20th October 2016 1:00
By Blue Tutors
Despite its recent rise to fame, the International Baccalaureate still only accounts for 1.2% of University applicants, however this number has increased by 50% in less than a decade as more UK schools take it up as an alternative to British A levels. Since its initial development in the 60s, the IB is no longer the preserve of international schools; in 2013 there are now 190 schools in UK offering the IB diploma to students wanting a different kind of education. Contrary to popular belief, it is not just independent schools, with twice as many state schools as private offering the qualification.
What are the main differences between A levels and IB?
Although there are other courses on offer, by far the most popular is the IB diploma programme, which is usually what is meant when referring to the IB. At its core, this consists of studying six subjects, a minimum of three at higher level and another three at standard level. Critically, these must come from five different subject groups and therefore must include maths, at least one science, a first and a second language and one humanities subject, as well as one additional from within those categories or the arts. Compared with A level’s discrete subject choices which allow students to focus down exclusively on one area, playing to their strengths, the IB takes a more rounded view, with some degree of specialisation by choice of higher level subjects. Unlike the modular AS/A2 system, IB is assessed using a small amount of coursework content but mainly relies on final exams at the end of the two-year programme, to encourage links between concepts in each subject. Although, with recent changes to A level assessment, the two are becoming more similar.
A direct comparison with A level is difficult as the IB diploma is not only a different curriculum but a whole different program of learning. It was designed to “develop intellectual, personal, social and emotional skills” and beyond the traditional academic subject specific courses, it also requires students to study Theory of Knowledge (TOK), produce an independent research project dissertation called the Extended Essay, and undertake a minimum of 150 hours of extracurricular activities across the areas of creativity, action and service (CAS), encouraging students to broaden their learning outside tradition subjects into areas such as sports, volunteering or music.
What are the pros and cons of this comprehensive educational programme?
The additional subjects do come with an infamously higher work load and a higher number of contact hours. This does put a certain level of strain on students and means you not only need to be a good ‘all-rounder’ academically, but “diligent and organised” to succeed at IB. Conversely, this is excellent training in time managing, discipline and flexible thinking that is valuable in later study and employment. The work load seems to pay off in the long term. Recent research showed the best IB students perform better than their A level ‘equivalent’, with those achieving 37 points or more being 4% more likely to achieve a first-class degree, perhaps due to more experience of high workloads, juggling many different topics and exam based assessment. One of the main reasons that students choose not to undertake a diploma is the maths and foreign language requirement that many feel will negatively affect their academic record. While the prospect of taking a foreign language, English and maths to this level is a daunting one to some, it has long term benefits; numerate arts graduates and scientists with good communication skills are highly sought-after in the job market, along with anyone with a foreign language.
Yet before the long-term career benefits kick in, some parents worry about University admissions. There has been some debate over its value to Universities as there really is no direct equivalence or way of formally relating the two qualifications and this puts some students off as they feel they might be left at a disadvantage in admissions. To make this more complicated it appears to be both subject and institution dependent. UCAS rates IB very highly and increasingly over the years since it was first included in 2006, possibly due in part to greater recognition and A level grade inflation. However, Universities tend to ignore this so offers do vary, but this can be used to an applicant’s advantage. Some have claimed that IB is a disadvantage for those going into STEM subjects. While die hard A level fans argue less subjects means more focus and therefore more content, the UK qualifications regular Ofsted found IB higher maths to be “more challenging” than it’s a level equivalent.
Beyond the academic breadth, IB offers education from a different perspective. Students say it teaches them to “think differently”. Employers say it is a plus at a time when employees need to think “more globally”. One of the main aims of Geneva based non-profit making IBO is to promote peace and understanding, I part through IB students joining a community spread across 139 countries. Whether you think a more global outlook is good or bad, the qualification is internationally recognised and respected for its rigour, and is free from political agenda and the tinkering plaguing the UK’s national education system. One of its selling points is its longevity and consistency, with the proportion (0.2%) of students achieving top grade of 45 not changing in 20 years. With each subject marked out of seven (around 4% achieve this mark), and three additional marks available for TOK and the extended essay, the diploma is marked out of a total of 45 points. This gives much greater ability to differentiate excellent and outstanding students than the A level letter grade system with up to a quarter of students receiving top marks.
It is important to remember, IB is not right for every student, or for every school. The debate rages on as to whether the International Baccalaureate or A levels are best, however the answer will depend on the individual student’s strengths and interests. Ultimately, apart from the lucky few who do have the choice, many parents are not able to decide and have to take what is on offer from their school.