11 Plus Exams Forum

How did your sons get on with IB Studies at DG or other schools? It sounds and looks pretty intensive. Does it really have advantages over A levels when applying for universities?

Thank you

There is a whole industry out there providing the answers to these queries and lots of differing opinons. Regarding the Universities, you will find that the IB is very highly rated in general terms, but for some specialisms, particularly in the realm of science, the IB is judged to provide insufficient baseline knowledge from which to begin a degree course. For that reason many kids leave TGS at 6th form to pursue A-levels elsewhere (a significant number for example migrate to Judd). You'd need to do some research but if I recall it was courses like veterinary studies for which Universities were keen on the more focussed A-level approach. In contrast (and as an example) Universities often preferred the broader-based IB approach for courses such as Law.

often leads to robust discussion..

recent thread here: http://www.elevenplusexams.co.uk/forum/ ... 57&t=33671" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We chose DGS for several reasons, a major one being the IB (others included languages specialism, diverse learning community, and really liking what we saw on open mornings and evenings)

Ds is strongest in subjects that suit the IB approach IMHO - valid points made here about some university science/medical courses preferring A levels in the right subjects - MFL, arts and humanities. My view is that the IB's learning and teaching style can be a better preparation for independent critical thought, text analysis, and context understanding when studying some subjects at degree level, than the equivalent A levels in their current incarnation.

Overall it's not necessarily better, just different, and its differences suit ds even now in Y10. There is a lot of talk about how a very high points score = five A* A levels - but in all honesty I'm not bothered about that aspect of it.

I believe that DGS is also the only English state school currently following the IB Middle Years Programme, which means that boys already at the school have a good understanding of the IB methodology before they enter 6th form. It's also the largest IB state school in the UK, and regularly gets some students in the top scoring cohort across Europe.

So whether you feel the IB is the right approach for your son, DGS do know what they're doing with it!

Tonbridge Grammar School also follows the IB Middle Years programme as well as IB Diploma (for which it gets very good results). It is girls only until the 6th form where it is mixed.

That's good to hear daddylonglegs, I think and hope more will follow

Dd will be attending Bexley Grammar in SE London next year and they now do an interesting-sounding Y7 "diploma" to help with transition to secondary, and the Head said this used IB Middle Years Programme methodology extensively