarding school. “Without question, the IB’s reputa-
Many schools that offer the IBDP offer it as tion is growing, particularly as Ireland becomes more
an alternative to other high school leaving exams. international,” reports Shane Hanna. Their fi rst IBDP
Jerudong International School http://jerudonginter- cohort will be predominantly Irish but also includes
Spanish, Polish and Taiwanese students.
Percentage of IBDP candidates by Charo reports that around 70 per cent of BFIS
nationality, May 2017 students are international but “every year there is an

increase in the number of IB applications”.
American 53%
“Popularity of the IB in India and China has soared
Canadian 7%
in recent years,” confi rms Carolyn Llewelyn from Ox-
British 3%
Indian 3% ford International Study Centre www.oxintstudycen-
tre.com in the UK. “I think this is due to the perception
Dutch 3%
of IB as an internationally recognised qualifi cation and
Mexican 3%
the breadth of studies. It is also due to the opening of
Chinese 2%
many international schools with an English-medium
Spanish 2%
curriculum in the globalisation of education in China.”
Other 24%
Source: IBO gillian@studytravel.network

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