Escuse my ignorance but what the hell is a 'baccalaureate'?

[Bomper]

Just been to Yr8 meeting at my ds's school, and was told that they were aiming for all students to have a 'AQA Baccalaureate'. WTF is that?

I think a baccalaureate is the french leaving school certificate, sort of equivalent to Highers or A levels.

but have no idea what is means in a UK context sorry! sure someone more helpful will be along soon ...

It's the French equivalent of A levels, but studies a wider range of subject. It is widely recognised internationally with as much respect, if not more, than A Levels. I have come across a few schools here introducing it in 6th form (I am not a teacher, nor do I have school age children, but I go into schools as an "ambassador" for work). AQA is an exam board, so I guess it is them who are doing the UK syllabus.

No wonder I have never heard of it!! !!

called international baccalaureate
they do it in the last 2 yrs similar to A levles
they do a broader range of subjects and also an in depth essay/project
the mark is given in numbers ie. 45 genius/35 fab etc

did you not ask about it at the meeting?

I think there are two different things here:

There is the International Baccalaureate, which is world renowned, widely accepted and has a great track record. Instead of studying 3 or 4 subjects, you study something like 8 including at least one language, and there is often a requirement to spend something like 6 weeks abroad using that language. SIL did the IB at her (private) secondary school and then went on to Edinburgh Uni. So far she has been incredibly successful in her career.

I know nothing about the AQA baccalaureate, but presume it might be a UK equivalent. If your DC really doesn't want to do 'A' levels and wants to do a baccalaureate, personally I would recommend the IB which has been offered for years by many colleges and schools even the tertiary college I attended way back, offered it). From what I have heard from employers (and my time at Uni), some regard it more highly than 'A' levels.

No, I didn't - too embarrassed to show my ignorance, so thought I would ask the learned Mumsnetters when I got home!!

In my day the French did the Baccalaureate and over in Switzerland we did the International Baccalaureate which is basically, imo, harder more academic equivalent of A levels - very well thought of by universities (I got ridiculously low offers) - I would imagine that is what they are talking about not the French version of A levels.
Dunno whaqt AQA is tho

Here

Also

Not French, but Swiss.

I went to a school that taught the "Bac" but left before 6th for. I would be all for DS taking it instead of A levels though.

x posts!

Only for academic /exam type kids I would say though - the few vocationally minded children at my school really struggled with it - I think it is more demanding than A levels overall - more subjects and the Highers are a more like Y1 of Uni at the end (this is all in my day of course, might have changed),

The AQA baccalaureate is a reponse by the exam board to oft repeated criticism of A Levels being a bit narrow in comparison to the IB, (which is what people above are talking about).

The IB has Theory of Knowledge lessons, and community service/skill/outdoor expeditions built into it. It also has an extended project which is usually related to subjects studied and is free choice, depending on student's interests. Might be a long essay or directing a play or artwork, etc. This is in addition to 6 academic subjects.

A Levels subjects are fewer but studied in more depth. The AQA Bacalaureate is an extended project which is worth ucas points (can't remember how many)and allows students to demonstrate their ability to carry out the in depth free choice research that is already part of the IB.

so it's just the "extended essay" part of the IB not the whole thing (god I hated that bit..)? Do they do A levels as well for the subjects?

Is this the thing Gary Linneker was complaining about his son failing?

Its not what Gary Linneker complained about, it is done in addition to A'levels.

it isn't in addition to A Levels, it's instead (but Lineker Jr did something else again)

The IB is much harder work than A levels - for one thing they have to do 2 or 3 (???) very long essays during the 2 years; plus, instead of 4 modular exams in January & June over the 2 years, they have full-on final exams at the end of Y13.

My DS is clever, but lazy, & opted to do A Levels instead. He says the IB students at his college are submerged in work & he never sees them.

No , Gary Lineker's son got Bs in the "Pre-U" exams - new courses instead of IB or A Levels, taken up so far by only a small handful of mainly (only?)boys' schools. (though some have girls in the sixth form)Even then no school uses purely PRE-U as far as I am aware, but a mixture of Pre-U and A Levels (I might be wrong about that).

You are right, The AQA bacc has nothing at all to do with the IB - the International Bacc that started in Geneva. it is just the essay part, copied by AQA to beef up A Levels a bit. If A Level students do D of Edinburgh too they are really covering pretty similar ground to IB, except the content and consequently teaching and learning styles differ a bit.

