The IB Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for 16 to 19-year-olds in 140 countries around the world and results were published over the weekend.
This year 17 students completed their IB and they all passed.
The minimum pass score of 24 points correlates to three B’s at A-level, while the maximum score of 45 is considered the equivalent of four A stars or higher.
The local sixth form students opened their results on Sunday and achieved an average of 35 points.
This compares with the 2024 worldwide average point score of 30.3.
‘We are thrilled with this year’s results,’ said Sixth Form principal Kieren James.
‘We’ve got a lot of students with 36 to 45. Two of them are going onto Cambridge and some are going to Brock University in Canada.
‘It’s among our best years for results.’
In the IB Diploma, students take six subjects, covering a wider range than A-levels.
The Sixth Form Centre has paused the programme for next year, due to low student enrolment, but there are hopes it could return in future.
‘I’m a strong advocate of the programme,’ said Mr James.
‘I think it’s a broad, balanced curriculum for Guernsey. It’s a fantastic programme but we need to make sure we’ve got the numbers to make it viable.’
Lea Ackermann was relieved to open her 31 point score the day after her 18th birthday – exactly what she needed to get into her chosen King’s College in London. She plans to study nursing after taking a gap year gaining work experience at Princess Elizabeth Hospital.
‘I didn’t really know what I wanted to do at the start of Year 12,’ she said.
‘The IB was more open and I’d heard that universities like its rigorous programme. I’m from South Africa, so this was also more similar to the curriculum I was used to there.
‘I do think next year’s students will be missing out.
‘It opens more opportunities to travel and study abroad.’
Gracia Van Zutphen scored 39 points and said she always knew she wanted to follow in her older sister’s footsteps and do the IB.
‘I plan to go the Netherlands for uni to study biomedicine,’ she said.
‘I needed the international diploma to go to Europe and I didn’t know what specific subjects I would have chosen for A-level – I liked them all.
‘I really liked the IB because you can still do a language, science and humanities as well as your maths and English.’
An information event is being held tomorrow to inform the community about the IB and see if greater interest in it can be sparked for future years.
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