Thanks!
We are in the British Curriculum (although not in Britain) and are moving to Zurich over the summer. I have searched here on the forum and the internet but have been unable to find a British Curriculum school. I am looking at a Year 8 place (12/13yr old). Does one exist in Zurich or is it time to switch to the IB??? Any advice will be very welcome
Welcome!
Here is a PDF that you might be interested in in the interim pending answers from those having an in depth knowledge.
There are links at the bottom most of this thread worth reading up as well.
Thanks for the PDF very valubale information. Decision time !
Hi
Are you looking for IGCSE and then A Levels ?
The IB at Year 8 ( MYP) is more a methodology rather than a credential for completing a prescribed curriculum.
Not really sure what your reply means. My children have completed the British Curriculum to A level and then gained entry to UK universities. If we move to Zurich my youngest at age 12 has only experience of this, and if we were to return to the UK eventually it would be simpler for her to continue in one curriculum. SO if there is a British curriculum school in the Zurich area it would be worth us investigating it. If NOT then we must look at alternatives... so my query is not really about which curriculum but whether the one I ideally prefer is available. Hope that makes more sense!
I have some students who had to switch curriculum ( British to MYP) when they moved to Zurich.. But some of IB schools who deliver the MYP curriculum offer the IGCSE exams as well.
The students I've had who passed their IB diploma were accepted to very good Uni back in England and are now doing very well. it is an excellent preparation for Uni.. What is important for some Uni, is to make sure your child will chose the subjects recognised by the UNi your child wishes to.
After, it will all depend on number of points he has gained.
Hi there,I am in the same situation re school,my son has attended an international school for year and a half.I was advised to contact the college of my sons choice in the area that my son wishes to attend in 2 yearstime,so I did.They said that they do look at the IB diploma and the outcome at year 10 and can accept some of the exam results as o level or a level standard . however they could be asked to resit Maths and English.The college was very helpful and I will be approaching them nearer the time. So it may reassure you that all is not lost attendinng an international school,also there are colleges offering the IB diploma throughout England. I was informed the IB diploma at 18 was more recognised than A levels however this fluctuates with who you discuss it with. Good luck on your choice.
Thanks Sandra07 I know that there are several schools in England now working on the IB usually parallel to the GCSE and A level system. It would depend on what and where my DD would like to study later on. It is just the idea of moving in and out of curriculums that I am not so keen on if it could be avoided, for her sake taking on a new methodology. I think she will have enough on her plate perfecting her German!
Tally-ho, would you consider boarding? I would have liked my DS to go to the St George International school but it's too far. There is a British School in Berne but I think too young for your daughter. We are going over to look at it in a few weeks and some International schools so I am feeling your pain a little.
However on the positive side, if your daughter wants to go to a University out of the UK then IB does open a lot of doors in that way. Plus at twelve she would only be starting the secondary stage of the NC?
I'm not a parent so take this post with that in mind, but I'd have thought at 12 it doesn't much matter whether your daughter goes the IB route or GCSE/A level route (and indeed doesn't necessarily need to choose yet), but if you are either going to stay in Switzerland or move on to somewhere other than the UK, I'd have thought the IB was more "portable" - especially as more and more schools in the UK are going that route too. It certainly seems to be a more hassle-free route into universities other than UK ones - and no handicap to UK university admissions - because of the breadth of curriculum all the way through sixth form.
Thanks for all your responses. I have contacted a couple of International schools, as you quite rightly point out, at 12 it is young to start worrying too much about this, but if we move again, which is likely I would prefer my DD to joing a system that can be easily continued, so IB it will be. Now for the joy of all those application processes and the nail biting whilst we wait to see if she gets a place in one of them. We have only just learnt of our move and so everything is very last minute.
Thanks again!