dd1's (private) school is coming under pressure to offer the IB although they like the girls to concentrate on 3 good A levels. They offer the Cambridge Pre U in some subjects which seems like a good 'bridge' between A Levels and a degree.
Personally I want my dd to do 9 good GCSEs/O levels - Maths, English, English, Physics, Bio, Chemistry, History, GEog, French. Maybe German too. Then 3 A levels which will probably be sciences. No frippery or faddishness!