Skip to main content

Join us for an exclusive series of themed virtual presentations designed to showcase the unique and enriching experiences that define our vibrant school community.
These events are open to all current and prospective families.: https://www.mygns.ca/virtual-events/

close icon

Quick Links

Information for...

IB Diploma Programme

Grades 11 and 12

There are almost as many academic pathways for GNS students as there are students.

gns students gathered around table

Students in Grades 11 and 12 can choose to study:

  • Only IB Diploma curriculum courses
  • A mixture of IB Diploma and Provincial curriculum courses
  • Work towards the full IB Diploma.

All students who complete the requirements to graduate Grade 12 in BC receive a Dogwood Diploma. To also receive an IB Diploma from the International Baccalaureate Organization, students must complete the requirements stipulated by the IBO.

What is the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme?

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is a globally recognized curriculum that encourages students to take ownership of their learning and develop critical thinking skills. It also promotes intercultural understanding and respect by teaching students to question and appreciate diverse perspectives.

gns students group photo

When you look at the IB Diploma Programme at GNS,
there are three reasons it stands out:

0

The support that we offer our students and their families is unparalleled. GNS is a tight-knit community where staff and students really take care of each other. We are always striving to refine and polish our program so that it best meets the needs of our students and best supports them to be academically and personally successful.

0

GNS offers an incredible breadth of courses delivered by a highly experienced and caring faculty. Our teachers serve as examiners, teacher trainers, and curriculum leaders for the International Baccalaureate Organization.

0

At GNS, we are committed to ensuring that when our students leave us that they have acquired high-calibre communication, collaboration, and critical-thinking skills so that they are prepared for whatever life has to offer and ready to take on the world.

Benefits of the IB DP

Glenlyon Norfolk School has been authorized to offer the IB Diploma Programme since 1996. Over that time, there has been a lot of change in education. Still, the one thing that has remained consistent is the commitment of the International Baccalaureate Organization to always be at the forefront of those changes.

For our school and our families, this is exciting as it means we are able to offer an enriched internationally-recognized curriculum that educates the whole student.

Fast Facts

0
%

GNS 5-year average IB Diploma pass rate

0
%

World 5-year average IB Diploma pass rate

0
/45

GNS 5-year average IB Diploma score

0
/45

World 5-year average IB Diploma score

0
/7

GNS 5-year average IB Diploma subject score

0
/7

5/7 World 5-year average IB Diploma subject score

DP Featured News

DP Essentials – Why is the Core of the IB Diploma so valuable?

The core of the IB Diploma Programme—CAS, the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge— are designed to help students develop a well-rounded and holistic understanding of themselves and the world around the. The core components will help your child develop important skills, such as critical thinking, research, writing, and reflection, encourage them to be active, engaged, and responsible members of their communities.

Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS)

The CAS programme allows students to develop breadth and depth within the activities they pursue outside of their academic programme by providing a framework for their co-curricular endeavours. It requires students to engage in a range of experiential learning activities outside the classroom, such as community service, sports, and creative pursuits.

CAS helps students develop important life skills such as leadership, teamwork, and time management, and encourages them to be active and engaged members of their communities.

The Extended Essay (EE)

The Extended Essay is an independent, self-directed, 4000-word academic research paper. It provides an opportunity for students to research a topic of personal interest that is related to one of their six DP subjects. Each student works with an EE supervisor throughout the process to focus their research and hone their writing.

The EE provides practical preparation for undergraduate research as it enables students to develop the capacity to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate knowledge.

Theory of Knowledge

Theory of Knowledge is a unique course where students explore ideas from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. The emphasis is on exploring real-world knowledge issues, with the goal of helping students learn to question their own assumptions so they become flexible problem solvers.

This course encourages students to reflect critically on the nature of knowledge and how it is acquired, exploring questions such as “What counts as knowledge?” and “How do we know what we claim to know?”.

gns students

Curriculum

The IB Diploma Programme comprises six subjects studied over two years. One subject must be selected from each of the six subject groups representing the major academic fields. Of the six subjects chosen, three must be studied at Higher Level (240 hours over two years) and three at Standard Level (150 hours over two years).

English Literature (SL or HL)
English Language and Literature (SL or HL)
Literature A: School-supported Self-taught (SL)

Group 1: Studies in Language & Literature

language icon

French B (SL or HL)
Spanish B (SL or HL)
Chinese B (SL or HL)
Spanish ab initio (SL)

Group 2: Language Acquisition

globe icon

History (SL or HL)
Global Politics (SL or HL)
Economics (SL)

Group 3: Individuals & Societies

science icon

Biology (SL or HL)
Chemistry (SL or HL)
Physics (SL or HL)
Environmental Systems & Societies (SL)

Group 4: Sciences

math icon

Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches (SL or HL)

Group 5: Mathematics

theatre icon

Visual Arts (SL or HL)
Theatre (SL or HL)
OR a second course from Group 3 or 4

Group 6: The Arts

FAQs

Yes! A recent study examined the success of International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) graduates across two of Canada’s largest high-school-to-university pathways: specifically, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to the University of Toronto (UofT), and public high schools in the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) to the University of British Columbia (UBC). The results showed that DP graduates:

  • Consistently achieved higher university averages than their peers from traditional high school programs
  • Had the lowest university drop-out rates
  • Complete their university degrees in a timelier manner
  • Tend to perform at substantially higher levels than typical Canadian undergraduates

Graduates of this two-year programme, considered the gold standard in university preparation, are accepted enthusiastically into universities around the world, who often reward our students’ hard work by honouring IB Diploma Higher Level credits as first-year university credits.

