Seven Pros and Cons of IB Schools in England with Boarding

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB) has a long history of producing exceptional international graduates. Currently, it is adopted in some 1,876 schools across 124 countries around the world. While different countries do take their own liberties when it comes to implementing the IB curriculum, there are three general programmes or grade levels to the International Baccalaureate course, namely the PYP or the Primary Years Programme, the MYP or the Middle Years Programme, and the IB or the International Baccalaureate Programme. Different schools may offer any or all of the programme levels, implemented by highly trained and qualified teachers and administrators who uphold the set quality and standards of the diploma course. Below are some pros and cos of IB boarding schools in England:

• The International Baccalaureate Programme is in line with the highest standards of education in the countries where it is implemented. The diploma course is designed to better prepare children for the challenges and demands of university and post-secondary education.

• IB programmes have international as well as global focus. Different IB courses challenge students to fulfill their potential. They are intercultural programs designed based on international standards, helping students to gain deeper understanding of their own national identity and culture, while encouraging them to learn about other world cultures.

• IB programmes are present in many urban cities as well as the most prestigious English boarding schools.

• IB programmes are quite expensive to implement—reason why they are not as widely available as other diploma courses.

• Many IB schools are not as centrally located as boarding schools that offer some other educational programmes, making them less accessible than other diploma programmes.

• IB multicultural themes are often deemed as anti-Christian, promoting values that seem to conflict with what Judeo-Christianity teaches. This has earned IB programmes many critics over the years.