Anyway, don't worry yet - no doubt everything will have changed again by the time your little one in that old....

I mean Gary L's son needed Bs but didn't get them.

I'm sure you're right

it seems unecessary complicated now - A levels, A levels plus pre U, A levels plus AQA bacc, - why not just do the full IB and be done with it?

My eldest is only 5 and I think I would be happy with him doing the IB when the time comes as long as he is good at exams - I quite enjoyed it - particularly being able to carry on doing English, French and Maths even tho I was doing all sciences at higher level for uni course.

SO if many of them can choose A levels OR IB - why would they choose the more demanding IB and risk lesser results? Is it still the case that you get lower level offers from unis?

Just wondering ...

I think one of the big advantages of IB, esp once it's more widely offered & accepted, will be its breadth - 6 subjects for the full 2 years, instead of 4 in Y12 & 3 in Y13 as the majority do now.

This is the thing that George Lineker flunked:

"The Cambridge Pre-U was brought in to help leading universities to distinguish between the large numbers of straight A students who apply for their most popular courses. A-level students are graded on a six-point scale, A* to E, but the Pre-U is assessed on a nine-point scale ? Distinction 1, 2 and 3, Merit 1, 2 and 3 and Pass 1, 2 and 3.
Distinction 1 and 2 are higher than an A* while a Merit 1 is the equivalent of an A grade.
More than 100 schools offer the Cambridge Pre-U as an A-level alternative including Eton, Winchester and Rugby."

(Poor lad, how awful to have your individual exam results all over the tabloids!)

why didnt they do the IB instead I wonder - mind you, they have been saying since I did it in the late eighties that it would soon be widely adopted here!!

Oh I did this - the IB I mean. Chose it because the subjects offered were different/more than A levels on offer, wanted to carry on doing the range of subjects not just e.g. English, French, History day in day out, and wanted to stand out from the crowd a bit. It is hard and scary because if you fail one bit you fail the lot . But where I studied it, it ensured a good social group - because all IB classes were taken from a group of around 50 students who were studying it in total - small classes, lots of support and personal knowledge from the teachers of Who The Hell You Were which is valuable in a college of thousands.

Back then you got NO Ucas points but IIRC you now get loads for doing the same thing.

Def not for everyone though, you have to at least tolerate all the fields of study. Not good for the kid who just can't handle e.g. maths. Plus unis used to give wildly varying offers, but I imagine that's better now.

The IB is good for all rounders and people not sure what they want to study later. If you are a specialist (or in my case, simply innumerate) you might prefer to study fewer chosen subjects in greater depth. Lots of youngsters would hate to do a language or maths after 16 (whether capable or not)

IB is administrated from its centre No govt interference so no political stuff and worries about grade inflation, needing to show standards are rising year on year etc, which is a great advantage.

A Levels are more content driven and structured. Content is clear and quite deep. Ib is less specific in its content - more room for choosing what you study and how, more independent. This is great for self-starters and independent learners. Can be tough though. The learning styles are slightly different, although, if you can teach one you can teach the other and all the extra oudoor/community stuff is compulsory whereas at A Level it is not.

IB is given marks so you can distinguish between someone with 38 marks and 40 marks whereas it is harder to distinguish at A Level though that should change with A*s and Cambridge (maybe others) look at marks gained at AS now. for this reason it can be easier for admisssions tuors

The media adores IB and gives A Levels a kicking - not completely fair IMO.

Pre-U was devised by Cambridge to solve problems with coursework and to differentiate better than A Levels were doing but are still new - first cohort just taken them. Had no idea as many as 100 schools were doing them. The schools mentioned above do a pick 'n mix of A levels and Pre-U, depending upon the syllabus the teachers prefer. I don't think any school considered less than elite is doing them but might be wrong.

Google is your friend. The AQA bacc is not the IB.

I think the AQA bac is a qualification taken in addition to A -levels, and is not at all the same as the IB. Here in Wales we have th e Welsh Bac which is taken along with A levels, it does not involve taking extra exams, but a portfoilo of work is produced including key skills development, an extended essay and 30 hours of community service and work experience. (+ a few other things). I understand an English bac is being rolled out, hence the AQA thing. If you choose to take the IB instead of A levels, don't think you do the Welsh bac as well! Was hoping DS1 would be able to get a paid job in a shop but now looks as if he will have to work for free in one for comm service!