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Once your child is happily settled at their senior school, you’d be forgiven for presuming that the most crucial school-related decisions are over for now. But what about their all-important final two years of school? In the not-too-distant past, most sixth forms followed the straightforward path towards A-levels (and sometimes vocational courses such as BTECs), the de facto pre-university qualification in the UK. But today, more and more schools are turning their attention towards the IB. So what exactly is this internationally recognised, fully holistic sixth-form programme – and, given a choice between A-levels and the IB, which one is right for your child?

Founded in 1968, the IB was designed as a global qualification for citizens of a global world. Almost six decades later, it is now offered in more than 130 schools in the UK and more than 5,800 schools in 162 countries. There are countless benefits of the programme, which, says Nick Marcou, senior deputy head academic at Marymount International School London, had a vision for its graduates from its very inception: ‘Intelligent multilingual and multi-disciplinary women and men equipped with the skills, attitudes and attributes to take an active role in society and make the world a better place.’

The IB’s main draw is its breadth. Similar to A-levels, it is studied by sixth-formers over two years, but rather than specialising in three or four subjects, pupils pick from six subject areas. English, maths, a science, a language and a humanities subject are all compulsory. On top of this, they take a course called Theory of Knowledge (where students ponder philosophical questions and develop critical thinking skills), complete a 4,000-word extended essay (on any academic subject of their choice) and participate in the Creativity, Action & Service (CAS) programme, which involves over 150 hours of co-curricular activities, from sport to community service.

Students are assessed on each academic course (three of which are studied at Higher Level and three at Standard Level) through a combination of coursework and final exams. Each subject is graded from one to seven points, with an extra three points up for grabs for the Theory of Knowledge and extended essay. A perfect 45 points is considered the ‘gold standard’.

While the focus of this article is the IBDP (Diploma Programme) for 16-to-18-year olds, it’s important to note that the IB curriculum isn’t just the preserve of sixth-formers. The IB also offers curricula for children as young as three via the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and subsequent Middle Years Programme (MYP), with the ethos remaining the same throughout. ‘Across all stages, IB learners develop as communicators, thinkers and principled individuals,’ says Richard Parker, head of the International School of London, one of just a handful of schools in the UK to offer the IB from the very start of a child’s educational journey.

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In the early days of the IB, it was often regarded as a trickier sixth-form route. When schools first started teaching it, some felt it was only accessible to their most able students – Bradfield College, for example, introduced the IB in 2011 with a cohort of just 16 ‘carefully selected, high-achieving’ pupils. But over the past 10 years or so, that outlook has changed. Today, an average of 50 Bradfield students a year choose the IB over A-levels.

St Edward’s School has been offering the IB since 2007. ‘Around 40 per cent of the sixth-form cohort opt for the IB Diploma, a split the school is very proud of,’ says Anna Fielding, the school’s director of IB. ‘The diploma is not just for the academically elite. It’s a broad and balanced programme that can suit many looking to broaden their education beyond three subjects. Its aims fit very well with the aims of the school: to encourage lifelong learners who thrive and aim to make a difference.’

International School of London
Julian Baker, the head of IB at RGS Surrey Hills (which introduced the IB in 2008) agrees. ‘The diploma programme is not exclusively for top achievers. The brightest will truly flourish and excel; those for whom organising their time is a challenge find that being kept on a more rigid timetable than their A-level peers means that [the IB] provides excellent structure for them’.

Others are newer converts. At Rugby School, the IB became an option alongside A-levels in 2021. Results since then have been excellent. ‘The IB, like A-levels, demands hard work from students. Both allow access to the best universities, and the choice of curriculum is a powerful motivator for our students in their final years at school,’ says Rugby’s deputy head academic Ed Davies. ‘However, the IB is the gold standard, demanding breadth of thinking as well as depth. It is perfect preparation for the modern workplace, as well as being truly international and an excellent fit with our ethos of “Whole Person, Whole Point”.’

After a decade of offering only the IB in the sixth form, King’s College School, Wimbledon went the opposite way, bringing back A-levels in 2013. The move has allowed students to follow the path that feels right for them. ‘We have been delivering the IB Diploma Programme for over 20 years at King’s, and this has had a significant educational impact throughout the school,’ says David Cass, the school’s director of IBDP. ‘The IBDP is an invigorating and inspiring experience, allowing pupils to study a broad range of subjects, and we value the way it promotes an inter-disciplinary approach to education.’

Rugby School

At Gresham’s – the only school in Norfolk to offer the IB – around 30 per cent of the sixth form opt in. ‘While A-levels remain a popular route, the IB offers a compelling alternative for those who prefer a more structured and internationally recognised qualification,’ says the school’s IB coordinator Louise Futter. King’s InterHigh, meanwhile, was the first school in the world to offer the IB entirely online. Viktoria Papen, the school’s head of Key Stage 5, is evangelical about its benefits: ‘While both the IB and A-levels provide rigorous academic preparation, the IB offers a breadth that nurtures intellectual curiosity alongside personal growth. It encourages students to balance analytical thinking with creativity and reflection, equipping them with the skills that universities and employers value most.’

