September School Support Officer update
It has been a really fabulous start of the academic year, and start of the School Support Officer role for me! Thanks to all heads who responded to my email, and to coordinators and IB directors for reaching out. Joining the Coordinator Community meetings has given me great insight into the concerns and foci of our member schools and their programmes.
Through these conversations and meetings, it seems a number of common themes are emerging. Recruitment remains a significant challenge across many schools, and funding pressures are becoming increasingly evident — particularly within the independent sector in dual economy contexts, as well as in sixth-form settings. This marks a notable shift in the environment in which many of our schools are operating.
Competition with A Levels continues to be one of the most pressing issues for sixth forms in IB schools. Alongside this, there are ongoing concerns about the consistency of IB marking, which continue to prompt debate across programme communities and which IBSCA are working closely with the IBO to explore.
Another area of focus raised by members is the need for stronger marketing support across the continuum. Many schools would like clearer, more accessible resources to help demonstrate the value and distinctive advantages of an IB education to parents, students, and prospective staff. This links closely to teacher engagement: where workshops and professional development are perceived as costly — in both time and financial terms — it can be harder to ensure strong buy-in across school communities.
Looking ahead, my work will continue to focus on supporting schools on an individual basis. Aside from that, I would like to look at marketing and recruitment strategies: collating and signposting existing IB promotional materials and creating a practical set of ideas and resources that schools can draw on. As ever, I will also seek to connect schools together – either through the hubs, or in helping to arranging for schools to visit each other and share good practice in action. Overall I hope to provide, practical support while also building longer-term confidence with all things IB within our communities!
Again, thanks to all those who have already engaged with me so openly. For those I have not yet spoken with, I look forward to hearing from you. If you would like to arrange a conversation or share ideas on any of these themes, please do get in touch — your input is highly appreciated!
Leanne Gibbons
School Support Officer, IBSCA