A-levels vs IB

[lottie4576]

Hi, I'm interested in peoples views on A-levels and IB, which one do you prefer or think is better? I'm not really sure that I understand how the IB works and how the subject choice works (it's something like you choose from three categories?!) and the extras like critical thinking and the extended essay.

I would also like to know what the best schools are for A-levels and IB in your opinion?

Any views would be much appreciated : ) Thank you

[mikulkin]

Sevenoaks is one of the best schools known for IB programme.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

There is one international school in London that I was quite interested in for DD1, but I couldn't find their IB results anywhere. I finally contacted the school and asked what their average grade was for IB, but they refused to tell me, simply stating that they were "better than expected." Needless to say, we crossed that one off the list, sharpish.

A lot of the international schools that offer IB tend to be quite American in feel - this may or may not appeal, if you go that route. And international schools can have quite eyewateringly high fees, compared with traditional UK schools.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

here you go Lottie, this gives you the top performing IB schools (for the diploma - very few follow the MYP). I would look at both scores and the number doing the exam quite carefully. It is very easy for scores to be massively skewed upwards where only a handful of students are doing the diploma - a couple of high scores will shift the average up quite considerably. I would also look at the number of years the school has offered the IB, as well as numbers - they will be used to teaching it and know what is needed. And if a large number of students take the IB, there will be more choice of subjects.

[BlehPukeVomit]

I have PM'ed you the name of my DS's school.

To choose a school you need to go the the IB website and look at what schools are in your area. Then go to their website and look up what subjects they offer (and at what level) and look up their average scores etc etc.

It's not difficult to do just a bit time consuming.

[lottie4576]

Bonsoir, she is English and is nott fluent in any other language so I do think that A levels will still be better for her :)

[Bonsoir]

Is your DD bi or trilingual, lottie4576? I know DCs who have moved out of national systems (A-levels, French bac and also further afield - Australia etc) to do the IB because they were plurilingual and could guarantee a 7 in two languages at IB, as well as continuing with a science, a humanity and maths. DC who have that sort of breadth of ability do better in the IB than at A-level or in the French bac.

[basildonbond]

but you're just asking the same question over and over again! Your parameters are far too wide to get any meaningful help and it really sounds like YOU want your daughter to move because you feel slighted on her behalf ...

As plenty of posters have already said there's absolutely no guarantee that her brilliance would be noticed any more at any new school she went to ..

[lottie4576]

Basildonbond Mumsnet is for asking for advice and help! I am currently looking at schools but finding none that really suit her! Thats why Im asking "strangers on the internet" for some ideas! As many of them have been through it themselves or send/are going to send to schools that suit my criteria.

So, if anyone has any more ideas about schools we would really appreciate, I think my DD is going to do A-levels! Love the idea of IB but just think she would be more suited to it! Thanks everyone who has helped so far, I do really appreciate it!

[basildonbond]

lottie - you've had plenty of suggestions here - now YOU need to do your own research and narrow down your criteria rather than asking a bunch of strangers on the internet

[lottie4576]

BlehPukeVomit, do you thinkbthat you could tell me where your DC's went to school and any other goodIB and A-level schools that you know of, that would be much appreciated!

[BlehPukeVomit]

One of my DCs did the IB two years ago and another has just completed his A levels. (At the same school) They are very similar academically both are strong in math/science but are also good generally.
We liked the breadth of the IB. My DC realised he enjoyed English because of the IB. He didnt enjoy it at GCSE. Likewise he realised that he was much better at French than he had previously thought.
The IB is definitely harder as the workload is much heavier. The 50 hours sport, 50 hours arts and 50 hours volunteer work can be onerous. My DC is as unartistic as you can possibly imagine and ended up doing a photography evening class - something he did because he had too. You don't get many 'free' periods if you do the IB so all homework has to be done in the evening.
Some schools excel in IB and clearly teach it brilliantly but I would be more wary of schools with a low'ish average IB score. A lot of my DCs friends ended up with 'average' sores even though they had full sweeps of A*s at GCSE. There seemed to be more disappointing scores with the IB than with A'levels. A lot of my sons friends ended up at their insurance choice Universities.
One HUGE advantage of the IB is that the results are released much much earlier in the summer than A'level results. It makes for a much more relaxing summer. My son is studying medicine and still jokes that the IB was harder than the first year at Uni
Uni's seemed to ask for comparatively high IB scores compared to A'level sores.
Now that there are no longer January module exams for A'levels then I guess that it will be a little harder to predict final grades but I am not a teacher so I don't know
I would only ever advise choosing the IB over A'levels if I had a very bright child who wasn't sure what they wanted to do and if they were at a school with a record of high grades at IB. which, realistically, probably means a private school Otherwise, I don't see the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

