Learner Profile
The most distinguishing feature of the International Baccalaureate Diploma course is that it is one, holistic, sixth form programme combining academic study with personal development. Illustrated within the IB Hexagon, pupils are required to study six subjects (with 3 at Higher Level and 3 at Standard Level) along with the CORE elements of Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay and Creativity, Action and Service. Importantly, all subjects are seen to meet at the centre of the Hexagon, and are shown to be linked through the CORE subjects, thus providing pupils with the ability to think cross-curricularly and to appreciate the benefits of their learning in one subject or another.
The IB Learner Profile
The IB Mission statement has been translated into the Learner Profile, which sits at the very centre of the Hexagon. Through the Diploma Programme the IB aims to develop individuals who are: Inquirers; Knowledgeable; Thinkers; Communicators; Principled; Open-minded; Caring; Risk-takers; Balanced; Reflective.
CORE
The CORE elenments are designed to allow cross-curricular learning:
- Theory of Knowledge encourages the pupils to consider how we learn, and know information; and how that knowledge varies across different subjects.
- The Extended Essay is a 4,000 word project on a topic and research question of the pupil's choice allowing them to pursue an area of particular interest with one-to-one supervision from a member of the teaching staff
- The CAS programme encourages pupils to learn from experiences in Creativity, Action and Service to the community.
Subject choices:
- All pupils do 6 subjects, one from each group.
- Pupils nominate three as Higher Level and three as Standard Level - and they will receive more tuition and be required to know more in the HL subjects; which provides the opportunity for specialism.
- All subjects are worth 7 points, and the CORE is worth 3.
- The Diploma is out of 45 points (with 24 points deemed a pass).
The Diploma retains an element of breadth, whilst allowing depth to be developed through the nominated Higher level subjects - thus furnishing the best of both worlds.
Group 1 - Language A1
Pupils are required to study the language and literature of their nomniated first language.
Haileybury offers: A1 English, German and French.
Group 2 - Second Language
In line with the international background of the course, the knowledge of a second language is a requirement of the Diploma Programme, but this can be studied at a variety of levels. Pupils who have a fluent second language can study the language and literature of that language as an "A2" course; pupils with some prior learning of a foreign language (e,g. GCSE level) can further their language skills throug a "B" course; or pupils can start a language from scratch as part of the "ab initio" programme.
Haileybury offers: A2 English, French; B French, Spanish, Latin; ab initio Spanish, Italian
Group 3 - Individual and Societies
Pupils study a humanities course and consider their chosen subject in a local and global context
Haileybury offers: History, Geography, Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, World Politics
Group 4 - Experimental Sciences
Each pupil continues the study of a science
Halieybury offers: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Design Technology
Group 5 - Mathematics
Integral to the course is a study of mathematics, as an important area of knowledge; as with languages however, there are varying levels of Maths available to the pupils
Haileybury offers: Mathematics HL (for those wishing to do Maths or a related degree at university; Mathematics SL (for those with an interest and good ability in mathematics); and Mathematic Studies SL (for those for whom mathematics is a subsidiary subject)
Group 6 - Arts and Electives
This group offers some considerable flexibility in the course, allowing pupils to pursue one of the arts, or to become more sepcialised by picking up a second subject from either Group 2,3,or 4
Haileybury offers: Visual Arts, Theatre, Music
Or
From Group 2: Spanish B, French B, Spanish/Italian ab initio
From Group 3: History, Economics
From Group 4: Chemistry, Design Technology