British and International Education

We are proud that this year’s exam IGCSE results were our best ever, with 90% of our Year 11 pupils securing at least 6 grades A*-C. We also are delighted that so many of our Year 13 pupils achieved excellent scores in the IB diplomas to enable them to go to top universities in Germany and abroad. The school chose to offer these qualifications for three principal reasons.

First, they are recognised by schools and universities across the world for their academic rigour and high academic standards, at a time when the standard and quality of some national qualifications are being questioned.

Second, they are qualifications that are an international in content. Whilst within the subject syllabuses there is room for local and national material, their content is slanted towards the study of subjects that straddle national boundaries. By the time our students leave the school they should not only have secured qualifications respected world-wide for their rigour and standard, but they will also have been fully prepared to enter the global community.

Thirdly, both qualifications recognise the importance of the education of the whole person. Indeed, the IB Diploma explicitly acknowledges that it is not just a qualification for university entry but a programme of learning for which educational experience outside the classroom is as valuable as formal learning within it. And even beyond the content of the programme, in its philosophy the IB  embraces internationalism: Its mission statement states that ‘The IB aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect’. 

Originally conceived chiefly by British educationalists, the IB is rooted in many of the best principles of the British educational system. I refer here to the parts of an education that cannot be as easily measured as academic performance: the development of self-reliance, team building skills and a competitive spirit, to name but a few; qualities that are partly built through mandatory participation in extracurricular activities. You will therefore not be surprised to hear that these are distinguishing features of the education we offer at BBS. Our students leave the school equipped not only with excellent formal qualifications but essential life skills too.

Rounded, broadly educated, self-confident and well qualified students who have fulfilled their potential in all the areas of school life cannot be achieved without appropriate pastoral support, the final piece in our jigsaw. Close attention is paid to nurturing the personal development of each individual through attention to the student’s general happiness as much as his or her performance in and outside the classroom. Just as we celebrate the academic success, in the form of excellent public exam results, of our students, so we also take pride in observing them enjoy the ‘best years of their life’ here.