The International Baccalaureate Diploma 

September 2012 will see Bradfield’s Sixth Form curriculum undergo its most exciting and radical change since the introduction of curriculum 2000 some 10 years ago. Alongside the traditional AS/A Level pathway, the College will be introducing the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), a system of education respected worldwide for its depth, breadth and quality of study.

Why does Bradfield want to introduce the IB Diploma?

Bradfield’s Sixth Form is large and varied and it requires a choice of educational pathways to reflect the needs of its pupils. The IB Diploma Programme will complement an already strong A Level structure. Its philosophy of education, with its insistence on the education of the whole person within an international world view, is very much in line with Bradfield's own educational ethos. Its emphasis on the importance of languages and the sciences and mathematics as well as the international dimension it brings to the study of the Arts is to be admired. It requires involvement in critical thinking, community service and extra-curricular pursuits as part of its Core, all activities Bradfield sees as important parts of an all-round education. Further, the need to complete the IB Extended Essay sits squarely with Bradfield’s drive towards creating independently-minded young men and women by the end of the Sixth Form. In short, the IB Diploma and Bradfield fit very well together.

The IB Diploma

The IB Diploma is an international examination of high academic standing throughout the world. The programme was conceived in Oxford in 1960 and now involves some 200,000 students in 124 countries. The IB is recognised by all UK universities and is, of course, highly regarded internationally. IB Diploma holders gain admission to all selective universities throughout the world, including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, LSE, all Medical Schools, Harvard, Yale and Stanford. The IB is also very popular with employers, because of the variety of skills that are developed as part of the programme.

Since its founding, the IB Diploma has become a symbol of academic integrity and intellectual versatility. The pupil who satisfies its demands demonstrates a strong commitment to learning, both in terms of subject content and in the development of the skills and discipline necessary for success in a competitive international environment. It is for this reason that Bradfield offers its pupils the opportunity to follow the Diploma course as an alternative to an AS/A Level course. It is also true that so much of what the IB represents is already embedded in the Bradfield curriculum and any pupils who choose to follow the IB Diploma Programme on entering the Sixth Form will find themselves extending much of the work – Divisions, Minerva, Societies, extra-curricular involvement – that they enjoyed so much in the Junior School.

The programme is attractive because it prescribes breadth, but not at the expense of depth. A range of exciting and challenging courses will be offered that will stretch the most able pupil, but which are within the grasp of all pupils at Bradfield if they are prepared to show commitment to their studies.