My eldest child has just been through the Covid-19 induced virtual experience of leaving school, turning 18yrs and (the other day) receiving her International Baccalaureate (IB) results. Needless to say, the last 10 days have been a rollercoaster of emotions. So why did we choose IB?
Diverse choice in Scotland
Scottish Independent Schools offer a range of qualifications, from National 5s, GCSEs, Highers, Advanced Highers, A Levels, and IB. This diversity is another reason to celebrate what we have to offer north of the border. Along with this breadth of choice comes the debate over which to choose – IB or A Level.
In Edinburgh only Fettes College offers IB. They also happen to be the only school in Scotland to offer it alongside A Levels, the take-up being about half and half.
There are 2 other schools in Edinburgh that offer a full range of A Levels – Loretto School and Merchiston Castle School. If you want to look a bit further afield, St Leonards School in the university town of St Andrews exclusively offers IB.
So, what is the difference between A Levels and IB? As a parent, I can tell you that my IB daughter worked twice (thrice) as hard for her IB than I did for my A Levels 30 years ago, but I’m not sure that paints me in a great light! Times have changed and this future generation have their work cut out – student loans, inflated house prices, national debt, Covid-19 economic downturn…
International Baccalaureate
The IB offers a continuum of international education. Taught in over 150 countries worldwide, the programme starts at primary age and continues on through the entirety of school up to aged 19yrs. The Diploma Programme that is comparable with A levels, covers 16-19yrs. It aims to develop students to have an excellent breadth of knowledge, challenge assumptions, think critically, and develop independently of government and national systems.
The Diploma Programme (DP) is made up of the DP core and six subject groups. Students pick one subject from each subject group including languages, maths, science, and arts. 3-4 subjects are studied at a Higher Level and the remaining at Standard, or Studies Level.
The DP core elements consist of 3 elements – Theory of Knowledge, The extended essay, and CAS (creativity, activity, service) project. Click here for more information on these.
You have to pass this core as well as securing good scores in your six subjects to get a Diploma. Scored out of 45, (each subject is out of 7) 24 points gains you the Diploma – average at Fettes College is 37, St Leonards School is 33 (2019).
IB involves more course work than A Levels, ensuring a continuous workload throughout the 2 years of 6th form. The requirement to complete the Core elements extend the students past the academic curriculum and develop independent learning.
The biggest difference between IB and A Levels, sited by UK university admissions officers was encouraging global outlook. The 6 subjects allow the student to continue to explore areas that interest them, whilst retaining crucial skills in important areas such as maths and languages.
A Levels
A Levels are subject-based qualifications, conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the UK. Most students study three or more subjects, over the course of 2 years. Unlike the IB, A Levels have no specific subject requirements, allowing the student to combine any subjects they wish to take.
A Levels allow students to specialise in 3-4 subjects in depth. They offer a good option for students with a very clear focus on a particular subject area.
A Levels follow a more linear structure, meaning many subjects have no course work. For those that do, it makes up only a small percentage of the final grade has been reduced. A Level results are therefore very much final exam based, graded by letters, with A* being the top grade.
Many schools will now offer an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), in tandem with their A Levels. This offers the student the chance to develop their research and critical learning skills, through this significant piece of self-directed research.
Which do Universities Prefer?
A Levels are still the world recognised qualification Gold standard. There is still a lot of variation in how UK universities interpret the IB, and unlike A Level applicant, the IB points require can vary more widely between the same course at different universities. At such time, there is no real evidence that universities prefer one qualification over the other.
In Summary
For students who would benefit a broad subject range, who enjoy a challenging learning environment and independent research, IB may be the way forward. For those that want to concentrate in greater depth in a narrower range of subjects, for example if they wish to study engineering or medicine at university, A Level may be more suitable. Both are recognised as highly valued entrance qualification at universities.
In my experience, it will be the student that chooses their preferred path, rather than the parents. Our daughter chose IB, luckily also our preferred option, because it suited her best. Yes, IB students still have to take Maths and a language, but IB allows subjects to be taken at different levels. It is rigorous and demanding, often leaving little time for extracurricular activities. Results? Let’s just say the girl did well and she is set up for university learning.