The International Baccalaureate Programme

The International Baccalaureate (IB) was founded over fifty years ago with a mission to “develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.”

Their qualifications are taught in 150 countries and are recognised by leading UK and international universities for developing rounded and diligent students. 

The learning style in an IB classroom encourages pupils to become responsible, active members of their community. They learn to empathise with others; value diverse perspectives and cultures; understand how events around the world are interconnected; and solve problems that transcend borders: they learn to explore both sides of a story.

In summary, the IB learner profile aims to develop students who are:

• Inquirers
• Knowledgeable
• Thinkers
• Communicators
• Principled
• Open-minded
• Caring
• Risk-takers
• Balanced
• Reflective

Our International Baccalaureate (IB) sixth-form programme

The Diploma Programme suits a wide range of pupils who wish to maintain a breadth of academic learning, while providing an opportunity to explore all aspects of their abilities, both inside and outside the classroom.

Students choose six academic subjects, with three or four at higher level to allow appropriate specialisation for higher education. All students continue to study their first language, an additional language, a humanities or social sciences course, maths, a science and an arts course, although the last is optional. The IB produces briefs for all subjects; these can be provided on request.

The core of the Diploma Programme has three components:

Theory of Knowledge (ToK)

Theory of Knowledge is taught through discussion seminars led by a wide range of teachers, and pupils themselves, to address issues such as ‘how do we know what we know?’

Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS)

The wide range of activities available at Bryanston allows you to build your own Creativity, Activity and Service programme through drama, film, art, charity work, outreach, sport and extra-curricular activities.

The Extended Essay (EE)

For the Extended Essay, you are encouraged to select your own title and carry out your research, making use of the advice of a subject specialist from across the teaching staff.

You will also have your own academic tutor to help you plan, organise and manage your IB programme and to support you through the university application process. 

IB PROGRAMME Subjects

The IB offers a broad range of subjects. At Bryanston, we offer a carefully selected subset of these, designed to allow students a huge variety of combinations. There are some restrictions; however, we are always happy to discuss how to provide the best combination to suit every individual’s interests and aspirations.

For the Diploma Programme, students choose six subjects, studying three or four at higher level (HL), similar in depth to A levels, and three at standard level (SL).

Subjects are divided into six groups and students must study at least one subject from the first five. This requires selecting a course in their first language (literature in combination with linguistics or pure literature), a second language, a humanity or social science, a science and maths. The sixth subject may be chosen from the arts, or an additional subject can be chosen from groups two, three or four.

IB Subject choices

GROUP 1 - Studies in language and literature

• English A (literature)
• German A (language and literature)

GROUP 2 - Language acquisition

• French
• German
• Latin
• Spanish

GROUP 3 - Individuals and societies

• Economics
• Geography
• History
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• History of Art

GROUP 4 - Sciences

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Design technology
• Physics
• Environmental systems and societies (ESS)

GROUP 5 - Mathematics

• Mathematics: applications and interpretation
• Mathematics: analysis and approaches

Group 6 - The arts

• Film
• Visual arts

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