Yes, for HL courses in which student obtains a final grade of 5, 6 or 7, most universities offer transfer credit for both full Diploma and Course (partial) candidates.

The IB Diploma is a two-year comprehensive curriculum with a culminating set of externally graded final exams. Advanced Placement (AP) is also an university preparatory, academically rigorous program. There are important differences, however, in the content and exams. The DP is a cohesive and comprehensive program, not a collection of individual courses as is the case with Advanced Placement. Compared to AP classes, IB classes and assessments tend to involve more research, writing, and hands-on evaluation over rote learning and standardized tests. The most important distinguishing factor is the core of the Diploma Programme (CAS, TOK and the extended essay).

The CAS programme is one of the three key elements found at the core of the IB Diploma Programme that allows students to develop breadth and depth within the activities they pursue outside of their academic programme by providing a framework for their co-curricular endeavours.

There are three strands that make up the CAS programme:

Creativity can link to involvement in the arts but can include other experiences that involve creative thinking. For example, students could be involved in debate or Model United Nations as part of this strand.
Activity is to ensure students look after their physical well-being. They may choose to do this through individual pursuits such as personal workouts or yoga, or by participating in a team-based activity like soccer or basketball.

Service sees students get involved with their communities either at a local, national or global level.
Students must have ongoing involvement in each of the three strands throughout their two-year programme, but this ongoing involvement can take many different shapes and forms. It could mean the length of an athletic season or the length of a theatre production including rehearsals. It could also be the length of the term or the entire school year. Students can continue with experiences in which they have already been involved for many many years, or they can choose to try something completely new or a combination of both.

Involvement in the CAS programme is personal and individualized. No two CAS portfolios look alike. And each student works with a CAS supervisor who is there to guide and support them. Students are not required to document a certain number of hours, but they do need to meet seven learning outcomes and complete one project.

An additional benefit of being involved in the CAS programme is that when students apply to universities and for scholarships, they may be asked to provide information about their lives beyond the classroom. The CAS programme and the portfolio that goes along with it allows students to draw on those experiences and for many that is worth its weight in gold.

Theory of Knowledge is a unique course where students explore ideas from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. The emphasis is on exploring real-world knowledge issues, with the goal of helping students learn to question their own assumptions so they become flexible problem solvers. The course is organized around a series of Big Questions related to topics such as values, spin and biases.

These are explored in the context of different areas of knowledge, including the arts, history, and the natural sciences. Because the course is focused on critical questioning and team learning, rather than upon the mastery of a defined body of knowledge, student-led discussion and journal entries drawn from their personal experience form a major part of the program. The final assessment involves writing a 1600-word essay an IBO-prescribed topic that explores a chosen Big Question.

Another of the three key elements found at the core of the IB Diploma Programme, the Extended Essay (EE) is an independent, self-directed, 4000-word academic research paper. It provides an opportunity for students to research a topic of personal interest that is related to one of their six DP subjects.

Each student works with an EE supervisor throughout the process to focus their research and hone their writing. The EE provides practical preparation for undergraduate research as it enables students to develop the capacity to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate knowledge.
Some examples of EE topics:

  • To what extent does rapid urbanization impact the standard of living of citizens of Vancouver, British Columbia? (Global Politics)
  • When drawing a chord to a random circle in spherical geometry, what is the probability that the chord is longer than a side length of an inscribed equilateral triangle in the circle? (Mathematics)
  • How does water purification function in a disaster relief setting and is PUR or SODIS more effective in this context? (World Studies: Chemistry and Geography)
  • What aspects of Indonesian traditional theatre did Julie Taymor take inspiration from in creating her Midsummer Night’s Dream with the theatre for a new audience in 2014? (Theatre)
  • In what ways can pancreatic islet cell transplantation improve the quality of life of persons with Type 1 diabetes in comparison to intensive insulin therapy in the United States? (World Studies: Biology and Economics)

The difference between the two levels is subject specific, but Higher Level courses require 240 class hours and Standard Level courses require 150 class hours over the two years of the DP. In each subject area, there is core content that is common to bother levels; however, in Higher Level courses, additional content is studied at a deeper level.

Teachers use subject-specific and level-specific rubrics to assess student work as required by the IBO. Universities around the world often reward our students’ hard work by honouring IB Diploma Higher Level credits as first-year university credits.

No, it would not be too difficult. In fact, we have a number of students who join us each year in Grade 11 specifically for the Diploma Programme. There may be a period of adjustment as students get used to different teaching styles and the assessment rubrics, but generally, this is not an issue.

Absolutely. GNS IB Diploma students lead very full lives. They are often members of athletic teams and involved in a wide range of activities. Time management and organisation are key skills the IB develops in students, which are valuable at preparing them for success at university and life beyond.

As part of the Diploma Programme, students will take 3 courses at Standard Level and 3 at Higher Level. For most ex-immersion students, the HL course is a good fit. We also offer Spanish and Mandarin (the latter depending on student request numbers) at SL and HL. Neither of these courses is designed for beginners. If a student currently doesn’t have a second language, they could take Spanish ab initio as part of the Diploma Programme, which is for students who have never studied the language before. It is a fast-paced course that allows students to reach quite a high level over the two years of study.

If you have other questions about completing the IB Diploma Programme at GNS, please contact Angela Girard, our IB Diploma Coordinator (agirard@mygns.ca).