News

IBSCA to deliver its IB authorised professional development workshops virtually

14th August 2020

The IB Schools and Colleges Association for the UK and Ireland has received approval from the International Baccalaureate Organization to temporarily transfer the delivery of its authorised professional development workshops to an online platform. The approval has been granted as a response to travel restrictions and transmission concerns around Covid-19 and will be in effect […]

IBSCA Letter to University Admissions Tutors

4th August 2020

Please find a link here to a letter which IBSCA has sent to all UK University Admissions Tutors on behalf of students who have missed their offers, it outlines the complexities of this years results and asks for universities to be as flexible as possible.

Awarding May 2020 results further information

16th July 2020

Further information on the awarding of May 2020 results can be found by following the link below. We are also pleased to confirm that this information has been passed on to universities to help them better understand the complexities around the awarding of grades this year. https://www.ibo.org/news/news-about-the-ib/awarding-may-2020-results-further-information/

Warwick University Statement – November Exams

8th June 2020

Warwick University has released the following statement: We can confirm that we will treat the November exam series as first attempt, when taken in lieu of this summer’s calculated grades. Their FAQs on the IB can be found by following this link: https://warwick.ac.uk/study/covid19/#IB

Statement from the Irish Universities Association on May 2020 Exams

14th May 2020

“Admissions for 2020/21 Academic Year: The Irish universities will accept the new 2020 Leaving Certificate calculated grades for admission in the same way as the Leaving Certificate in other years. The 2020 calculated grades will likewise be processed by the CAO in the same way as other years. We will likewise continue to accept all […]

Update from Manchester University – IB Exams 2020

13th May 2020

How will you treat International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP) students this year? The International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) has confirmed that every student will receive a final grade in each part of the IBDP. The most up-to-date information on how these grades will be calculated is available on the IBO’s website. We can confirm that we’ll accept any grades […]

Homewood IB students learn real meaning of service during lockdown

5th May 2020

Homewood School’s Year 13 International Baccalaureate (IB) students are actively demonstrating how the ethos of Service Learning, which is part of their course, can translate into the real world at a time of great need. They have been helping in the local community during the current crisis in many different ways. Two students have taken […]

Statement from Russell Group universities on the 2020 exam grading system

4th May 2020

The Russell Group of Universities welcomes the clarity provided by exam regulators and awarding bodies across the UK over how they will grade candidates who would have taken exams in A levels, AS levels, GCSEs, (including their International variants), Scottish Nationals, Highers/Advanced Highers and other qualifications such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Students can rest […]

Update from Manchester University – IB Exams 2020

30th April 2020

Manchester University have provided IBSCA with the following statement: The University of Manchester is aware that this is a very unsettling time for all applicants but please be assured that we will do all we can to ensure the changes to the IB assessment and examinations won’t affect your opportunity to attend our University in […]

More universities have agreed to accept IB grades this summer

29th April 2020

Updates from Warwick, Exeter, Queen Mary and Sheffield University can be found below: Exeter University Following the announcement that GCSEs, A Levels, IB, Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers in Scotland and other Level 3 exams have been cancelled, how will this affect me and my place at Exeter? To make sure it’s a fair reflection […]

Southampton University accepts IB grades this summer

25th April 2020

Statement from Southampton University: We will accept grades awarded this year as normal. Our requirements will not change as a result of the different methods of assessment being employed. If you have been unable to complete the Diploma but you have completed individual courses, we will carefully consider your final grades and we may be […]

Update from LSE – IB Exams 2020

21st April 2020

LSE have released further information about student’s hoping to attend their university in September: The IBO has released guidance on how IB Diplomas and Certificates will be awarded in Summer 2020. The IBO aim to deliver these grades in July. We will use these grades as the basis for our confirmation decisions. In the meantime, we […]

Cambridge University accepts IB grades this summer

21st April 2020

Please see below for a statement from The University of Cambridge: The University of Cambridge is carefully monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. We recognise that the impact of the pandemic may create uncertainty for offer holders and prospective students. We fully understand that this is a difficult time for all of you, but please be […]

Update on UK universities responses to the IB’s actions to award grades this summer

