IB School in Australia

adolfwoo

Does anyone have idea of IB School in Australia ?

sbandliz

In last weeks' Sydney Morning Herald:
http://www.smh.com.au/national/e ... -20100104-lq7c.html

HSC slammed as second best

THE head of a leading Sydney girls school believes the International Baccalaureate is an academically superior year 12 credential to the Higher School Certificate, which has been eroded and stripped of its more challenging subjects.

Barbara Stone, the head of MLC Burwood, said she was saddened that the academic rigour of the HSC had deteriorated over the past decade with the phasing out of subjects including four-unit science and distinction courses in comparative literature, cosmology and philosophy.

''It has become a potentially limiting course for students,'' Ms Stoner said. ''Subjects seem to focus on what can be measured instead of what is exciting.

''Students [doing] the International Baccalaureate must study subjects at a higher level.

''It is hard to see how the HSC is able to measure up.''

Tougher subjects within the baccalaureate were pitched at a university level, discouraged rote learning and encouraged independent research. All students were required to study a second language, maths, science and humanity subjects, a philosophy subject and write a mini-thesis.

Of 109 MLC students who sat the HSC last year, three achieved an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank of 99 or higher. Nine of the 25 students who completed the baccalaureate achieved a rank of 99 or higher.

MLC Burwood was ranked 41st last year and 39th in the previous year in the Herald's list of top HSC performers.

Among the school's baccalaureate students was Greta Ulbreck, 18, from Concord, who learnt yesterday that she had scored 45 out of 45, giving her the top possible ATAR of 99.95.

Ms Ulbreck, who plans to study for an arts-law degree at the University of Sydney, said the baccalaureate had forced her to think on her feet in the exams, do independent research and study subjects she had found difficult.

''The fact that you have to do six subjects from different disciplines forces you to develop your skills in every area of study,'' she said. ''My strengths were not in science and I had to work hard in the last couple of months.''

She studied high-level English, design and technology, history, Italian, biology and maths.

Baccalaureate students are required to complete 150 hours of community service, sport and creative activity.

Ms Ulbreck tutored year 6 students, in Italian, worked with disabled children, helped raise funds for Victorian bushfire victims, played hockey and athletics, was debating captain and performed in school musicals.