Re:locate magazine, autumn 2004

Is the IB the best option?

Its flexibility has helped the International Baccalaureate earn a reputation as the most suitable academic programme for children of internationally relocating parents. But is this truly deserved? Under what sort of circumstances would a child be ill-advised to take the IB, and what are the alternatives? Mary Langford asseses its advantages.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma was first conceptualised in post-war Europe, when educators at the International School of Geneva working with others from the Atlantic College in Wales wanted to find a means of offering a rigorous, holistic and internationally-sensitive curriculum that would be more appropriate for their pupils.

Many of them were the children of expatriate professionals working for banks, diplomatic missions and international agencies seeking to return to their home countries to enter post-secondary education, and there was concern about transferability of their qualifications. The International Schools Association was formed, funded in part by grants from prestigious international charities and foundations, and UNESCO granted ‘consultative status’ to the new body.

Thus academics representing national governments, universities and schools worldwide gathered to debate and devise a mutually acceptable curriculum. This meant exploring many models of education and drawing the best from each of them. One might say that they were seeking to be all things to all people – never an easy task.

The ideal of using the IB as a means of developing international awareness and understanding was part of the vision of the founders. Who better to lead an increasingly interdependent world into a new era of peace and harmony than these pupils growing up in an international arena? IB students would become a new generation of multi-lingual, broad-minded and balanced internationalists who would make their mark in diplomatic, industrial, financial and charitable organisations worldwide.

The result was the International Baccalaureate Diploma, a two-year pre-university programme taught in English or French (Spanish also now features) that incorporates academic breadth as well as opportunities for specialisation in six academic subject areas: first and second language, a humanities subject, a science, a mathematics course, and either a creative arts, ancient languages or school-designed course, or another of the previously mentioned five courses. Additionally, IB pupils must also engage in ‘CAS’, described by IB organisation director general George Walker as, “the jewel in the crown of the IB Diploma Programme.” Through CAS – ‘Creativity, Activity, Service’ – pupils participate in an additional 150 hours developing their creative interests, partaking in physical activity and sport, and in community service. They also take part in a critical thinking course called the Theory of Knowledge and they must write a 4,000 word research paper on a subject of their choice.

With the popularity of the IB Diploma, it soon followed that schools wanted to offer equivalent programmes for younger pupils, and this led to the development of the IB Primary Years Programme for children ages 3-11, and the IB Middle Years Programme for pupils aged 11-16. The programmes are obviously age-appropriate, but embody the same characteristics as the programme for elder students – broad-based and rigorous academically, yet holistic, too; focusing on inquiry and reflecting the interest and experience of pupils providing the opportunity to link their learning to their home countries and cultures, and incorporating education about the country of the school, language acquisition, environmental responsibility and community service.

The international character of the IB Diploma is evident in many ways. Schools are given a degree of latitude as to the topics to be studied within the academic areas. These may reflect the history, environment and culture of the host country or region, or even the countries of origin of the pupils. This is an attempt to ensure that pupils actually make connections with the country in which they live. In so many schools serving expatriate populations, it is possible that the community operates in a ‘bubble’ with little or no awareness of the locale. Yet by having opportunities to explore how topics might apply to their home countries, pupils can also relate their knowledge to their own history and culture with the added benefit of learning about the countries of their classmates’ origin. It is the best of both worlds.

With the emphasis on language acquisition, pupils have an opportunity to study their mother tongue as well as an additional language. This is vital, as studies have indicated that pupils who fail to fully develop literacy skills in the home language may suffer from cognitive learning issues as they enter adolescence. For international families, particularly those who may return to their home country for the continuation of their child’s education, this is a distinct advantage.

Through the first language (Language A) course, pupils participate in a world literature component. In addition to studying their own literary heritage, they also benefit by learning about the great works of other languages. In the assessment and examinations, consideration is given to the native language of the pupil – the IB acknowledges that a vast number of the pupils following the course are not working in their native language.

For international families on the move, the IB is a flexible programme that enables students to more or less join at any age and at any point in the academic year. There is an inherent understanding that pupils joining with different educational experiences will require a degree of differentiation in the curriculum. It is more or less expected that teachers in IB programmes will do some modification of the curriculum to accommodate these children.

Although each IB school is unique, there is continuity in the programme that feels comfortable and familiar to families transferring between them, and which significantly eases the adjustment process. The IB schools themselves have a network and easily communicate and share information about the pupils and the programme, which makes for a smoother transition. Because the IB is accepted by universities worldwide, most guidance and careers counsellors working with IB Diploma pupils will make an effort to assist graduates with university admission virtually anywhere. This single issue can sometimes be a deal-breaker for assignees concerned about how their own professional opportunity may disadvantage their children’s prospects for university admission.