15th April 2020

IBSCA and IB are monitoring the position of universities regarding the award of grades this summer. Most universities are still at a very early stage in their thinking and have made rather vague statements, for example this is UCL’s statement: “We are currently processing the implications of the recent decisions by various exam boards around […]

Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for undergraduate applicants – Bath University

1st April 2020

A very interesting and informative article from Bath University covering FAQs from undergraduate applicatants – please follow the link below: https://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-undergraduate-applicants/

IBSCA statement on May 2020 DP and CP examinations

24th March 2020

The assessment of the grades and the reaction of universities to the grades is of paramount importance to our students and schools. We would like to reassure schools that IB is working closely with Ofqual, UCAS and representative bodies to ensure that the results will be in line with other awarding organisations’ practice. IB is […]

Inaugural International Education Symposium – Sevenoaks School

13th March 2020

16 – 17 October 2020 Keynote speakers include Alice Roberts, Michael Rosen, Bill Lucas, Tom McLeish and Tom Chatfield Sevenoaks School will host an International Education Symposium in October to explore the value, challenge and reward of thinking creatively about teaching and learning in schools. The event is open to all school leaders, teachers and […]

Responding to your students’ concerns about climate change and related issues: inspiring ideas you can use in the classroom.

14th January 2020

Free seminar for IBSCA delegates on 24th April at Warwick University. IBSCA is delighted to welcome back Harrison Wavell, education specialist from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, to talk to IBSCA delegates about an exciting new idea that is gripping the imagination of students, teachers, universities and employers. These are some of the comments from previous […]

‘Why A-levels should be scrapped: they don’t suit 21st century innovation’

24th September 2019

Once the gold standard, A-levels are losing their lustre, increasingly eclipsed by the rigour and breadth of the IB, says Helena Pozniak Images of delighted A-level students taking an artfully choreographed jump for joy are a familiar sight on news pages every August. But teens who have sat the International Baccalaureate (IB) have a right […]

TES article about the IB

6th August 2019

Click here to read the full article in TES magazine

New Chief Executive for the International Baccalaureate Schools and Colleges Association of UK and Ireland (IBSCA)

25th June 2019

IBSCA is very pleased to announce that Richard Markham will be its new CEO from September, 2019, in succession to Robert Tibbott, who is retiring. Richard arrives with strong IBSCA and IB credentials, having served on IBSCA’s steering committee since 2013, when he became Principal of Hockerill Anglo-European College, overseeing a flourishing DP and MYP […]

How UK universities are responding to the IB maths changes

12th February 2019

Here are the latest views from various UK universities and some links to latest support from the IB Models for Structuring[3] Overview + Best Fit Guide USA[3] Overview + Best Fit Guide[3] Recognition Guide[3] In addition to the statement from Imperial College London which was released prior to our mathematics teachers’ forum in October we […]

International Baccalaureate: the perfect preparation for engineers?

30th November 2018

Henry Coverdale, Director of Post 16 Education at King Edward’s School in Birmingham, has written a blog concering the benefits of the IB for aspiring engineers. Click here to read the full blog

Scottish Independent School of the Year – St Leonards

27th November 2018

St Leonards School has been awarded the Sunday Times ‘Scottish Independent School of the Year’. Click here to read the full article on the Sunday Times which refers to their IB status and delivery.

Scotland’s top performing state secondary schools revealed

27th November 2018

You can read more by clicking here about Scotland’s ranking of top performing state secondary schools

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, and IB student, image to go on stamp for her 18th

27th November 2018

Click here to read more about how Belgium’s Princess Elisabeth is due to appear on a stamp for her 18th birthday.

‘The world needs the International Baccalaureate’ – Sir Anthony Seldon

9th November 2018

Click here to read Sir Anthony Seldon’s article addressing the importance of the IB.

Number of schools using IB continues to decline

7th November 2018

This article on the Times Educational Supplement looks at the number of IB Schools and student courses applied for over the years – read the full article by clicking here.

Gove blamed for IB decline by fellow minister

7th November 2018

In this article, Lord Willets alleges that Michael Gove opposes the Internationcal Baccalaureate because he feels it represents “rootless cosmopolitan education”. Click here to read more.