‘The IB attracts a particular profile of pupil: those who are inquisitive, well organised and intellectually ambitious, with a genuine love of learning,’ says Adrian Hutsby, the director of IB at Bromsgrove School. Bromsgrove’s 2025 IB results put the school in the top three co-ed global IB schools. ‘Typically, IB students have a wide range of academic interests and are eager to engage with a curriculum that challenges them to think critically across disciplines.’ Kees Lutejin, director of IB at Leighton Park School, adds: ‘Many are also motivated by the opportunity to study internationally.’

While the IB can be transformative, it isn’t the right fit for everyone. ‘The programme appeals to those who are intellectually curious, enjoy interdisciplinary learning, have strong self-management skills and are motivated by a global perspective, whatever their background,’ stresses Nicola Burns, senior deputy head at Ardingly College. ‘What matters most is that each student selects the post-16 route that best suits their individual strengths, aspirations and learning style.’ Some pupils thrive on the focus of A-levels, while others flourish under the IB’s broad scope and structured independence. ‘The IB programme allows pupils to retain breadth in their subjects, which is ideal for those who do not yet have a clear career path, or who are bright and struggle to choose what to give up at 16,’ says Emma Walker, the director of IB at Stonyhurst College.

On the flip side, if your child already has a very clear idea about what they would like to study at university and beyond, A-levels might be a more suitable option. ‘For sensible reasons, some students want to specialise,’ says Richard Atherton, head of IB at Wellington College. ‘As a negative reason, some are simply keen to drop a maths or a language – an educational shame, in my view, but understandable pragmatically.’

Wellington College

Pupils should also think about how they work best. Most A-level students have a number of study periods integrated into their weekly timetable so they can really hone in on their chosen subjects – but if you’ve chosen the IB, there’s likely to be much more structure in your working week. ‘We emphasise the importance of being intellectually agile,’ says Ms Walker. In general, A-levels do not involve coursework (bar a few exceptions such as art); in the IB, every subject does. This, continues Ms Walker, means that students can walk into the exam room ‘feeling confident that they already have some marks under their belt, with the reassurance that their results will not only be about how they perform on the day.’

It’s not just academic breadth that the IB promotes – it also focuses on those all-important soft skills found outside the classroom. It is difficult to argue with a diploma that encourages students to maintain their mathematical, scientific and humanities studies beyond the age of 16, promotes a more holistic and philosophical approach to learning and teaching and, says Jesse Elzinga, the head of Sevenoaks School, ‘combines academic strength, broad co-curricular opportunity and a powerful service ethos’.

Halcyon London International School

The IB certainly helps set students apart from their peers. For those with the ambition to go on to one of the world’s top universities, the possibility of scoring up to 45 points on the diploma helps them stand out from the large numbers who attain the A* equivalent at A-level. ‘The interdisciplinary approach is highly valued by universities, with many receiving tailored offers that recognise the IB’s rigour,’ says Jamie Emmett, Bradfield College’s deputy head academic. Kerry Jenkins, Halcyon London International School’s middle years programme coordinator, adds: ‘Research confirms that IB students generally perform better than students from other UK systems on several measures: likelihood of enrolment in highly rated institutions, higher continuation rates and more first-class degrees.’

Melissa Maria, senior principal at Global Indian International School Singapore, agrees. ‘The IBDP offers a winning pathway to top-tier universities, including the Ivy League and Oxbridge, while shaping well-rounded global citizens ready to make their mark on the world.’ Malvern College – one of the UK’s earliest adopters of the IB – also recognises this benefit. ‘Although all UK and overseas university systems recognise and support both IB and A-level applications, those pupils wishing to study in the US will find that the breadth provided by the IB is particularly well suited to the US approach to university education,’ says Camilla Young, the school’s diploma coordinator.

Malvern College

The skills acquired during the IB programme can help students when they go to university too. ‘In the age of AI, professors report that IB students have a noticeable advantage in learning how to think critically and wrestle with difficult questions,’ say Jessica Lee, IBDP coordinator, and Stephanie Feo Hughes, head of upper school at TASIS England. ‘Students often report how useful Theory of Knowledge lessons have been for university interviews and for university study more generally,’ adds King’s College School Wimbledon’s David Cass. ‘The extended essay helps students to develop the research and writing skills they will find essential for university and gives them a wonderful opportunity for genuine independent learning. It is also an excellent opportunity to clearly demonstrate to universities one’s commitment to a particular course, through the choice of topic and title of their extended essay.’

