Impressive IB results open opportunities to global study for Cambridgeshire students

Students in Greater Cambridge outshone their global counterparts by picking up impressive International Baccalaureate (IB) results.

Impington International College, Parkside Sixth and the Stephen Perse Foundation all scored above the global average point score of 31.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a globally recognised, challenging academic course – equivalent to A-levels – which allows students to demonstrate their capabilities across a broader range of subjects.

Students are awarded points scores across their subjects with a total of 45 representing a perfect grade across the board.

IB students at Impington all passed their diploma programme, with an average point score of 36. Meanwhile more than a third (35 per cent) of students attained 40 points or more, which is equivalent to four A*s at A-level.

Caroline, who achieved 44 points, will be going to Wageningen University in the Netherlands to study natural sciences.

“I didn’t know what to expect, so I am excited that my work has paid off,” she said. “This was the first year that we sat exams, as we didn’t sit our GCSEs, and the small class sizes and teacher contact time at the college has helped me to really understand my subjects and made a real difference.”

Triplets, Greg, Louie, and Milo, celebrated a triple whammy of success.

Louie (41 points) is heading to the University of Birmingham to read law while Milo, who achieved a grade five and grade six in their career-related programme (CP) studies, will be heading to the same university to read English.

Greg, who achieved 40 points and will be attending the University of Oxford to read history in September, said: “An IB education enables you to study multiple subjects and specialise later, so you become more holistic in your intellectual capacities; I would highly recommend an IB education for any student.”

This year, four students secured places at the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford, with 98 per cent of students securing a place at their first-choice university.

Head of sixth form (DP) Bronwyn Wilson said: “We are beyond thrilled for our students who have received their results today; a huge congratulations to all. This is the first cohort of students who have taken full examinations since the pandemic, and their hard work and determination to succeed and achieve their goals has paid off.

“We are proud to have been offering the IB for over 30 years and know how transformational its programmes can be. While it is a delight that our students have secured places at top UK and international universities, it certainly isn’t a surprise. The IB far better prepares students for higher education than any other post-16 qualification out there.”

Almost all (95 per cent) students who studied the CP also passed, with many celebrating securing places at a number of Russell Group universities, leading drama schools and sport institutions across the UK.

These included Loughborough University, Hartpury University, Performers College, The Open College of the Arts, Wilkes Academy, Italia Conti and Bath Spa University.

After scoring 41 points, football scholar Luke will be travelling to the United States later this month to start his studies at the University of Virginia.

He said: “I have been lucky to spend two years at the college and have been really happy to be part of the football team here. For me, one of the most beneficial aspects is that the college is truly international, just like in the name of the IB. I am excited to see what everybody goes on to accomplish.”

Parkside Sixth saw a record-breaking points average collected by Year 13s, who achieved the school’s highest ever average point score since it began the programme back in 2013, of 34.

On top of this, some 15 per cent of students scored more than 40 points.

IB results are released earlier than A-levels, which are published in August, and 96 per cent of Parkside sixth formers achieved their firm or insurance choice university, with 27 per cent securing entry offers from Russell Group institutions.

High flyer Nell Wightman, who scored 43 points out of 45, will be off to St Peter’s College, Oxford to read biology. Other destinations secured by Parkside’s Year 13s include University College London (UCL), the University of St Andrew’s and the University of Exeter.

Students have also had doors opened to universities across the world from Fudan University in China to Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen in Germany.

Rachel Biltcliffe, head of sixth form at Parkside Community College, said: “We have a brilliant group of sixth formers who have been determined to achieve highly, despite the challenges of the past few years, so we are incredibly proud of this week’s results. The International Baccalaureate is an academically rigorous programme which tests our students over a wider range of subjects so we are very pleased that our average points score is our highest ever – demonstrating the whole year group’s achievements.”

Executive principal Craig Morrison added: “These achievements have opened up a wealth of opportunities for students, including courses at some of the UK’s and the world’s most respected universities. We have been hugely impressed by the commitment, enthusiasm and drive of our students and we are excited to see them excel as they take their next steps into further study and the world of work.”

Students who take the IB at the Stephen Perse Sixth Form achieved an average score of 39.5 points, with 67 per cent securing 40 points or above and 85 per cent of all grades awarded at level six or seven – the highest grade available.

Students will now embark on a wide range of university courses including this year anthropology at University College, London, engineering at the University of Edinburgh, and psychology at the University of York.

International places include mechanical engineering at McGill University, Canada, psychology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, liberal arts and sciences at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands and human bio-neuroscience at the University of Toronto, Canada.

Head of sixth form Jacqueline Paris said: “The students continue to impress me year on year with the breadth of their interests and the height of their talents. Yet again, despite all the challenges, both expected and unexpected during their formative sixth form years, they have demonstrated what remarkable and resilient young people they have become. I am incredibly proud of them.”

Principal of the Stephen Perse Foundation Richard Girvan added: “We are immensely pleased for all of our IB students, who should take great pride in the achievement represented by these individual and collective sets of results. They are the culmination of a great deal of hard work put in by the students and all of our staff, who have supported them through the last two very challenging years.”