The third group of St John’s students to complete their international baccalaureate (IB) diploma have won a top place in the official league tables. Their IB results put St John’s as the highest scoring non-selective school in the United Kingdom.
The school was at eighth place in the national table with only six independent fee-paying and one selective grammar school above it. This year two St John’s students achieved the results they needed to go to Oxford, but one of those has decided to take up a place at Southampton University instead.
Two IB students had results in the top five per cent worldwide. One of them, Rachel Butler, follows her brother Stephen who gained a similar success at St John’s two years ago.
Half the St John’s students completing the diploma this year gained the highest grades of 6 and 7. And the year’s average of 34 points gained was four points higher than last year’s results.
The headteacher, Dr Patrick Hazlewood, (shown in the photo with IB co-ordinator Gary Patterson on his left and IB students) has spoken of his pride in both students and staff: “This is our third year of IB diploma results and I am delighted St John’s is now established as a successful IB school. As the ‘top’ state school we are expecting to increase the number of IB students significantly.”
The IB diploma is an increasingly popular alternative to A level courses. Over two years students have to study six subjects from a wide range of options – three of these are at the equivalent of A level and three at the equivalent of AS level. They also write an extended essay based on their own research – helping prepare them for university study; and they must do 150 hours of ‘creativity, action and service.’
St John’s was the first state school in Wiltshire to offer the IB diploma. Recent research has shown that students with the IB diploma are more likely to gain a place at top universities and to go on to highly paid careers than those taking the normal examined courses.