50 Years of Inspiring a Lifelong Quest for Learning

18th October 2018

This article from Teach Wire and on Teach Secondary talks about the development of the IB programmes and describes how it prepares students for the future. Click here or here to read more.

IB Today – 50 Years On

1st October 2018

John Claughton, Development Officer of IBSCA, discusses the progress of the IB and it’s prospect in the UK. Click here to read the 2-page article in the Private Schools Magizine.

Successful RSA 50th Event – Live recording

27th September 2018

If you missed the RSA 50th Event on September 26th, you can watch the recording of the live stream by clicking here. Please also find the written transcript here. Thank you to all those involved, the event was a great success.

Why we need both science and humanities for a Fourth Industrial Revolution education – Hans Vestberg

27th September 2018

Click here to read what Han Vestberg thinks the purpose of education is in a world where machines are getting smarter. This article is a part of the Sustainable Development Impact Summit.

‘The world needs the International Baccalaureate’ – Sir Anthony Seldon

25th September 2018

Click here to read why Sir Anthony Seldon believes that world needs the IB.

GCSE results day: ‘Why we need to abandon exams’

14th August 2018

Peter Howe talks in this article about why exams need to be abandoned and how else students can be prepared for the future. See the full article here.

A-levels vs IB: which makes a more rounded student?

13th August 2018

This is another interesting article published on ‘The Conversation’, written by Shona McIntosh who is a Lecturer in Education at the University of Bath. It compares the teachings of the A-level curriculum with that of the IB, with respect to the most rounded students. Read the article here.

UK triumphs in the IB – even in an alternative provision academy

16th July 2018

Alix Robertson talks about the IB results, and highlights how this has included an alternative provision academy. Click here to read the full article.

UK leads the way as 5,000 students gets their International Baccalaureate (IB) results

13th July 2018

Please click here to read the full press release.

Summary of panel session at Wellington Festival

10th July 2018

IB’s 50th Anniversary: what has the IB ever done for us? The Wellington College’s Festival of Education is the largest educational event of its kind in the UK, with 4000 visitors over two days, hundreds of speakers and dozens of sessions. Click here for a summary of the panel session on the International Baccalaureate which took […]

The slaying of dragons – Quashing IB myths

10th July 2018

‘The slaying of dragons’, a blog post written by John Claughton, Development Officer of IBSCA, in which he slays some of the myths of the IB Programme. The full post can be found on the IBSCA Blog here.

IB Students celebrating their results, 2018

10th July 2018

In the IB’s 50th year students are celebrating their IB results, and Relocate Editorial writes about the success of the programme and thus the schools’ results for 2018. Click here to read the full article.

The missonary to Thanet

10th July 2018

Paul Luxmoore talks about how he strives to improve Thanet, and how the IB Diploma Programme (DP) and Careers-Related Programme (CP) are a part of it. Click here to link to the SchoolsWeek supplement, see pages 24-25 for the full article.

A-Levels Vs. IB

10th July 2018

Pat Moores, Director of UK Education Guide, writes here about the relative merits of the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the A-Level. Click here to read the full article.

Schools Week Supplement

21st June 2018

Schoolsweek have created an overview of data that shows trends in amongst schools and pupils studying the IB in the UK and internationally, click here to view the latest Schools Week Supplement.

Westminster Education Forum

20th June 2018

‘At today’s meeting of the Westminster Education Forum about forthcoming T-levels, and amidst much uncertainty about them, Paul Luxmoore (Coastal Academies Trust, Kent) gave a thoroughly convincing description of the IBCP and its potential as the viable alternative 16-19 curriculum, embracing both the vocational and the academic. Lord Baker, who chaired the forum, was clearly […]

The IB: a better world through education?