The framework can also offer students a more vocational route to university via the IBCP (International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme), which combines the best bits of the IB academic curriculum with practical, career-related courses – a good option for those with their heart set on a particular industry or apprenticeship. ‘The IBCP is ideal for students with a clear passion in areas such as art and design, business or sport, combining academic study with career-focused learning. Both programmes are designed to foster independence, adaptability and critical thinking, and are supported by a nurturing environment with small class sizes and personalised guidance,’ says Andrew Roff, IB coordinator at Bangkok Patana School.

Bangkok Patana School

There’s another huge benefit of the IB: its global recognition and reach. Unlike A-levels, which – although recognised internationally – are primarily a UK qualification, the IB is taught worldwide. This means that students transferring between IB World Schools can be assured of continuity of curriculum, wherever they choose to live or study. ‘Recognising that international families may relocate during their children’s schooling, [the IB] ensures smooth transitions between schools or even between IB programmes, thanks to its emphasis on conceptual understanding and transferable skills, rather than specific content,’ says Marta Essinki, head of IB School at Ermitage International School.

In practice, this means that the IB is hugely popular at international schools with global communities. Take Tanglin Trust School in Singapore, the only international school in the country to offer both A-levels and the IB. As head of sixth form Damian Ballantine explains, this means that the school is ‘uniquely placed to be able to cater for a range of student interests and pathways to higher education’. At Regents International School Pattaya, around 80 to 85 per cent of pupils choose the IB over A-levels each year. ‘For families seeking a well-rounded, internationally recognised qualification, the IB offers a powerful and future-ready choice,’ says the school. ‘The IB’s global recognition ensures our students are well positioned to pursue their goals anywhere in the world,’ adds The International School of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s first accredited IB World School.

It’s not just expats who profit from the IB’s cross-border influence: it also encourages all pupils to be more globally aware. ‘The international-mindedness element of the IB Diploma marries well with one of our pillars – a global community – which is in place to ensure we prepare our students for life in a rapidly changing world,’ says Adrian Roberts, head of IB at Taunton School. ‘Our IB students are global citizens who embrace international-mindedness,’ adds Dulwich College Singapore. ‘They thrive on learning new languages, exploring diverse cultures and developing the ability to see the world from multiple perspectives.’

The IB remains a truly global badge of excellence – rigorous, outward-looking and rooted in values that feel more relevant than ever in today’s interconnected world. Crucially, ‘because the IB is non-governmental, it does not bend and sway as new administrations come and go’, notes Wellington College’s Richard Atherton. Yet, in the wake of a recent UK government announcement that funding for the IB in state schools might soon be withdrawn, questions remain about its future accessibility – and whether this most forward-thinking of qualifications will increasingly become the preserve of the independent sector. Whatever happens next, one thing is certain: the IB has remained a stable, politically independent framework for more than five decades. ‘It is not only an academic qualification, it is a philosophy of education that nurtures critical thinkers, compassionate citizens and globally minded young people who go out and make the world a better and more peaceful place,’ says Sevenoaks’s Jesse Elzinga. High praise indeed.

Global Indian International School Singapore

What do students have to say about the IB?

“I would say that studying the IB provides you with the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding and enjoyment of your subjects, not only through the specific academic content but also the cross-curricular links you form thanks to the holistic nature of the programme. I find that the smaller set sizes and structured timetable mean that you have constant support, and a sixth-form experience which you can truly tailor to whatever suits you.’ – King’s College School Wimbledon.

‘The aspect of the IB that I found the most appealing was its sheer breadth; it allowed me to pursue a large variety of disciplines, with a focus on independence throughout the course. This was just one of the many Malvern Qualities that was consistently encouraged by my teachers. Through the range of internal assessments, I was able to delve deeper into topics of interest within each subject.’ – Malvern College.

‘Ultimately, the IB programme has given me many opportunities and taught me lessons about myself. I found my strengths and weaknesses, honed my academic and non-academic skills, and I am prepared to dive into future endeavours.’ – The International School of Kuala Lumpur

‘I think the extended essay can help you stand out (compared to other courses where students don’t write an essay) and it gives you good practice in writing a big research paper. Additionally, there’s lots of freedom when picking a subject/theme so you can explore areas that interest you.’ – International School of Zug and Luzern

‘One thing I’ve found particularly rewarding is how interdisciplinary the IB is. It allows you to make connections between subjects in ways that feel surprisingly natural. For instance, I was able to apply higher-level economics to my Latin internal assessment, analysing Nero’s taxation policies and their impact on the Roman economy. That blend of ideas – seeing how history, economics and even language intertwine – is something I’ve only really experienced through the IB.’ – Tanglin Trust School.

To find out more about which schools offer the IB, head to our school search page and use our search filters to select ‘International Baccalaureate’ in the drop-down list of sixth-form options.

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