Choosing the right school and considering all the choices along the way can be a major worry for relocating parents, and, in the context of current education debate, keeping up with changes can seem overwhelming. This year has seen a large number of proposed developments to the English education system and assessment methods in the independent sector. The coalition government has placed the current state curriculum under scrutiny, sparking fierce debate from education leaders and industry over its future direction.

In light of the growing popularity of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma, reported by Fiona Leney in the Spring 2011 issue of Re:locate magazine, could the IB, with its broad-based curriculum, be seen to bridge the gap between the ‘traditional versus progressive’ divide that seems to be emerging?

Traditional/progressive divide?

Earlier this year, Michael Gove, Education Secretary, introduced the English Baccalaureate (E Bacc) in state schools as a performance measure recognising where pupils have achieved good grades across core academic subjects. While many recognise that standards need to be brought in line with other high-performing countries – a key aim of the E Bacc – others are concerned that focusing on these core subjects risks devaluing many useful vocational subjects and marginalises the arts.

Estelle Morris, former Labour Education Secretary, was among the first to comment, writing in the Guardian, “Michael Gove's analysis seems to push him to a curriculum of yesteryear ... a rather old-fashioned ‘traditionalist/progressive’ divide.”

The E Bacc, while sharing the same name as the IB, does not seem to offer the same breadth of curriculum and principles of learning. Matt Albrighton, Wellington College’s IB Middle Years programme coordinator, spoke to us. “The English Bacc is not necessarily a significant leap forward in thinking with regard to an education for all, and undermines the credibility of many excellent vocational courses. It also sells short students that desire a non-academically focused education. Simply bundling GCSE courses together in a package does not actually make for an educational philosophy, academic or otherwise. The guiding principle may have started off as sound, but the actual mechanics have not been thought through.”

Prep School Bacc

Interestingly, at the same time, the independent sector is seeking an alternative to the traditional Common Entrance Exam (CEE), the most common method of assessing boys and girls who transfer to independent senior schools at the ages of 11+ and 13+. A small group of prep and independent schools believe the CEE is not ‘fit for the modern age’ and are piloting a new alternative to this, the ‘Prep School Baccalaureate’ (PSB). Paul Brewster, Headmaster of The Beacon School and Chair of the PSB steering group said, “What would be important is developing a passion for learning – not the need to acquire enough facts to pass a test – not to be able to write a “set” essay, not to parrot 20 capitals of the world… Best practice within PSB schools is likely to produce pupils able to produce high quality work driven by genuine interest in their subject.”  The PSB would be a broader assessment of pupil’s abilities, with the aim of encouraging stimulating teaching, in turn producing more interested, independent 13-year-olds with good critical thinking skills and a broad range of interests. The parallels with the well-established IB programme are unmistakable.

IB – Middle Years Programme

In a pioneering move in 2009, Wellington College, in Berkshire, became the first British independent school to offer the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) for 13- to 16-year-olds as an alternative to the GCSE. Anthony Seldon, Headmaster of Wellington College, said, “We are moving away from the treadmill of endless examination and learning by rote in favour of courses which stimulate children and put the excitement and challenge back into learning.” The college’s move to the MYP was motivated by this desire to encourage pupils to think for themselves and put the enjoyment of learning at the heart of what they do.

MYP coordinator Matt Albrighton explains how the MYP is often overlooked in the group of IB programmes. “When people speak of the IB, they often refer to the diploma and do not take heed of the two other programmes that exist in the primary and middle school age groups. The MYP is really quite different from anything that exists in most middle schools in the UK. The emphasis on developing lifelong learning is practised rather than just preached, with a framework that embeds attitudes and approaches to learning at its heart rather than content per se.”

This appears to be backed up by a recent piece of research carried out by ACS International Schools among relocation agents. They have found that relocation agents simply do not seem to be as confident in their knowledge of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and MYP as they are with the IB Diploma. 64% of respondents rated their knowledge of the IB Diploma as a four or a five (with five being the highest understanding), compared with only 14% who felt that they have this level of knowledge of the PYP or MYP. For families on the move, this highlights the importance of gathering as much information as possible about the choices they are facing.

Vocational versus academic

Alongside the introduction of the E Bacc, Michael Gove commissioned an independent review of vocational education, looking specifically at how the education system for 14- to 19-year-olds could be improved in order to promote successful progression into the labour market. The review called for a scaling back of large numbers of vocational qualifications, which some believe would be to the detriment of core academic study.

The Association of School and College Leaders general secretary, Brian Lightman, said, “Much of global economic growth is in design and technology and creative fields. If the UK education system is going to keep up with the best in the world, it must emphasise esteem subjects like design and technology and not focus on a narrow, arbitrary set of traditional subjects.”

A recent YouGov survey of hundreds of UK business leaders has backed up these claims with a call for better vocational learning in schools. The survey revealed that 87% of large businesses believe that future economic growth depends on the UK investing in practical skills. A further 81% say young people would benefit from being taught academic and vocational courses alongside one another.

The findings follow the March 2011 Budget speech, in which the Chancellor acknowledged that a lack of relevant skills within the workforce was the biggest problem facing our economy. The research points to a clear message from businesses to the Government: access to vocational learning in schools and colleges is essential to driving private-sector employment and growth.

International Baccalaureate career-related certificate

In March 2011, the International Baccalaureate career-related certificate (IBCC) was launched, with the aim of bridging that gap between academic and career-related programmes. It has been trialled in ten schools around the world and has seen 16- to 19-year-olds combine the study of traditional subjects with a project connected to their vocational studies.

For example, at Windermere School, in the Lake District, the only UK school to take part in the pilot, students are able to take advantage of the practical study of outdoor pursuits. The school has its own accredited watersports training centre, Hodge Howe, and pupils study a balanced curriculum designed to provide the more practically minded with the opportunity to further their academic studies while becoming proficient in their chosen outdoor activities.

Industry leaders have stated clearly in recent research that young people need to be ready to enter the workplace. Rod Bristow, president of Pearson Education, said, “Young people need to have an understanding of the context that business operates in and be able to apply their learning. Communication skills, team working, eye contact and positive body language are all the skills you get in the course of practical learning.“

The IB and the IBCC seem to recognise the importance of these essential skills and are firmly embedded in the requirements of the IB programmes. An IB spokesperson said, “The IBCC has evolved throughout the pilot stage, and schools have found it an excellent offering to add to their portfolio, as it addresses the needs of students who wish to combine career-related education with academic qualifications. The IBCC is now a mainstream qualification and will be available for first teaching from September 2012.”

In the light of current debate, it seems that the IB programme, from the adaptation of its early years programme through the middle years to diploma level, is yet again emerging as a solid alternative for students. Its status as a globally recognised qualification and its ability to cross the current divide over curriculum, teaching and assessment make it a serious contender in today’s confusing educational landscape.

Read Fiona Leney’s article, IB – riding high! here.

Take a look at our new section on the IB programme here.