As a continuation of our at-a-glance references for explaining the vocabulary associated with gifted and talented education, we look at the Baccalaureate qualification
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is an internationally recognised qualification for students aged 16 to 19, currently available in more than 70 schools and colleges in the UK, both state and independent. The programme leads to a single qualification, rather than separate qualifications for individual subjects. However, students who don’t achieve the full diploma can be awarded a certificate for each subject taken.
The IB usually takes two years to complete and is based around detailed academic study of a wide range of subjects, including languages, the arts, science, maths, history and geography and is designed to encourage students to:
- learn how to learn
- ask challenging questions
- develop a strong sense of their own identity and culture
- develop the ability to communicate with and understand people from other countries and cultures.
The programme is made up of a compulsory ‘core’, plus six separate subjects where students have some choice over what they study (see box). Most of the assessment is done through exams, marked externally. However, in nearly all subjects, assessment also involves teachers’ marking of coursework. Most students who take the programme go on to higher education; the qualification is recognised by universities in more than 100 countries.
Compulsory core
Optional subjects
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Read A-Z of G&T education (3): Breadth