Most students in the Sixth Form follow the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. This course provides students with a holistic approach to education, in preparation for university or further training. It offers students the opportunity to study in a wide range of subject areas, with cross-curricular links aiming to strengthen understanding and to enable students to contextualise their learning in the wider world.
To achieve the International Baccalaureate Diploma, students study six subjects, one from each of the following areas:
- Studies in Language and Literature (a first language)
- Language Acquisition (a second or additional language)
- Individuals and Societies (a social science or humanities subject)
- Sciences (a natural science subject)
- Mathematics
- The Arts (a creative or additional elective subject)
Students should choose three subjects to study at Standard Level and three subjects to study at the more demanding Higher Level.
In addition, students prepare three compulsory areas, at the core of the curriculum. These are Theory of Knowledge, an Extended Essay and the Creativity, Action and Service programme.
Theory of Knowledge is a broad course which enables students to explore what they understand about the world and how understanding is constructed. The Extended Essay allows students to research an area of particular interest and present this research, in preparation for university study. The Creativity, Action and Service programme ensures that students look beyond their academic study and engage in wider pursuits.
The International Baccalaureate is a highly respected qualification which is accepted by universities across the world, including those in Britain, the USA and Germany.
Alongside the IB Diploma Programme, we also offer the International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme. This course provides students with a holistic approach to education, in preparation for university or further training. It offers students the opportunity to study with a particular focus on career-related learning.
In the International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme, students follow a varied course consisting of the following areas:
- BTEC Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
- Two or Three IB Diploma Programme Subjects
- Personal and Professional Skills
- Service Learning
- Reflective Project
- Language Development
The International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme is a qualification specifically designed for those students who are interested in a more vocational approach to learning.
Studies in Language in Literature courses enable students to develop an appreciation for language and literature in their first, or strongest, language. For the majority of our students, this is either English or German. Students speaking other languages may have the option to follow a self-taught course, with guidance from the school.
Depending on the course type and level, student study a broad range of texts of different genres, periods and styles. They are encouraged to develop their critical skills, as well as an understanding of the formal features of language and texts. In their responses, students are expected to use an increasingly sophisticated structure and means of expression.
The Language Acquisition element of the IB Diploma allows students to develop their proficiency in a second language. This enables them to improve their communication skills, as well as develop an understanding of another culture.
Alongside English and German, students may select French or Spanish in this section of the course, if they have prior learning in the language. Students who have not yet developed skills in a foreign language may learn German or Spanish as a beginner.
Students who already possess a high level of proficiency in a second language may opt to take a second literary course and work towards a bi-lingual diploma.
The Individuals and Societies section of the IB Diploma provides students with the opportunity to study a social science subject.
These subjects aim to develop students’ understanding of the human world, and cover a wide range of areas, including History, Geography and Economics.
Students are encouraged to analyse and evaluate evidence from their chosen aspect of study, and to structure well-reasoned arguments from this.
The Sciences allow students to deepen their understanding in a specific scientific discipline, including Biology, Chemistry or Physics. Sports, Health and Exercise Science, as well as Design and Technology may also be taken as science options.
As well as furthering their theoretical knowledge, students are encouraged to develop an understanding of how scientists work. There is a heavy emphasis on practical skills, and students have many opportunities to design experiments, collect data and evaluate their findings.
An interdisciplinary project allows students to collaborate with their peers working in other scientific fields to research an area of particular interest.
All students taking the IB Diploma must take a course in Mathematics, and there are a range of courses which suit different abilities and career aims.
All courses in Mathematics build upon prior learning and aim to further students’ logical and problem solving skills. Depending on the level of the course, mathematical understanding is taken to a high level, and students are required to develop and refine their capacity for abstract thought.
Subjects in The Arts aim to develop students’ creative and expressive skills.
In addition to the development of practical skills, these courses also aim to foster students’ critical and evaluative skills. They also have opportunities to investigate how their chosen art form has developed and changed over time, as well as the diversity within the art form across different cultures.
Students may opt to study an additional subject from the other five areas of study, instead of taking an arts subject.