Education paused the programme in April for this academic year after only 14 people signed up.
It was stated by former Education president Andrea Dudley-Owen that the pause meant staff could be used more effectively.
An information evening was held in July for Year 10 students who might be interested in taking on the IB in 2026.
But the new Education, Sport & Culture has confirmed it has ended the International Baccalaureate programme to instead focus exclusively on A-Levels from September 2026.
Education president and former teacher Paul Montague has been involved in delivering the IB Diploma Programme for 13 years, since it was launched at the Sixth Form Centre.
‘I would like to reassure the public that this was not a decision that the committee made lightly,’ he said.
‘I personally found this a very difficult decision to make. I had to put aside my own experience of the course and the fantastic staff who deliver it and focus on what is truly best for all our students.’
While A-levels offer deeper knowledge in specific subjects, the IB is seen as offering a broader approach, with a mix of subjects.
But there have been problems locally with attracting enough students to the programme.
‘For a programme that is nonetheless resource intensive, this makes it increasingly difficult for us to justify,’ Deputy Montague said.
‘The investment required for IB is spread across too few students, which ultimately limits the impact staff can have on all students at the Sixth Form Centre.’
There have been similar problems in Jersey, where Hautlieu secondary school was the only Jersey school to offer the programme.
But it has now discontinued the course due to low numbers.
‘By concentrating training, staffing and development budgets on A-Levels, we can ensure that every student benefits from high-quality teaching, specialist support and enrichment opportunities,’ Deputy Montague said.
Sixth Form Centre principal Kieran James said it was obviously disappointing to see the IB programme coming to an end.
‘However, all the staff at the Sixth Form Centre will of course continue to provide the highest possible quality, rich and diverse educational experience for the Bailiwick’s state educated sixth form students through an A-Level pathway,’ he said.
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