The reality is that many families, once they have experienced the IB programmes, will seek future professional opportunities – often another overseas assignment - that will enable them to give their children the benefits of continuing their International Baccalaureate education.END STOP HERE PLEASE CELIA! Mary Langford is Acting Head of Sunland International School, Malaga, Spain, which is in the process of introducing the IBPYP.

“With six subjects to study, the extended essay to write, Theory of Knowledge projects to complete and 150 hours of community work to fit in, IB students need to be very well organised and good all-rounders. IB examinations are held in May and the results are out in early July. This gives IB applicants a head start in the race for university places because A level results are not published until mid August. Many universities look favourably on IB candidates even if they have not achieved a very high pass mark, as they are perceived as having something different to offer and so have an edge on other applicants. For pupils coming from, and planning to continue their further education in America, the best solution may be to stay with the American system.

Although it is possible to find schools offering the American system in and around London, it is not always an option if a family is relocating to the provinces. An alternative is to consider the move to Britain for a few years to be an ideal opportunity for children to broaden their horizons and sample English culture through an English school.

One advantage that A levels have when compared to the IB Diploma is that students can choose what they want to study, and can mix and match academic and vocational subjects. The IB has, however maintained a high academic standard while A levels have suffered from grade inflation over the past few years and are becoming increasingly formulaic.”

Penny Bysshe, Director, School Guidance Consultancy

“The greatest strength of the IB, especially in the Primary and Mid Years Programmes, is the fact that it is accessible and appropriate for children from any country and any educational background. Children in the programme are also able to transfer back to any system with little difficulty.

Assessment is carefully monitored within each IB school but there is no formal, external, assessment of the pupils’ progress prior to the Diploma which starts at sixteen. The IB Diploma programme is quite a rigorous and demanding academic programme and may not therefore be deemed suitable for all pupils, just as not all pupils are perceived to be sufficiently able to successfully tackle an A level course.

There is no doubt that for Internationally mobile families, the IB programmes offer a wonderful opportunity. The ‘enquiry’ approach to learning and the philosophy of ‘life long learners’ combine to develop confident and competent children with a real interest in learning. Children with a background in the English system have no difficulty returning to the system and, despite the fact that at sixteen they do not have any formal qualifications, they are able to access A level courses and be successful.

More and more schools in England are looking at the Diploma Programme as an alternative to the traditional A levels. This positive move is a reflection of the status of the Diploma as an Internationally accepted standard for admission to University.”

Gill Bowker, Independent Education Consultant, Bowker Consulting

The parent’s perspective

“Children are different academically and the IB is excellent for some, but not for others. It’s a highly regarded international qualification that offers a good chance for children to move easier around the world and study in other countries. The choice between IB and A’Levels is a luxury open to British parents if they can pay boarding school fees or if local schools offer a British curriculum. Other nationalities take the IB without hesitation. However, as UK parents may have a choice, it is worth noting that children need to be very organised to study a wider range of IB subjects. However, The IB pay off can be considerable. It has tremendous prestige with most UK universities. My daughter was welcomed with open arms by Durham, York, Nottingham, Manchester and Leeds before she even got her results.”

Elizabeth Stafford, relocating parent for the past 20 years

The school’s perspective

“The International Community School London (ICS) has recently taken the decision to identify the IB Diploma as its programme of choice for its pre-university students and has embarked on an 18-month application process, with the goal of launching the Diploma in September 2005. In many ways the thought processes behind this decision mirror the complex ones taken by parents as they tour UK schools looking for the best fit for their children. The school’s decision has been very much informed by best educational principles and practices and the desire to provide a curriculum appropriate for internationally mobile families as well as for British students seeking university placement. For many parents the mobility and acknowledged scholarship of the programme which is demanding of a wide repertoire of academic skills, promotes the whole person, develops inquiry and critical thinking and promotes intercultural understanding is an obvious choice for their children. Another consideration is the school’s determination to offer the Diploma to the broadest cohort of students. The school operates an inclusive non-selective school admissions policy, which we believe, is not incompatible with the adoption of the Diploma. Parents rightly seek schools that can extend their children and provide the right measure of support. The IB Diploma lends itself wonderfully to such demands.”

Rose Threlfall, Deputy Head of School/Director of Admissions, ICS London

© 2007. Article taken from pages 24-27 of the autumn 2004 edition of Re:locate magazine, published by Profile Locations, Spray Hill, Hastings Road, Lamberhurst, Kent TN3 8JB. All rights reserved. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of Profile Locations. Profile Locations accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein.