Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College

1
WELCOME
To the QE IB Diploma
2
The World of the IB Diploma

IBAEM 584
IBNA 749
IBAP 247

IBLA 211
3
Educational Mission

• The International Baccalaureate aims to develop
  inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people
  who help to create a better and more peaceful
  world through intercultural understanding and
  respect (IBO, Education for A Better World,
  2007)

4
The IB Student

• IB Learners strive to be
• Inquirers
• Knowledgeable
• Thinkers
• Communicators
• Principled

• Open-minded
• Caring
• Risk-takers
• Balanced
• Reflective

5
Diploma Defining Features

• A complete and coherent package rather than
  pick and mix
• Breadth AND Depth
• Choice within a framework
• Academic knowledge, skills and understanding AND
  personal development through experiential
  learning and practical activities
• A two-year course, all elements running
  concurrently most assessment at the end linear
  rather than modular.

6
The Diploma Structure

• Students must take one subject from each area
• Own Language
• Foreign Language
• Individuals and Societies (Humanities)
• Experimental Sciences
• Mathematics
• Arts (or another from 2,3,4)

7
Subjects Offered 2009
8
Compulsory Core

• Theory of Knowledge (ToK)
• but you choose which assessment essay you write
• Extended Essay
• but you choose the subject and the research
  question
• Creativity, Action and Service
• but within each of these broad areas there is
  considerable scope for personal choice

9
Choice and Specialisation

• Choice of subjects within a group
• Choice of levels Higher or Standard (usually 3
  of each)
• Flexibility provided by Group 6 subjects
• Specialisation within the Core

10
The Medic

• HL Chemistry, Biology, Psychology
• SL English, French, Maths
• Extended Essay The effects of pollution on the
  distribution of lichens in the Welford Road
  cemetery (Biology).
• ToK Is the scientific method a product unique
  to Western culture or is it universal?
• CAS Volunteer placement in a local hospital
  photography project Community Sports Leaders
  Award.

11
The Social Scientist

• HL Economics, English, History
• SL Maths, Italian, Physics
• Extended Essay The effects of the Black Death on
  the living standards of English peasants
• ToK Do people with different cultural or
  linguistic backgrounds live, in some sense, in
  different worlds?
• CAS Design work for Young Enterprise Company
  recreational basketball volunteer work with the
  homeless through local charity.

12
A typical IB timetable
13
Typical IB student?

• enjoys and is good at a broad range of subjects
• is well-organised and willing to work hard
• is or would like to become an independent and
  reflective learner
• wants to engage with the world around her/him,
  perhaps even to change it
• identifies with/is interested in the
  internationalist ideals of the IB

14
Assessment

• In most subjects internally assessed coursework
  accounts for at least 20 of the final grade
  externally moderated
• Examinations are taken at the end of the two-year
  course, in May. Possible November re-sit
• ToK assessed through essay and presentation
  Extended Essay assessed CAS not assessed but
  must be verified by college
• Results published early July.

15
Grading

• Subjects (HL and SL) graded on a 1-7 scale, 7
  being the highest grades 4,5,6,7 are passing
  grades
• Extended Essay and ToK, taken together, can gain
  up to 3 bonus points
• Maximum score is 45 (6x7)3
• Minimum score to gain Diploma is 24 6x4 (some
  compensation possible
• If Diploma failed, certificates awarded for
  individual subjects.

16
Results 2008

• 31 of the 33 students who started in 2006
  completed the Diploma course
• 28 of the 31 achieved the full Diploma
• Average Diploma score was 32 points
• Highest score was 43 3 others 40 only 1
  student below 24
• College results above the worldwide average in 20
  out of 23 subjects

17
The UCAS tariff

• how do IB points compare to A-level grades?
• A-level grade A 120 points, grade B 100
  points etc, so three grade As 360 points ABB
  320 points
• IB top score of 45 768 points more common
  score of 32 466 points.
• so UCAS recognises the worth of the depth and
  breadth of the IB, including the core elements

18
University views

• IB students perform well and do not fail or drop
  out (Dundee)
• IB students are more flexible, more open to new
  ideas and are more ready to question and
  challenge (Essex)
• IB students adjust easily to HE (Manchester)
• We like the IB self-directed learner (Middlesex)

19
University views

• There is a clear enthusiasm for the breadth of
  the IBDthe coherence of the programme is very
  attractiveThe holistic impact, particularly in
  developing academic skills, proved to be widely
  appreciatedInterestingly, medical respondents
  appeared particularly confident about the depth
  of the programme and appreciative of the wider
  requirements, which they considered good
  preparation for careers in medicine
• (Perceptions of the IB Diploma Programme,
  IBO, 2003)

20
University Offers

• History UEA 33 pts (6 in History)
• Social Political Sciences Cambridge 41 pts (776
  at HL)
• Politics UEA 32 pts
• Social Sciences Durham 36 pts
• Economics Stats UCL 38 pts
• MFL Philosophy Oxford 38 pts (7 6 6 at HL)
• MFL Cambridge 41 pts (7 7 6 at HL)
• French Spanish Exeter 30 pts (6 in French)
• French Spanish St Andrews 32 pts (7 in French)

21
University Offers

• Psychology Leicester 32 pts
• Psychology DMU 24 pts
• Medicine Birmingham 36 pts (6 6 6 at HL)
• Molecular Biology St Andrews 31 pts (6 HL Bio, 6
  SL Chem)
• Chemistry Durham 36 pts (6 in HL subjects)
• Biomedical Science Aston 30 pts
• Applied Biology Nottingham 28 pts
• Radio Production Chester /DMU 24 pts

22
University Places
23
University Places
24
University Places
25
Ideals in action

• We have run the IB alongside A-levels for 12
  years at Impington, a state comprehensive with an
  international perspective.This unique experience
  prepares students to be citizens of the world.
  It helps them put into practice in an enjoyable
  way concepts like mutual understanding and
  working in harmony with others, abilities that
  are key for future leaders in an international
  community.
• (Jackie Kearns, Headteacher, Impington Village
  College)