International Baccalaureate
Inquirers | Knowledgeable | Reflective | Balanced | Principled | Thinkers | Communicators | Risk Takers | Caring | Open Minded
Why International Baccalaureate?
The International Baccalaureate programme is different from other curriculums in that it aspires to do more. Instead of simply aiming to educate in an academic sense, it looks to instil foundational thinking and problem solving skills. It encourages pupils of all ages to think critically and challenge their assumptions, nurturing their curiosity and wonder.
Designed to be a worldwide method of learning, and incorporating research and practice from a global community of schools, IB allows pupils to develop independently of governmental and national systems. It encourages them to consider both local and global perspectives, helping pupils to think internationally within an increasingly complex and inter-connected world.
Primary Years Programme
The first chapter of the IB learner journey is the Primary Years Programme (PYP), which is followed at St Leonards from Kindergarten to Year 6.
The PYP gives pupils a firm grounding in numeracy, literacy, physical, social and personal education, the arts and social studies. It is an inquiry-based curriculum structured around six transdisciplinary themes, which are directed by the pupils’ interests and are global in outlook.
In our Junior Years, numerical and literacy concepts and skills are taught alongside English and Maths and integrated into the Units of Inquiry at every opportunity. French is also taught in the Junior Years from Year 1 to 6. PE, Games and swimming lessons take place throughout the week all year round, teaching team games and encouraging children to be active and enjoy playing sports, such as football, hockey, rugby and cricket, together.
Middle Years Programme
Pupils in Years 7 to 9 at St Leonards follow the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP). This curriculum is centred around concepts that focus on both knowledge and understanding. Through inquiry-based learning, pupils learn to process, critically evaluate, and communicate information, while developing essential research, social, self-management, and thinking skills.
The MYP is a globally-recognised educational programme that fosters reflection, action, and preparation for life and further academic study, aligning with the ethos of St Leonards.
Pre-Sixth Form (Pre-IB)
At St Leonards we offer a one-year, self-contained course designed to prepare students for entry to the Sixth Form. It is often recommended for pupils for whom English is not their first language, and for those joining the School at Year 11 stage, from an alternative curriculum.
The Pre-IB is delivered by specialist teachers, with students choosing at least five IGCSE qualifications which correspond to International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme subject groups, enabling a smooth transition onward and upwards at the end of the year.
Alternatively, this one-year programme can be used as a preparation for A level study in an alternative school and support will be given to those students who are more suited to this course, to find their next placement.
Pre-IB pupils are supported, where required, by our dedicated English as an Additional Language (EAL) teachers.
Together with our broad co-curricular programme, which opens doors to music, sport, drama and more, pupils are fully immersed in all aspects of school life, whether boarding or day, and have opportunities to make friends from across the UK and around the world.
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is one of our two Sixth Form curriculum pathways, which champions a greater depth and breadth of knowledge, and instills a global perspective. Students focus on self-directed inquiry and critical thinking, complemented by the core strands of creativity, activity and service (CAS).
At the heart of the IBDP are three core elements which permeate every aspect of the curriculum: Theory of Knowledge; the Extended Essay; Creativity, Activity, Service.
IB Career-related Programme
We want all our pupils to stand out from the crowd, be confident in themselves, and to be ready for both further study and the world of work. The International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) prepares pupils with career success in mind.
St Leonards is one of just two IB schools in the UK to actively offer all four programmes, including the IBCP. It develops skills that are genuinely valued by employers as well as universities and colleges, and has a central focus on growing students’ personal qualities.
The IBCP is a coherent blend of academic courses – students select two or three IBDP courses at either Standard or Higher Level – with a Career-related study (CRS), which at St Leonards is the BTEC Level 3 National Diploma in Business.
The CP Core includes:
- Personal and Professional Skills
- Language Development
- The Reflective Project
- Service Learning
Students who have completed the IBCP at St Leonards have received offers from a range of UK and overseas universities, included Edinburgh Napier, Glasgow Caledonian, York St John, Robert Gordon University and the Glion Institute of Higher Education, Switzerland.
To gain a deeper understanding of the IBCP at St Leonards, please explore our IBCP Programme Brochure for 2025 here.
