The International Baccalaureate (IB) is actually the name for an educational foundation which organises education for students throughout the world aged 3-19. However, the IB has become synonymous with the qualification (the IB Diploma) that students complete in year 13 of their studies, which in the UK is becoming a popular alternative to A levels.
When Blue Tutors began requests for tutors to help with the International Baccalaureate were few and far between, but we have noticed that this has changed recently. The major difference with the IB was always that it offered students the opportunity to study 6 subjects, rather than the 3 or 4 that they would study at A level. This means the the IB is generally seen as a qualification which produces more rounded students.
In the UK today many students are choosing the IB over A levels after they have completed their GCSEs. It's a qualification highly regarded by every university in the world, and so doesn't limit a students chances of attending a top university. For obvious reasons, we take IB tuition very seriously, because the quality of our IB tutors will have a great effect on a student's career path.
IB Subjects
The amount of choice of IB subjects is probably more similar to GCSEs than A levels. Students must choose one subject from each of six subject groups. The groups are: Native Language, Second Language, Humanities and Social Sciences, Experimental Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science, and the Arts. There is some flexibility around this, but these are the general guidelines.
IB Examining Boards
Obviously the authority that is responsible for setting assessments and grading assessments is the International Baccalaureate. Their website can be found here: International Baccalaureate.
Grading System
Students are awarded grades for each subject they study, with the grades ranging from 1 (the lowest grade) to 7 (the highest). There are also three marks available for students completing extended essay and theory of knowledge papers. This means that the total marks available for the IB Diploma is 45 (6 x 7 + 3).