Background

Harare International School became accredited IB World School number 1498 in January 2004 as a result of several years of curriculum development and staff training. This change reflects the international philosophy of the school and the needs of its diverse community.  Parents and students should refer to the IB’s public web-site for general information about the IB, www.ibo.org .

The Curriculum

IB subjects are studied for two years. The assessment of IB subjects includes course work as well as final exams. The IB syllabuses are designed to satisfy the requirements of many national education systems and are international in outlook. Students taking the full IB Diploma must choose a balanced program of academic subjects as well as co-curricular activities, described in more detail below.  IB Diploma students must take one subject from each of the groups shown on the hexagon below.  Of these six subjects at least three must be taken at a Higher Level (equivalent to A-level or AP standard) and three at a Standard Level. All IB Certificate subjects, whether taken at Higher or Standard Level are equivalent to study of that subject at first year college level in the United States.

All IB Diploma students study a two-year course called “Theory of Knowledge”, work to produce an “Extended Essay”, and engage in “Creativity, Action, and Service”. These three are described in more detail later in this brochure. Note that Community Service is a Harare International School graduation requirement as well as being a part of the IB’s “Creativity, Action, and Service”.

Assessment of the Diploma

All subjects carry coursework requirements; however, the majority of the course is assessed via examination at the end of the senior year.  Both Higher and Standard subject papers are awarded a grade from 1(the lowest) to 7(the highest).  There are therefore 42 points available from the six subjects.  In addition to this, a further three bonus points can be earned if a student performs very well in the Theory of Knowledge paper and the Extended Essay in combination, giving a full total of 45 points.

In order to obtain a diploma a candidate must score a minimum of 24 points, and also pass most subjects at grade 3 or above. Candidates must also submit an Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge work which is at least elementary in standard. CAS requirements must be met. The full IB demands a balanced approach to study – neglect of any area of the curriculum will give a poor IB result and may possibly give rise to failure.

Experience shows that the majority of students, with diligence, will be successful in studying the IB Diploma or some IB Certificates.  Students need to manage their time well to be successful with the course work requirements. They are helped in this respect by an internal calendar of IB deadlines.  The IB Calendar for 2005-2006 follows this page.

University Requirements

University recognition policies and requirements for entrance to particular first degree courses vary considerably from college to college as well as from country to country. It is essential that students research their country’s requirements and policies as regards the IB before choosing an IB program of study. A good starting point for this research is the IB’s own public website at www.ibo.org . This contains detailed and up-to-date policies from around the world. In North America, IB certificate scores, particularly those at Higher Level can be used to win Advanced Placement standing at a particular institution – the amount of advanced placement credit granted varies enormously from college to college. In the UK and many other countries a university will often set a “hurdle” of a minimum diploma score together with scores on relevant Higher Level subjects for entry to particular degree courses. The IB Coordinator and College Counsellor will assist pre-IB students in their research into university admissions requirements to make sure that they have selected a suitable combination of courses for the last two years of High School, but the responsibility remains that of the students to ensure that they choose a combination of subjects that is best for their needs.

PAGE 2 IB INTERNAL CALENDAR 2005-2006

PAGE 3 CONTACT INFORMATION

PAGE 4 GUIDANCE ON CHOICE OF SUBJECTS

PAGE 5 Languages in Groups 1 and 2

PAGE 6 Social Sciences

PAGE 7 Natural Sciences

PAGE 8 Mathematics

PAGE 9 Arts and Electives

PAGE 10 Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge

PAGE 11 Creativity, Action, and service

PAGE 12 Download CAS forms and guide

PAGE 13 SOME USEFUL LINKS

PAGE 14 the IB exam schedule in PDF

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