International Baccalaureate

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAMME

What exactly is an IB Diploma Programme?

It is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16 to 19. The programme provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education and is respected by leading universities worldwide.

It was developed in Geneva, Switzerland, by a group of international educators from the International Baccalaureate Organization established in 1968. Nowadays the IB Diploma Programme is taught in more than 140 countries all over the world, whereas the IB World Schools have existed in Poland since 1993.

Who is the IB Diploma Programme for?

 The Diploma Programme is aimed at
- the second and third grade students of a 3-year education cycle
- the third and fourth grade students of a 4-year education cycle.

The School intends to educate and raise students who share the following learner profile attributes:

1. Inquirers

2. Knowledgeable

3. Thinkers

4. Communicators

5. Principled

6. Open-minded

7. Caring

8. Risk-takers

9. Balanced

10. Reflective

The IB Diploma Programme Curriculum

The curriculum is made up of six subject groups and three core elements.

-          Six subject groups:

The curriculum is made up of six subject groups. Students choose three subjects at the Standard Level (150 hours) and three subjects at the Higher Level (240 hours).

Group 1- Studies in Literature                                  Polish (Standard Level)

Polish  (Higher Level)

Group 2- Language Acquisition                                English (Higher Level)

Spanish (ab initio)

Group 3- Individuals and Societies                          History  (Standard Level)

History  (Higher Level)

Geography (Standard Level)

Geography  (Higher Level)

Group 4- Sciences                                                    Biology (Standard Level)

Biology (Higher Level)

Physics  (Standard Level)

Physics  (Higher Level)

Group 5- Mathematics                                           Mathematics (Standard Level)

Mathematics (Higher Level)

Group 6 – Additional Subject from Groups 2-4

-          Three core elements:

Extended Essay (EE)

It is a written research paper on a topic chosen by a student. It should contain about 4000 words. The student explores and describes the issue of interest related to one of the six subject groups. In order to write the Extended Essay, the student conducts his own research, and all the work takes a form of a coherent scientific work. The process of creating EE is based on a cooperation with a teacher-supervisor.

Theory of Knowledge (TOK)

It is a course which aims at familiarizing students with the nature of knowledge and with the question: how we know what we claim to know. Each student is expected to complete a course of 100 hours (2 lessons a week over two years). In order to fulfill the course requirements students have to make a presentation and write a 1600 word essay.

Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)

It shapes students’ personalities, development and sensitivity through active participation in various forms of social, cultural or physical activities, eg. in social or community work (service), athletics or other physical activities (activity), and creative activities (creativity). The guideline for the minimum amount of CAS activity over the two-year programme is approximately 3–4 hours per week.

Assessment
The externally assessed examinations are given worldwide in May. Each student has to take 6 exams. Additionally, candidates must complete all of the requirements for the EE, CAS and TOK.

High School with Bilingual Units in Boguchwala is a candidate school* for the Diploma Programme. This school is pursuing authorization as an IB World School. IB World Schools share a common philosophy – a commitment to high-quality, challenging, international education- that we believe is important for our students.

* Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme (DP), or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted.

For further information about the IB and its programmes visit www.ibo.org