31st May 2018

As the International Baccalaureate (IB) celebrates its 50th year, John Claughton reflects on the programme’s history At our heart we are motivated by a mission to create a better world through education.’ Thus speaks the International Baccalaureate and it has now been saying this for 50 years since its creation 1968. That mission is not some dreamers’ […]

VfB Stuttgart defender Danny Collinge: IB Graduate

15th May 2018

‘While we have become accustomed to foreign teenagers moving thousands of miles away from home to England in stockpiled Premier League academies, the reverse is somewhat of a novelty. The widely-accepted narrative goes that English youngsters are too mollycoddled to risk a move abroad and, when they do reach the age for first-team football, they […]

The surprising thing Google learned about its employees — and what it means for today’s students by Valerie Strauss

26th March 2018

The conventional wisdom about 21st century skills holds that students need to master the STEM subjects — science, technology, engineering and math — and learn to code as well because that’s where the jobs are. It turns out that is a gross simplification of what students need to know and be able to do, and some […]

The IB encourages the soft skills that businesses value, Mark Seldon

14th March 2018

In my role as Director of Studies at Gresham’s School, where we offer Sixth Form students both A-levels and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, I actively encourage all students to consider the IB Diploma Pathway. If students explain that they have chosen to take A-levels because they are absolutely passionate about three particular subjects […]

Education and global competencies (aka remembering we are human), Rebecca Hughes

14th March 2018

We certainly do seem to be getting more interested in all things global when it comes to education. First there was ‘global citizenship’ — whether or not we know exactly what the term means. ‘Global’ and ‘citizen’ taken together always appear in tension to me, a contradiction in terms implying you don’t understand one word […]

While there remains a place for technical knowledge, in many fields this will rapidly date and it’ll be the soft skills driving a successful career

13th March 2018

As the IB curriculum celebrates its fiftieth year, Tim Jones, academic deputy head at Sevenoaks School, discusses how effective the programme has been – especially in nurturing the development of ‘soft skills’. Isn’t it interesting that for the first half of the last century, ‘soft skills’ were taken for granted as those requiring little or […]

Questioning Systems of Deformative Assessment

22nd February 2018

In a series of new blog posts we want to shine a light on what it means to offer An Education for Global Citizenship. We will explore debates, emerging findings from the research literature and above all share how we at IAG are meeting the challenges and opportunities presented by both this the Fourth Industrial Revolution […]

One of UK’s oldest grammar schools adopts the IB

22nd February 2018

Bristol Grammar School was founded in 1532 and, like so many other of the ancient city grammar schools in the UK, it has been the key academic institution of the city for nearly 500 years. During that history it has produced a winner of the Nobel Prize and the founder of Penguin Books, Sir Allen […]

Apprentices will get a place at Cambridge University

8th February 2018

Cambridge University is to offer apprenticeships for the first time in a sign that vocational training is becoming a genuine alternative to conventional degrees and £27,000 tuition fees. The university has been registered as an official apprenticeship trainer alongside companies such as Lloyds Bank, Greggs bakery and British Airways. Other universities including Bath Spa and […]

IB Programme ‘A Better World Through Education’

7th February 2018

As part of the IB 50th birthday party, IB, working with ITN, produced films on the impact of IB at a number of schools in the UK: ACS International Schools, Cheltenham Ladies’ College, Dwight School, Headington School and Sevenoaks. Links to these films are below. Click here for the Sevenoaks film Click here for the […]

Package vocational and academic qualifications together for university success

24th January 2018

“Data shows that, over 10 years, 30% more BTEC students failed to complete their degree course than those students who entered university with the equivalent A Level tariff scores. The assumption drawn from this finding is that BTEC students are less well prepared for university that A Level students. However, I believe this simplistic view […]

Seven schools celebrate 40 years of commitment to developing global citizens through the IB

24th January 2018

“Seven International Baccalaureate (IB) World Schools from across Africa and Europe are celebrating 40 years of offering the Diploma Programme (DP), having recognised the IB’s unique proposition and started the programme in 1977, just nine years after it was first launched. The schools, which are celebrating 40 years’ commitment to nurturing students to demonstrate a […]

Universities thoughts on the IB

24th January 2018

Click here to view comments on the IB from different universities.

