The IB Diploma Programme Examinations 2015
As the 4th May 2015 sees the start of another session of the annual International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) examinations, it is a good time for us to remind ourselves of the significance of these exams and what they represent for our students.
The examinations run from 4th - 22nd May for our students and, depending on the subject and which paper it is within that subject, will be anything from 45mins to 2 hours 30mins duration. Our G12 students only attend school when they have an examination. Code of conduct for examinations is precisely monitored. The IB may send an inspector round at any point during the examination period to ensure that we are meeting stringent examination requirements. Our exam invigilators are always trained by Mr. Jungo, the IBDP Coordinator, and are never the teachers who teach that subject area. Examination papers are sent back to the IB for marking by any number of examiners in the region. Several of our ISS staff are trained examiners but will never grade a paper for their own school.
The examination results are published usually around the end of the first week of July, directly to students and schools. The students who had conditional university offers or who were undecided on their future placements, then make any final decisions and the IBDP Coordinator and University Advisor assist them in this process.
So what are the implications for G9-11?
The week of 11-15th May will be the G9-11 internal examination week where teachers will set their own exam papers. Part of the process of taking exams in the lower grades, is to prepare students for the rigours of the IBDP examinations and thus in the High School, all examinations are set up in the same format as the IBDP exams. Students must use a plastic bag, not a pencil case, to bring stationery into the exam room. Only water is permitted at the desk. Calculators and dictionaries must meet strict exam requirements.
The exams are one form of summative assessment in one or two criteria per subject that are used to finalise the end of year grades for the end of semester reports. Unlike other educational systems, the grade on the Semester 2 report card will not necessarily reflect the grade awarded for the exam, as this does not reflect all summative assessments undertaken in all criteria within that subject area. IB awards for maximum achievement, therefore all summative assessment across all criteria is counted towards the final grade.
End of term report cards will assist students and teachers to set goals for the next academic year. Some G10 students may have to meet stringent entry requirements for entry to G11, therefore more work may be required in order to obtain entry to the programme. As a result, Summer School may be recommended. G9 students will be required to work on their Personal Project over the summer. G11 students will use their exam results to revise key areas and work on their Extended Essays, Theory of Knowledge and Internal Assessments.
After the IB Diploma Examinations?
The IB publishes the following poster on its website which reminds us why we have chosen the IB pathway :
In the Academic Years 2012-14, ISS students were accepted at the following universities globally:
In addition to this, students who graduated from ISS, undertook National Service, took a gap year, went into work placements or followed alternative pathways to their future. In the current G12 cohort, some university placements are still pending conditional offers, therefore are dependent on examination results, but most students at this stage have an idea of where they will be moving on to next year.
We wish them success in their exams and future and look forward to seeing them graduate on 22nd May!