International Baccalaureate
“ The IB Diploma is an inspiring, rigorous and holistic academic programme designed to equip students with a comprehensive and well-rounded pre-university education, and to prepare them fully for life in the outside world.”
Jude Taylor
Language A
English
IB English offers you the chance to explore the diversity of world literature alongside more familiar works by British authors. With a broad curriculum, you can explore texts in translation such as modern Japanese novels and classic authors such as Ibsen and Kafka.
Mother Tongue
The IB is committed to enabling students around the world to continue studying the language and literature of their mother tongue to the highest level, and therefore offers students the opportunity to achieve a bilingual diploma by taking a second language A subject, alongside English Literature.
Find out more in our curriculum booklet below.
Second Language
French B
This course aims to develop oral and written skills in a range of contexts. You'll study topics of global and personal relevance; the environment, the family, cultural diversity, health, tourism, conflict, politics, popular culture and the media.
German B
As a linguist, a huge array of career options is open to you and German is the most widely spoken language in Europe with 110 million speakers. This course aims to develop your language skills through formats such as letters, speeches, analytical essays and imaginative work.
Latin
This programme provides an opportunity to explore the language, literature and culture of ancient Rome. Through the study of classical texts and interaction with the culture of Greece and Rome the course, you'll gain an awareness and appreciation of literature and the different perspectives from ancient cultures. This course provides many opportunities for enjoyment, creativity and intellectual stimulation through individual research.
Mandarin B
IB Chinese exposes students to a range of topics from environmental to cultural issues and either a literature, film study or topic based component. The core topics are experience, identity, human ingenuity, sharing the planet and social organization and social relationships.
Spanish B
You'll study topics of global and personal relevance; the environment, the family, cultural diversity, health, tourism, conflict, politics, popular culture and the media. As part of this course, you'll work towards developing an understanding of the structure of the language by close examination of texts.
Find out more in our curriculum booklet below.
Individuals and Societies
Economics
What sort of society and world do we want to live in? Is the global distribution of income and wealth ‘fair’? This course will give you a sound grasp of the theory that economists use to explain events, predict what will happen, and advise governments on how to run the economy.
Geography
Geography gives an opportunity to really develop your “internationalism”. The IB Diploma course in Geography is divided into Higher and Standard Level. Students in both levels will study the core themes on population change, climate change and our use of food, energy and water resources.
History
The study of History allows understanding of a rapidly changing world. Conflict and its resolution figures prominently in IB History studies. A sense of proportion and perspective will be provided and greater knowledge of different times and cultures will emerge.
Philosophy
IB Philosophy gives you the chance to think about the abstract questions that we sometimes overlook – how do I know I’m the same person I was when I was in year 7? Am I free? Do I have a purpose in the world? Can I make my own choices? It’s interesting to hear what philosophers say about this and see how far we agree with them.
Psychology
The aim of the Psychology course is to encourage students to develop a sense of wonder about how the behaviour of other people can be explained using psychological theories. You'll study the influence of biological, cognitive and sociocultural factors on behaviour.
Find out more in our curriculum booklet below.
Experimental Sciences
Biology
You'll learn about the core concepts of biology and about the impact of biological research and how it links to everyday life. You will learn to apply your knowledge, investigate and solve problems in a range of contexts. Theoretical knowledge and the focus on current practical techniques will support your development as a future scientist.
Chemistry
Chemistry is studied in three main branches: Physical, Organic and Inorganic. It's a subject of global impact. With a profound effect on our planet, it's involved at some level in almost every aspect of everyday life and plays a vital role in a technological society. The IB course aims, among other things, to provide you with opportunities for scientific study and creativity within a global context that will stimulate and challenge you.
Physics
The core topics that you will study will include forces, thermal physics, waves, electricity and magnetism, circular motion, gravitation, radioactivity and energy production. If you study to Higher Level you will cover the more difficult aspects of these topics and further areas such as fields and electromagnetic induction.
Computer Science
The IB Computer Science course is engaging, accessible, inspiring and rigorous. It enables and empowers innovation, exploration and the acquisition of future knowledge. The course raises ethical questions along with looking at how individuals and societies behave.
Find out more in our curriculum booklet below.
Mathematics
2019 brought us the exciting new IB curriculum, which divides Mathematics into two parallel categories: Applications and Interpretation, and Analysis and Approaches. Currently we offer Applications and Interpretation at Standard Level, and Analysis and Approaches at both Higher Level and Standard Level.
We encourage girls to engage in the wider applications of Mathematics, and in the past have organised trips to the Maths In Action lectures in London, and to the Maths Inspiration talks in Cardiff and Bristol. As a member of the Further Maths Network we are up to date on local opportunities to engage in activities and lectures organised by the Universities of Bristol and Bath.
Find out more in our curriculum booklet below.
The Arts
Design Technology
This course aims to develop internationally-minded people whose enhanced understanding of design and the technological world can facilitate our shared guardianship of the planet. It focuses on analysis, design development, synthesis and evaluation. The creative tension between theory and practice is what characterises Design Technology.
Music
IB Music is an exciting and broad syllabus and is suitable for all those who enjoy listening to and playing music of any sort – and are keen to learn more about music and how it works. The key areas of focus are performing, composing, history and analysis.
The scope of the course is very wide so much of the lesson time is spent investigating the widest possible variety of music from different time periods and places, whilst focusing on particular areas of interest amongst those in the group. This journey of discovery requires an openness of mind and can be very rewarding.
The course involves less practical application of music theory than A Level, though a working knowledge of basic theory is essential. One particularly interesting feature of the course is the Musical Investigation, a self-directed project comparing music from two distinct cultures.
Theatre
The focus of this exciting course is Theatre as a form of creative and cultural enquiry. IB Theatre gives you the opportunity to make theatre as a creator, designer, director and performer. Over the course of the two years you'll be expected to research and develop your understanding of a range of world theatre and to experiment with different ways of presenting work to an audience.
Visual Arts
In our new purpose-built Art School, your Visual Arts programme will cover: Process Portfolio – Sketchbooks and developmental studio work, Comparative Study – A research task, whereby you focus upon art work and artists and finally, your Exhibition, where you plan, curate and present your final exhibition in the Art School. There is, of course, an international awareness that should be developed through such a programme of study. The department offers opportunities to visit galleries abroad, with a biennial visit to New York and trips in the UK to events like the Frieze Fair and other major galleries.
Find out more in our curriculum booklet below.
Diploma Programme Core
Creativity, Activity and Service
Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) is at the centre of the IB Diploma. It provides an opportunity for you to follow talents, hobbies and interests outside the classroom and to develop many other skills which are valuable to life beyond school. It isn't taught, though some school time is dedicated to CAS activities.
The Extended Essay
Central to the aims and philosophy of the IB, and the element perhaps most valued by the universities, is the research project called the Extended Essay. You'll choose a subject which you would like to pursue to a deeper level. This doesn't have to be one of the six academic subjects you've chosen to study, but does need to be something you feel passionately about and can write in depth on.
Theory of Knowledge
How do we know something? Can we be certain of anything? The key issues address in Theory of Knowledge include the search for truth, persuasion and propaganda and knowledge and culture. The course is delivered through the six academic subjects.
Find out more in our curriculum booklet below.