The rapid growth of the IB Career-related Programme in the UK

10th January 2018

Twenty-four state schools across Kent are now authorised to offer the IB Career-related Programme (CP), equating to nearly one third of state schools in the county and a quarter of CP students worldwide. The International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-related Programme (CP) is becoming a popular choice in the UK as students are reaping the benefits of […]

Making the learning leap: KS4 to KS5

4th January 2018

Finishing secondary education and heading into Sixth Form is an exciting, yet daunting prospect for most 16-year olds. Assuming they have already chosen by the summer what they will be studying at Sixth Form – whether that be A-levels or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma – arriving at the summer holiday offers them time to […]

Mind the STEM gap – How good careers advice can help to close both gender and pay gaps

4th January 2018

‘Research has highlighted the influence of gender stereotypes on students who are at crossroads with their career path. It suggests that good careers advice is vital in helping students determine – regardless of gender – how they can translate their aptitudes and skills into viable careers…’ Click here to read more about how the IBCP […]

The University Admissions Officers Report 2017

14th December 2017

This is the twelfth year that ACS International Schools and IBSCA have commissioned this survey among university admissions officers and in all this time the DP has been consistently rated as the best qualification to thrive at university. The University Admissions Officers Report 2017 summarises the results of the survey, highlights trends in university applications, provides […]

One Head’s Story, Tracy Tresler

12th December 2017

I am Head of Wilmington Academy which is a non-selective secondary modern surrounded by grammar schools so that our students are of mid/low ability. So, we start from a basis that is lower than the national average starting point. Nor are we short of competition: North West Kent College is a big draw and some of […]

University admissions officers rate IB Diploma Programme as the best pathway for university preparation

11th December 2017

According to research findings published in the 12th annual University Admissions Officers Report, UK university admissions officers rate the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) as “exceptionally different and better than A Levels”. The DP uniquely equips students with key skills The survey, commissioned by ACS International Schools and the IB Schools and Colleges Association of […]

The International Baccalaureate launches ‘A Better World Through Education’,

11th December 2017

The International Baccalaureate (IB) and ITN Productions have launched ‘A Better World Through Education,’ a news and current affairs-style programme which explores how IB programmes have been preparing children for life, allowing young minds to flourish across multiple disciplines and multiple cultures. With IB programmes being offered in more than 150 countries, this programme goes on a world-wide […]

IB Schools make a bigger splash in the Sunday Times Parent Power survey

4th December 2017

Sunday Times Parent Power is the most respected, the most extensive and best researched study of the best schools in both the state and the independent sector in the UK. This year’s survey was published yesterday and it shows the great, and growing, significance of the International Baccalaureate Diploma in the UK… click here to […]

Independent Secondary School of the Year: Sevenoaks School

4th December 2017

There aren’t many schools that get to boast of being our Independent School of the Year. There are even fewer which get to claim the prize not once, but twice, with a record of consistent excellence that last saw Sevenoaks School walk off with the award 10 years ago… Please click here to read more, unfortunately […]

Windermere School crowned best for IB programme

30th November 2017

THE LAKE District’s only independent school has been named in Sunday Times as the International Baccalaureate (IB) School of of the Year. The Sunday Times published its 25th edition of Parent Power at the weekend, a publication which identifies the 2,000 highest-achieving schools in the UK, which are ranked according to their examination results. Among […]

Students with BTECs do worse at university – here’s how we close the gap

30th November 2017

BTECs have been lauded for widening access to university, but once students get there they receive worse outcomes Every so often a new study tells us privately-schooled pupils perform worse at university than their state-schooled peers, or that there are huge gaps in attainment across measures of disadvantage, gender and ethnicity. Perhaps the most significant […]

How can we better prepare students for university?

29th November 2017

The narrow A-level curriculum is leaving more and more new undergraduates unable to cope with the rigours of university, says Mary Curnock Cook Earlier this autumn, over 330,000 young people made the leap from school or college to higher education. Many of them will have been ill-prepared for this transition, which involves a fundamental change […]

English as a second language? Schools need to stop treating it as an obstacle to success

22nd November 2017

When columnist Andrew Pierce tweeted earlier this year that 1.3 million children “do not speak English as a first language, underlining strain immigration puts on schools” he understandably caused something of a social media stir. Alongside some tweets of support, others were quick to point out that not having English as a mother tongue need not […]

