INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
IBO - International Baccalaureate Organization, established in 1968 was originally designed to cater for the educational needs of globally mobile students in international schools. It was developed as a compromise between the specialization in some national systems of education and the education of a broader, academic breadth. The main objective of the programme is to educate young people for the needs of the 21st century global world.
There are about 2250 school all over the world which are authorized and follow the IB curriculum in one, two or all three of its programmes ( Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme). Since its founding, the Diploma Programme has become the leading, internationally recognized pre-university education. IB graduates are the most welcome students in all universities worldwide.
The IB Diploma Programme is designed for ambitious, well-motivated young people who, besides gaining academic knowledge and skills of high standard , desire to develop inquiry and thinking. A student in an IB Diploma Programme not only learns, but also experiences the knowledge through research and experiments carried out in and outside the classroom.
The Diploma exam session is taken by ca. 600 students in Poland every year; around 35,000 students sit the exams in schools in the northern hemisphere in May. Polish students do very well in the exam, obtaining an average score of 36 points out of 45 maximum score. World top universities require 32-34 points score on the Diploma for university entry. The IB Diplomas are officially recognized in Poland and are equivalent to a Polish certificate of secondary education.
IBO.org Website
PYP Programme
The Primary Years Programme /PYP/ is designed for students between the ages of 4 and 11 and is spread across various disciplines. It encourages the development of the whole child, in and outside classroom.
PYP students gain an understanding of the six transdisciplinary themes and they become aware how knowledge and skills are interrelated. They learn to think creatively and independently and they are encouraged to develop a sense of community and responsibility, not only for oneself but also for others.
IBO.org - PYP
MYP Programme
The Middle Years Programme /MYP/ provides a framework of academic challenge and life skills for students aged 10 - 16 years. It encompasses 8 subject groups and is based on three fundamental concepts of holistic learning, intercultural awareness and communication.
At the core of the MYP there are 5 common perspectives known as the areas of interaction:approaches to learning, community and service, health and social education, environment and human ingenuity which allow students to realize connections between the subjects and real-life issues.
IBO.org - MYP
DIPLOMA Programme
At the end of the three-year programme students are both internally and externally assessed. In all subjects teachers mark individual pieces of work produced as part of a course ( oral exercises in language subjects, projects, portfolios, practical laboratory work, investigations). The student's internal assessment works are then sent to examiners in the world and moderated. In May each student has to sit a long, four-week exam session in all six subjects. Each subject consists of two to three papers, written in English (except for native A1 languages).
The rules for the examinations conduct are very strict; each school must strictly follow the procedures and IB supervision during the session.
The exam papers are marked externally by examiners on different continents and, combined with the internal marks obtained by students, the final diploma grades are awarded by the IB committee.The results of the diplomas are passed to schools electronically on July 5th; the final diploma documents are mailed to schools in August.
The passing condition for the diploma is 24 points; maximum score is 45: 42 for the subjects and 3 points bonus for Extended Essay and TOK essay. The highest scores of 45 points are achieved by very few students in the world (around 40 in one session).
IBO.org - Diploma
The requirements of the IB Diploma Programme:
- six subjects selected from six subject groups (normally three subjects are studied at Higher Level with minimum 240 hours of teaching instructions; the remaining three are taken at Standard Level with minimum 150 hours of class instruction)
- Extended Essay - a research work of 4,000 words written by a student offering him/her the opportunity to develop independent research and writing skills expected at university
- TOK - Theory of Knowledge - interdisciplinary course designed to explore the nature of knowledge across disciplines, empowers the student with the skills of critical and independent thinking and analysis
- CAS - Creativity Action Service - encourages students to be involved in artistic pursuit, sports and community service work, thus fostering the students' awareness and appreciation of life outside the academic arena
Subject choices (differ among IB schools in the world):
Group I Language A1 - student's first or best language, including the study of selection of world literature
Group II Language A2, B, ab initio - second modern language courses or classical languages
Group III Individuals and societies- courses of history, geography, philosophy, psychology, ITGS, economics, etc.
Group IV Experimental sciences - biology, chemistry, physics
Group V Mathematics - mathematics HL, mathematics SL, mathematical studies SL
Group VI The Arts - visual or performing arts or a subject chosen from groups II,III or IV
ISoP subject offer:
Group I Language A1 - Polish SL/HL
Group II Language A2, B, ab initio - English B HL, Spanish ab initio SL, Spanish SL, German SL/HL
Group III Individuals and societies - History of Europe SL/HL, geography SL/HL
Group IV Experimental sciences - biology SL/HL, chemistry SL/HL, physics SL/HL
Group V Mathematics - mathematics HL, mathematics SL, mathematical studies SL
Group VI - a subject chosen from groups II, III or IV
