International Baccalaureate, commonly referred to as the IB syllabus, is an international set of curriculum that is offered in schools from typically primary grades all the way through 12th grade. It is considered to be one of the best educational programs in the world, owing to its focus on the holistic development of students that goes far beyond traditional textbook learning, or even just academics. Students are encouraged to develop a lot of critical thinking and important life skills that prepare them best for the next stages of their life.
Started in the 1960s, International Baccalaureate originated in Switzerland, and over the years it has been increasingly incorporated into the curricula offerings of close to 150 countries by the late 2010s. It was started with the goal of adapting teaching methods to the changing times, with an emphasis on teaching students the kind of lessons that will take them far in life.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, also known as IBDP, is the most well-known of all IB programs. It is meant for students in the 11th and 12th grade, and is especially suited for students who wish to pursue their higher education abroad, since it prepares them for learning on an international platform. The IBDP program consists of 6 subject groups and the DP core. The subject groups are as follows:
● Group 1: Literature and Language Studies (usually English)
● Group 2: Language Acquisition (languages such as French, Spanish, German)
● Group 3: Individuals and Societies (covers subjects such as Business, Econ, History and Psychology)
● Group 4: Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Design, Computer Science, etc.)
● Group 5: Mathematics
● Group 6: The Arts (Music, Drama, Dance, Visual Arts, etc.)
These subject groups aim to broadly cover all the important subjects that students require for their academic development. All of these subject groups have options for the subjects at both the standard level and a higher level. Students are allowed to choose up to 4 of their 6 subjects to be at the higher level. Both levels are graded by the same metrics, but more weightage is given to higher level subjects due to the expectation that students can demonstrate a higher level of understanding of the subject materials. Each subject is scored out of 7 points, making 42 the highest score a student can get.
The DP Core aims to strengthen the critical thinking abilities of students alongside their academic development, and contribute to their holistic development. Each area is graded out of 1 point, making a total of 3 points for this section. These 3 points with the 42 points from the subjects, makes 45 the total score by which students are graded for IBDP.
The DP Core consists of 3 main areas:
● Theory of Knowledge: This subject aims to invoke a deeper understanding of knowledge and how it is derived from the world around us. It trains students to use thought processes when assessing information and deriving meaning from it.
● The Extended Essay: This is a 4,000 word research paper that students are expected to compose over the course of this program over any topic of their choosing.
● Creativity, Action, Service (CAS): This subject aims to nurture a student’s creativity and service-oriented mindset in the form of community service that includes all 3 elements.
The goal of the IBDP program is to prepare students for the outside world beyond just academics. With this goal in mind, schools take different approaches to teaching the material and often the selection of subjects offered differ from school to school based on their capabilities.
Singapore is an excellent, international hub for education, business and cultures. This makes an IBDP Singapore education extremely valuable due to the rich experiences that students stand to gain.
GIIS – the best IBDP Singapore School
Global Indian International School is a great high school in Singapore that is offering the IBDP curriculum to its students. It is an authorized IB world school and has a wonderful SMART campus which integrates into the IBDP program well and gives students all the resources they need in order to excel within this challenging curriculum. Any students of the ages 16-19 can enroll in GIIS IBDP.
This high school in Singapore also provides many merit-based scholarship opportunities for its students, and recognizes students with exceptional talent and maintains a collaboratively competitive environment. As a result, GIIS Singapore has a great track record for this programwith an average of 37.35 score for the 2020 graduating batch. GIIS students have consistently beat the world IBDP score average of ~29 for at least the last 5 years, with several world toppers scoring the maximum of 45 grade points in this program.
IBDP is the kind of program that can be made an exponentially more enjoyable experience with the right kind of resources. The goal of holistic development can only be achieved properly when students have access to all kinds of facilities that will help them down the right path. GIIS boasts of a wide range of amenities that support students in their development. State of the art laboratories for computer and science subjects, multiple studio spaces for music, art and dance, technologically equipped classrooms and well-maintained sporting grounds and courts are just a few of the ways in which students are fully supported by the school in getting a holistic development while also having fun.
Global Indian International School is one of the best schools offering IBDP Singapore courses. The impressive campus and facilities, excellent academic track record on a global scale, and the availability of international scholarshipsopportunities makes this a great school for students to get the IBDP experience.
Team GIIS
Team GIIS is a group of enthusiastic writers who bring the vibrant world of GIIS Singapore to life through engaging blog posts. Dedicated to highlighting the school’s teaching methodology, innovative learning environment, and diverse curriculum options like IB, Cambridge and CBSE, they aim to connect with parents, educators and students, sharing insights and stories that inspire and inform the school community.