Vienna International School – International Mathematics Conference

16th November 2017

This academic year Vienna International School are excited to be hosting a Kindergarten through Grade 8 Mathematics conference in early June 2018. Their aim is to bring together leading authors, workshop facilitators and classroom practitioners for an engaging, relevant and cost effective professional development opportunity. To view more information on the course and to sign up please […]

Why is the government spending so much on T-levels when a world-class programme that combines academic and vocational study already exists, asks Paul Luxmoore

15th November 2017

I don’t really understand T-levels. This is either because I’m a bit dumb and slow, or because, as the executive head of a predominantly secondary MAT, I’ve been led to believe that T-levels are designed for FE colleges, and are therefore not for my pupils. I get the intention, however. T-levels are supposed to be […]

UK county leads the world in offering the newest IB programme

15th November 2017

Twenty-four state schools across Kent are now authorised to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-related Programme (CP), with first teaching starting this term. This equates to almost 30% of state schools in the county. With over 500 students studying the programme in Kent alone, the UK is now home to almost a quarter of the schools across […]

‘In 2017, not one of my sixth-formers took A levels. It was the best decision I ever made’

8th November 2017

One headteacher of a secondary modern in selective Kent discusses his decision to look beyond the “narrow and purely academic curriculum” of A levels This year, for the first time in almost 10 years as a headteacher, I felt success on sixth form results day. For the first time ever, every student had passed […]

The International Baccalaureate and Tes Partner in New Global Resource-sharing Hub for Educators

7th November 2017

Two of the world’s leading authorities in education, the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Tes, the world’s largest community of education professionals with over 8 million registered users – including 100,000 IB educators – have announced a major new collaboration, which will see the launch of a resource-sharing service to help improve learning outcomes worldwide…. to […]

Royal Society calls for Baccalaureate

23rd October 2017

Sixth form education needs a major overhaul to properly prepare pupils for the future, a leading academic has said Pupils are being put at a disadvantage by A levels, because it is a narrow system that is no longer “fit for purpose”, according to Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, president of the Royal Society. Britain is at […]

IB or A-Levels: The decision to shape a lifetime

28th September 2017

With Mark Seldon – Director of Studies at Gresham’s School Many parents will be under the impression that they know all about A Levels (as they are likely to have taken them themselves) but don’t know as much about the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. Yet we are currently going through the biggest shake […]

IB extra-curricular activities prepare students for university and life beyond

22nd September 2017

Research undertaken by the University of Bath into the impact of an extra-curricular component of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) has revealed that DP students are well-prepared for university, and for life. DP modelThe report, based on responses from almost 8,000 students as well as programme coordinators and alumni, questions respondents on their […]

The importance of international-mindedness

19th September 2017

Comment by Jane Drake, Head of Curriculum Innovation and Alignment at the IB. How do today’s students understand current affairs? They hear daily analyses of the actions of the governments across the world, the plight of international refugees, terror threats, and environmental challenges. If they are being exposed to these events and current affairs for […]

Danny Collinge: VfB Stuttgart’s Englishman ‘never questions’ move to Germany

11th September 2017

Here is an article about an English Footballer who went specifically to Germany to get a better education than with an English club. Danny took up studying the IB in Stuttgart to ensure that he had a solid back-up plan in case his career in football didn’t work out for him. Read more about his […]

Guide to International Education & Schools

4th September 2017

The latest edition of Guide to International Education & Schools is out now! Articles that may be of interest to you: – The International Baccalaureate: A Global Success Story – A pathway to career success – The education system in England – and many more…. Click here for the full guide.

The IB’s Career-related Programme: a pathway to success?

4th September 2017

Adrian Kearney, the International Baccalaureate’s (IB) regional director for Africa, Europe and the Middle East, answers key questions about the opportunities afforded by the Career-related Programme. The Career-related Programme is the latest in the International Baccalaureate (IB) suite of qualifications. Adrian Kearney, the IB’s regional director for Africa, Europe and the Middle East, answers the key questions relocating parents […]

A state of flux

31st August 2017

John Claughton, IBSCA Development Manager, discusses the advantages of the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme Heraclitus wrote in seventh century BC Greece, ‘All things are in flux’. He may not have had the 21st-century British education in mind, but all things are in flux. A-levels, after 17 glorious years of AS levels and modules and retakes, […]

