What do students study?
The I.B is an internationally respected pre-University course. The programme is
designed to be challenging and coherent. Although students have some degree of choice,
they all study the following:
- A Literature course in their first language
- A Second Language (allowing some students to gain a Bilingual Diploma)
- A Science
- A Social Science Subject
- Mathematics
- Art, Music or a third Language
The programme is designed to avoid early specialisation so that students are all able to interpret data,
to deal confidently with numbers, to operate in different languages, to write coherent essays, to make
individual and group presentations, to apply IT: in short, to operate confidently within a whole
range of disciplines at an advanced level of understanding.
HIGHER & STANDARD LEVEL
Students, then, study six subjects in all, three at Higher level (roughly equivalent to UK A Levels)
and three at Standard Level. Standard level study has a little less depth and content and fewer contact
hours so it is best to do 'Highers' in one's strongest subjects.
CAS & TOK
There are three other important components of the IB programme which exemplify its educational
philosophy of academic challenge coupled with reflection and participation. These are the CAS
requirement, The Theory of Knowledge component and the Long Essay.
- CAS is the acronym coined to cover the three aspects of external involvement expected of
each IB student - Creativity, Action & Service. Each student is required to participate within
school and the wider community for at least three hours per week through a range of arts
and service projects helping them to serve others and reflect on the world outside the classroom
and their responsibilities to others
- TOK is the Theory of Knowledge course where students are encouraged to
reflect on the systems of knowledge which underlie the subjects they are studying, comparing
historical fact with scientific proof, artistic insight etc.
- Students also complete an extended essay of about 4,000 words on a topic of
special interest under the personal guidance of one of their teachers
Cormack Kirby
by email on kirby_c@intst.net
or by 'phone on 0562 742 674 / Fax 05 62 742 675