A Forward Thinking Curriculum
An education designed to inspire a quest for learning throughout life, marked by enthusiasm and empathy, the International Baccalaureate is a qualification often associated with European countries, not an educational pathway that is available to British pupils
The long established and well-respected independent school Stonyhurst College in Clitheroe has held IB World School status since 2012 and offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma and the International Baccalaureate Career related programme to its pupils as an alternative to A Levels. Ranked in the top 100 IB schools in the world, and 19th in the UK, following excellent results in 2020, the IB pathways at Stonyhurst offer a unique way of learning, with the programme designed to promote academic and personal rigour, challenging pupils to excel in their studies and in their personal growth.
The majority of the teachers are involved in delivering the course at the College, with the IB programmes being led by Mrs Deborah Kirkby (pictured below) who is a firm believer in the wealth of global opportunities the programmes bring. She said: “At Stonyhurst we design a programme of study for each individual child based on their aptitudes and aspirations.
“A-Levels continue to have an essential place in our Sixth Form provision, but we think it is important to offer a real choice for our pupils. By offering a further two routes through the International Baccalaureate programmes, we are giving them the best choice of foundations before they join the professional world.
“Where the IB is different, is that it genuinely opens up the world to our pupils. Students who attend Stonyhurst are not just considering companies or universities in the UK when they leave. Having an IBDP or IBCP under their belt gives a qualification with international credibility as the IB Diploma is currently offered in more than 130 countries across the globe.”
The International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) states that the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP) is recognised and respected by the world’s leading universities, and evidence suggests that the skills developed in the Diploma mean that students thrive in Higher Education.
The IB Career related programme (IBCP) ensures that as well as exploring their passion in their chosen career related study, students can develop wider academic skills through their chosen Diploma subjects. They can present to employers and universities alike with the transferable skills from their vocational career related course as well as strong academic credentials.
Pupils who sign up to the IB Diploma programme relish the fact that they can study a range of subjects rather than narrowing their choices down. The pathway encompasses six academic subjects, designed to produce highly-educated all-rounders who embrace social responsibility, intercultural awareness, and a duty to local and global communities to make an increasingly complex world a better place.
With exceptional facilities, and an impressive co-curricular programme of over 100 activities to choose from, pupils who take this pathway at Stonyhurst are well supported in their ‘CAS’ (creativity, activity, service) aspect of the IB programme which challenges pupils to show initiative, demonstrate perseverance and develop skills such as problem solving, collaboration and decision making.
Past IB Diploma students have gone on to study at a range of prestigious UK universities, including Russell Group, such as Cambridge, Durham, University College and Bristol as well as many well-regarded institutions across Europe, the US and Canada. Subjects studied reflect the broad nature of an IB curriculum, and have varied from Medicine, Law and Engineering, to Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Psychology and Creative and Film Studies.
The school is recruiting for both IB related programmes for September 2021 and there are a few limited places left for the remainder of this academic year. Stonyhurst boasts a very welcoming community and pupils are bonded together through lots of sporting and extracurricular activities.
“The IB programmes are unique qualifications for the 21st century. They are intended to create global citizens, to empower students with the skills and knowledge that they can apply anywhere in the world, for jobs that maybe don’t even exist yet. We like to think of our pupils as agents of change and we are very excited about the future of the IB programme at Stonyhurst.”
Stonyhurst College
Clitheroe BB7 9PZ
Contact our Director of IB:
01254 827073 or
email: admissions@stonyhurst.ac.uk
Learn more about our world-class IB offer: www.stonyhurst.ac.uk/ib-programme