Science and arts shouldn’t be seen as rivals

21st August 2017

Fears that we will become a nation of techno-nerds at the expense of the arts only show that we are still stuck in 1959 Libby Purves Hard not to snort with momentary laughter, reading of the dismay of senior cultural figures and head teachers at a sudden upward surge in STEM subjects taken at A […]

IB Middle Years Programme students celebrate eAssessment exam success

4th August 2017

This week more than 66,000 International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) students from around the world have received their results from the May 2017 examination session. This represents a 20.03% increase compared with last year. 703 schools in 95 countries participated and students received an average score of 35.8 points (of 56 possible maximum). 290 students received their results […]

IB Results Day: Graduates Worldwide Celebrate

14th July 2017

Today almost 160,000 Diploma Programme (DP) students around the world will receive their results from the May 2017 examination session. They join a community of more than 1.6 million DP graduates in 152 countries worldwide. Globally, students received an average diploma score of 32.03 points (of 45 possible maximum), with a pass rate of 87%. […]

Admissions Officers Survey

11th July 2017

Google it! Students are ‘needy, ill-prepared and reliant on search engines’ Survey of university admissions staff paints an unflattering picture of today’s students, finds Jeremy Lewis. A “challenging set of results”, a politician might say. Others might suggest that heads should roll. What is clear is that if there were any sort of league table […]

The benefits of the International Baccalaureate Diploma for Latin and Classics in the Sixth Form

29th June 2017

“ABSTRACT In spite of its world-wide reach, the International Baccalaureate (IB) is still a relatively unknown quantity in many schools in the UK. Even if teachers know of the IB, very few teachers know how it works and even fewer have actually taught it. As a result, not enough Classicists realise how beneficial the IB […]

The need for breadth in 21st education

28th June 2017

Wellington Festival of Education, Friday 23rd June The need for breadth in 21st education ‘What’s so special or odd about English students that they have the narrowest 16+ education in the world?’ [Carl Gombrich, University College, London] On Friday 23rd June at the Wellington Festival of Education, the International Baccalaureate brought together key figures from […]

The International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme

27th June 2017

Wellington Festival of Education, Friday 23rd June The International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme ‘The IB CP programme is a beautifully created curriculum which brings together the academic and the vocational in a way that is perfect for our students with their many different abilities and aspirations.’ [Dr Saima Rana, Principal, Westminster Academy] On Friday 23rd June […]

89% of uni admissions officers believe freshers can’t think for themselves

27th June 2017

ACS International Schools and the International Baccalaureate Schools and College Association’s (IBSCA) twelfth annual survey of admissions officers from 80 different universities, ranging from Russell Group to Post ’92 Institutions, provides a grim outlook on the level of preparedness of undergraduates starting university this autumn. Continue reading here…

World Academy of Sport – Olympian Visit to Felsted School

27th June 2017

Jamie Fearn, Olympian, speaking with Felsted School Sporting Scholars. Photo courtesy of Felsted School GB Olympian Jamie Fearn recently visited Felsted School in Essex meeting with 40 of the Schools’ sporting scholars. Jamie represented Team GB at the Winter Olympic Games in 1992, Albertville and 1994, Lillehammer in Short Track Speed Skating and successfully […]

University of Nottingham launches £500,000 scholarship fund for outstanding IB international students

8th June 2017

The University of Nottingham has launched a new undergraduate scholarship for outstanding overseas fee-paying students who have successfully completed the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme(DP) before applying to study at the institution. Students starting at the University in September 2017 and 2018 will be eligible for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Excellence Scholarship, which recognises the academic merit of students who achieve […]

“If introducing the DP wasn’t my greatest achievement, it was certainly the scariest thing I ever did”

5th June 2017

John Claughton, former Chief Master of King Edward’s School, Birmingham, UK, radically abolished A-Levels to introduce the IB Diploma Programme (DP) – he explains why it was a risk worth taking, and how it was part of a wider plan to transform the school. Not many people get the chance to go back to their […]

First Russell Group University officially recognises the IB Career-related Programme

