EIFA IB Handbook

GET IN TOUCH

EIFA: International Baccalaureate®(IB)
Diploma programme (DP)

EIFA is proud to be an IB World School, offering our students the opportunity to follow the International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP).

EIFA and the IBO share the same ethos – to enable young people to become flexible, open-minded citizens of the world, fully supported in their development as critical thinkers. The IB offers a broad curriculum, whilst enabling students to develop the invaluable skill of taking responsibility for their own learning.

At EIFA, the international nature of the Diploma Programme is reflected by both our student body (which comprises over 40 different nationalities) and our teaching staff, who are drawn from all around the world and have extensive experience in teaching in North America, Europe, the Far East, the Middle East, Africa and Australasia.

EIFA’s commitment to promoting multiculturalism and multilingualism means that we are one of very few schools to offer students the opportunity of gaining a Bilingual IB Diploma.

The IB Diploma is a demanding academic programme of study, which is regarded as excellent preparation for higher education and therefore, highly valued by leading universities worldwide.

Come in for a visit and meet our IB team, to learn more about how IB can benefit your children and their future.

The IB Diploma curriculum is made up of:

Three core elements

Theory of Knowledge (ToK)
Extended Essay (EE)
Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)

Six subject groups

Studies in language and literature
Language acquisition
Individuals and societies
Sciences
Mathematics
The arts

Theory of knowledge (ToK) plays a special role in the IB Diploma by providing an opportunity for students to reflect on the nature of knowledge, and on how we know what we claim to know. ToK flows through all subjects enabling students to develop critical thinking skills and to reflect on their learning and understanding. The ToK course is assessed through an oral presentation and a 1,600-word essay.

The EE element allows students to research and write a 4,000-word essay on a topic of their choice and as such, is invaluable preparation for the rigours of university study. The essay also allows students to demonstrate their interest in a subject linked to their choice of university course. We recognise this level of independent study may seem daunting and therefore, students will be able to work with the Extended Essay (or EE) Coordinator and other members of staff, to discuss and shape their ideas, as well as hone their academic skills.

CAS is at the heart of the IB Diploma Programme. With its holistic approach, CAS is designed to strengthen and extend students’ personal and interpersonal learning. It is one of the three essential components of every student’s IB experience. It requires students to become involved in a range of activities and projects alongside their academic studies, throughout the IB Diploma Programme.

One of the key features of the IB Diploma is its comprehensive nature, meaning that students study a range of disciplines. IB students choose six courses from six subject areas. Three courses are taken at Higher Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL). In addition, students study the Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity Activity and Service (CAS) and produce a 4000 word Extended Essay (EE).

The Higher Level (HL) subjects are usually related to the subjects the student wishes to study at university. The IB Coordinator and tutors will support students in putting together a programme that includes the students’ preferred subjects, whilst also equipping them for their next step in education.

With its extensive language provisions, EIFA offers its students the possibility of opting for the Bilingual IB Diploma. Such a diploma opens opportunities for higher education in any institution using French or English as the medium of instruction.

The IB Diploma is internationally recognised as a highly valued entrance qualification for universities throughout Europe and around the world, whilst encouraging a ‘global outlook’ in students who participate. Moreover, the IB Diploma is consistently rated as the best post-16 qualification in terms of its academic integrity, range and ability in providing students with the study skills they need in order to thrive in higher education.

UK Universities welcome students with the IB Diploma. Indeed, it is recognised that the IB Diploma is an excellent preparation for university by the UK University and College Admissions Service (UCAS)

Universities demonstrate a positive attitude to Diploma applicants, as it is recognised that IB students have developed a broad range of skills and are thus prepared for the demands of higher education.
• Diploma students have a significantly greater likelihood of earning a first-class honours degree,
compared to A Level students
• Diploma students are significantly more likely to be engaged in further study, after the completion of a full-time undergraduate degree, while A Level students are more likely to join the workforce at this point.
Information from: https://www.ibo.org/uk/universities/uk-universities-and-the-ib-diploma-programme/

Quality at the heart of everything we do.

EIFA is an approved centre to offer iGCSEs with Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), as well as Edexcel International GCSEs qualifications from Pearson, which are studied in over 55 countries worldwide and at over 350 independent schools in the UK.

EIFA is an IB World School offering the International Baccalaureate® Diploma Programme.

EIFA is an MLF approved school and AEFE partner.