The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme
An academically challenging, stimulating and inspiring programme of education
The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is an academically-challenging and balanced programme of education that works to develop students who live, learn and work in a rapidly changing world.
With a focus on independent thinking, academic rigour, community service, inter-cultural understanding and respect for others, the Programme prepares students for success at university and beyond.
Our teaching and learning philosophy is to encourage learners who are open to challenge, willing to develop their abilities and achieve their personal best, take risks and accept mistakes, make ethical decisions and enjoy learning.
This vision complements the IB Diploma programme which aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, open-minded, reflective, caring and principled young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through effective communication, intercultural understanding and respect.
The IB Learner Profile underpins the programme and ensures the development of the whole person. Our student success rate for the IB diploma was 100% in 2024. Students also often engage in Creativity, Activity, and Service projects as part of their experiential learning process.
- Provides students a careful balance of subject breadth and depth
- Addresses the nature of knowledge across disciplines through the unique Theory of Knowledge course
- Encourages international-mindedness, including a foundation in the student’s first language and culture and in a second language
- Develops a positive attitude to learning that prepares students for university education
- Offers a strong reputation for its rigorous external assessment with published global standards, this qualification is welcomed by universities worldwide.
- Emphasises the development of the whole student – physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically
- All Year 12 students who meet the entry requirements can enter. It is not limited to students who achieve highly
- It is taught over two years with final examinations held at the end of Year 13. Students can also take NZQA scholarship exams
- The students select one subject from each of the six subject groups, with some variation possible, within these choices: Studies in Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, Sciences, Mathematics, The Arts
- Three subjects are studied at a higher level and the remainder are studied at a standard level. While both are two-year courses, higher level has more content and requires deeper thinking.
- Each subject includes at least 20% internal assessment
The IB Diploma Programme comprises three important additional compulsory components:
1. Extended Essay
The extended essay of some 4,000 words offers the opportunity for IB students to investigate a topic of special interest, usually one of the student’s six Diploma Programme subjects, and acquaints them with the independent research and writing skills expected at university.
2. Theory of Knowledge
Theory of Knowledge has an emphasis on the development of critical thinking skills, encouraging students to be aware of subjective biases and to develop the ability to analyse evidence. This is a key element in encouraging students to appreciate other perspectives.
3. CAS (Creativity, activity, service)
Creativity, activity, service is at the heart of the Diploma Programme, involving students in a range of activities that take place alongside their academic studies throughout the IB Diploma Programme.
Where are our IB Diploma graduates now?
This year the recipient of the 2025 IB Dux Award is Leer Mao.
Leer is an exceptionally talented academic student who has approached the two years of the Diploma programme with an energy and enthusiasm that her teachers have found completely rewarding, as they have worked alongside her. Leer is always prepared to push herself and shows a genuine love of learning for its own sake, not the grades or the prizes she can achieve. Her contribution to class is outstanding, and her willingness to debate and explore complex and challenging ideas from various perspectives is something from which her peers benefit.
In 2024, as a year 12 student Leer achieved Outstanding Scholarships in Religious Studies, History and English and a Scholarship pass in Chinese. For this Leer was named as one of 55 Outstanding Scholars by NZQA and received a prize of $5000 per year for 3 years at University. She is hoping to go one better than this in 2025 as she is entered for 7 Scholarship subjects. In the Diploma we are also expecting great things for Leer as she has very strong results going into her final examinations.
Leer also makes a huge contribution to the school outside the curriculum, especially in the creative fields of choral music and art, and as part of the Ethics Olympiad and Council, the Chinese Cultural group and as an Amnesty Group leader.
Leer is destined for a stellar career whatever direction she takes. She is hoping to get into the University of Pennsylvania to study Business and Economics, and “Trump willing” she will start there mid 2026.
Congratulations Leer on being the 2025 IB Dux.
This is awarded to a student in Year 13, who, throughout the two years of the Diploma, has consistently demonstrated the attributes of the IB Learner Profile.
The IB Learner Profile can be considered as a map of a lifelong journey in pursuit of international-mindedness. It aims to develop active, compassionate and lifelong learners and to prepare students to make exceptional contributions both at school and beyond.
The IB mission is to encourage students to be Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced, and Reflective, thus educating the whole person for a life of active, responsible citizenship.
The recipient of this award is: Violet Tucker