30th May 2017

The University of Southampton is the first Russell Group University to make an official admissions policy statement for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-related Programme (CP) in recognition of how the programme prepares its students for university and its value within the UK education system. The University’s statement follows a large increase in the number of […]

Too many independent schools are scared of the word ‘vocational’

24th May 2017

Mark Waldron, Headmaster of Ryde School with Upper Chine, Isle of Wight, discusses the benefits of an academic and vocational curriculum. Follow the link below to read the full article in this month’s issue of Independent Education Today Full Article – Independent Education Today

IB Diploma Biology and ESS: Incorporating Fieldwork

12th May 2017

The Field Studies Council is hosting an IBO approved CPD residential at their Field Centre at Dale Fort in Pembrokeshire. This 3-day DP Category 3 workshop will develop participant’s skills to lead and delivery effective fieldwork and internal assessment for Biology or ESS. Using a hands-on approach it will demonstrate the key issues and opportunities […]

The IB: Preparing students for university and more

11th May 2017

Martina, an IB alumna student from Impington Village College, writes about her experience of the IB in the latest issue of World Student magazine: “The continuous headlines, dominated by A Levels, have made me reminisce about my time in sixth form. I am originally from Italy and, rather unconventionally, moved to the UK without my […]

CEO of The International Baccalaureate Schools and Colleges Association of the UK (IBSCA)

27th April 2017

Robert Tibbott will succeed Sandra Morton as CEO of IBSCA on 1 September, 2017. Up to 2016, he was Deputy Head at Dartford Grammar School (a Kent IB World School), where, since 1996, the IB Diploma Programme, and, since 2007, the IB Middle Years Programme have been offered. In 2009, the IBDP replaced A-Levels; there […]

Revolutionising post-16 learning with the CP

20th April 2017

In the past, vocational and academic education were seen as mutually-exclusive choices. Students would have to pick a “side,” stick to it, and follow that choice through. Now, an alternative approach that brings vocational and academic paths together for students aged 16-18 is proving popular writes Jon Severs for TES magazine. Severs cites 27 schools […]

A Better World Through Education

27th March 2017

A programme called A Better World Through Education, set to launch on Oct 25, will explore how the International Baccalaureate (IB) impacts students, schools and communities, according to a press release by IB. English newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky will host the news and current affairs-styled show, jointly produced by the international education foundation and ITN Productions, a British-based news […]

John Claughton – vocal advocate of the IB

22nd March 2017

Follow the link below to read an article by Absolute Education who interviewed John Claughton, IBSCA Development Manager, about the strengths of the IB: John Claughton – Absolutely Spring 2017

New research benchmarks international IB students language skills for universities

19th March 2017

The study, conducted by the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC) provides a benchmark for universities across the world to assess international IB students’ English language acquisition. Most international universities around the world have English proficiency requirements for incoming international students. Many universities accept scores in DP language courses as evidence […]

ASCL – Next Generation Leadership

13th March 2017

On 10th and 11th of March ASCL held their 2017 Annual Conference at the ICC, Birmingham. Sian Carr, ASCL President, IBSCA Committee Member & Executive Principal at Skinners’ Kent Academy spoke about next generation leadership: “Whilst holding firm to my strong sense of what can be, of possibility, this year has made me wonder a […]

A bright future? The IB Career-related Programme

6th March 2017

Research has revealed that the majority of graduates of the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme believe that it gives them a head start at university and prepares them for the world of work. Research has shown that the International Baccalaureate (IB) Career-related Programme (CP) helps to prepare students for university and future employment. The Warwick Institute […]

IBSCA’s Development Manager

3rd March 2017

You may or may not know this, but last September I passed over from being the Chief Master of King Edward’s School, Birmingham to the newly created part-time role of IBSCA Development Manager, working alongside Sandra Morton and Peter Fidczuk.I see this role as having two faces, an inward-looking face and an outward-looking face. The […]

Raising awareness and aspirations in the UK

1st March 2017

2016 was an exciting year for the International Baccalaureate (IB) and IB World Schools with the launch of a number of initiatives in the UK. The IB’s continued collaboration with Kent County Council means that 27 schools in just one county of the UK are now offering the Career-related Programme and raising aspirations among their […]

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