I dont think medical schools prefer one type of student over the other as long as they meet the academic requirements. We were told by one medicine admissions person that they would be more likely to give an IB student a place even if they missed their offer whereas they wouldn't for an A'level student..however I can't say if this is true in practise.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

I prefer "polyglot."

There is a website that gives you IB results and the strongest performing schools.

[complexnumber]

Plurilingual!

Cor! I've not come across that before.

[basildonbond]

Sevenoaks usually gets the highest average point score in the uk and have lots of experience as they've Ben doing it for years - king's College wimbledon takes some girls into sixth form and they now do IB or a-levels but it's very competitive to get into

[lottie4576]

Bonsoir, do you know any schools that are brilliant at teaching it as that would help immensely. We have looked at different schools that are local to us but about 2 years ago, because she is older now we don't mind as much if she wants to board now! So we have a much greater field in where we could look! We are looking at schools in and around sussex going up to about Berkshire! Quite a large area I know!

[Bonsoir]

I don't think that there can be a definitive answer on this. Some DC are more suited to the IB and others to A level. Some schools that offer the IB are not very good at teaching it and others are brilliant. Plurilingual DC often prefer the IB.

[samonly]

IB is great and prepares you for adult life in a way that A levels just can't (did IB in 86) and still love the books we read in World Lit. - I think it is only hopeless for someone that really struggles with multi-tasking and the number of different subjects really prevents boredom for the bright. It is hard work but it does really let you decide which subjects you like (and continuing maths into sixth form helps you for the rest of your life as it is therefore not intimidating - or less intimidating).

[HRHLadyG]

Where in the UK are you? Have you looked at any schools yet?

[koutaliaphobe]

OP, have you/your DD looked at The Student Room forums? They have lots and lots of information on A levels, the IB, applying for medicine and a page specifically on applying to UK medical schools with the IB. I have known many people in recent years go to medical school with either of these, so it can be done.
One consideration I think she needs to make if she is definitely set on medicine is that it takes a lot more than good grades in the required subjects to get in.
If she hasn't done much work experience yet, then the lower workload of A levels may be better as it will give her time to focus on these. However, if she's already on top of work experience then the broader IB curriculum and extra-curricular requirements may well make her seem a much stronger candidate.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Jenai - I don't think it does! I wanted to see what standard she was at in comparison to UK, as she has only briefly spent time in a UK school, and was pleasantly surprised. I think they probably cover different subjects at different times - DD1's maths is very algebra and geometry heavy, but there is stuff covered in the GCSE syllabus that she probably hasn't done yet.

[lottie4576]

Thanks everyone for your replies! Still looking for some ideas about schools so if anyone could help with that I would be most grateful! I have another thread which is titled sixth form (private or state) it has lots of information about what we are looking for, for my DD. Any ideas would be really appreciated

[JenaiMorris]

Going back a few posts, how does MrsShaden's 15 yo racing through a GCSE paper demonstrate that education in England 'isn't that good'?

[doradoo]

Watching this thread with interest as we need to make some deicisions now as to what school to send DC1 to - to go UK private /stay at overseas international/ go to local german grammar......

So an IB/A level/ Abitur mix - decisions decisions.

[MrsWobble]

my daughter's school offers IB but she didn't do it so my knowledge may not be correct but the impression I get is that IB is only really suitable for strong allrounders as university offers seem to be for a total number of points unlike A levels where offers seem to be for your best three. If this is correct then you don't get any discard subjects with IB which given you are taking 6 might be a risk.

But I'm sure there are teachers/uni admissions people on here who can confirm/reject this view.

[MrsSchadenfreude]

Lottie - she will stay where she is (international school in UK) for sixth form and do the IB. Yes, I was staggered at her performance with the GCSE practice papers - I really expected her to struggle.