Through an Extensive History, IST Students Exemplify Success in the IB Programme

Since 2013, the average IST International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma score is 33.3, ahead of the world average of 30.

Why are the students at IST so successful?

“I think that the strength of the programme is that there is a common language for all students; the IB encourages critical thinking, supports students to be global citizens and play an active role in their community,” said Ms. Nicole Payne, a Math Teacher in our Middle Years Programme and and the Personal Project Coordinator. “These are things that IST does really well.”

Introduced in 1983, IST has an extensive history with the IB Programme and inherently the academic excellence exemplified by the students who have graduated from it.

Over the almost 40 years of teaching the IB, we’ve mastered how best to ensure students come out of IST ready for a successful future. One of the ways we guarantee student success in the Programme is to train those in charge of teaching them extensively. 

Arriving at the school in 2016, Ms. Nicole has seen how hard we work to ensure all teachers are trained in the IB Programme and philosophy, and that they have the language and structure of the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP).

“There is an emphasis on developing skills, called Approach to Learning (ATL) which focus on the process of learning, regardless of the content being taught,” said Ms. Nicole. “Through the content, students are learning transferable attributes that support research, communication, social and self-management skills.”

With regard to our expertise in the IB Programme, the school has dedicated coordinators at each level of the programme and teachers with specific skillsets, such as Ms. Nicole in her position as the Personal Project Coordinator. 

“I think that the school has influential individuals in leadership positions who have a strong understanding and love of the programme,” Ms. Nicole said. “This enables the school to have good units in place, teachers who are new to the IB Programme have mentors and there is collaborative planning.”

Reasons Why Students Choose Full Diploma Programme

According to Ms. Nicole, students choose the full diploma programme for four reasons.

1. Students are better informed about their options for Grades 11 and 12 when they are at the midpoint of Grade 10. Students are mentored on course selection, how to handle the IB DP and how to be successful. 
2. There is more of an emphasis in Grade 10 on preparing students for the DP, exposing them to similar situations they will face when they enter the programme. There is more weight on ensuring students have the content knowledge and ATL skills needed in the DP. 
3. There’s a strong support network at the school for DP students including academic support, mentors for the Extended Essay, CAS supervisors who monitor and support reflections and subjects teachers who work to meet the students’ needs. In Grade 10, both students and parents are aware of this support network and therefore feel they are able to cope with and thrive in the IB DP. 
4. The global recognition is appealing to students and their parents. The DP allows students to apply - and in many cases gain admission - to schools anywhere in the world.

Many parents choose the school due to our extensive history in the IB Programme.

“The IB curriculum is statistically the best curriculum in the world today. It’s the most accepted high school diploma and is recognized all over the globe. IST has the staff and experience to nurture each child to their own strengths and obtain excellent grades,” said a parent of three students.

Our extensive history with the IB Programme and the increasing number of graduates from the DP are two of the reasons parents choose our school for their children. Visit our IB Learning Page to learn more.