International Baccalaureate

Leysin American School has made the commitment to the philosophies and principles behind the International Baccalaureate Organization because we believe that quality work and realistic standards are attainable by all young people, whether they choose to pursue the full IB Diploma Program or not. The guiding force behind our curricula and activities is to encourage all LAS students to reach their greatest potential in every area of strength and to develop new skills and strengths in the process.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is administered by the International Baccalaureate Organization, which is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The IB Diploma Program is a two-year program and usually begins in the eleventh grade, continuing through the end of the twelfth grade. IB Diploma students have the opportunity to be exposed to rigorous university-level standards while still in a supportive high school setting. There is the potential to also earn the prestigious IB Diploma, an internationally recognized document.

Students pursuing IB courses have the possibility to earn college credit in selected subjects depending upon each university’s policies. Students planning to pursue the IB Diploma Program are strongly encouraged to take the highest level coursework possible in the ninth and tenth grade years to better prepare for the rigors encountered in a program consisting of mostly IB-level classes.

Although there is no formal admission process to the Diploma Program, students will be expected to have earned good grades in all subjects and to evidence the sort of active engagement in the learning process which marks the successful IB Diploma candidate.

All students taking IB-level classes will be expected to complete all IBO assessments relevant to each course.

All students at Leysin American school will be exposed to IB-specific standards. LAS students have many opportunities to take IB courses even if they do not wish to pursue the IB Diploma. There is no limit to the number of IB-level courses a student may take, but some IB courses will have priority enrollment for Diploma candidates over Certificate seekers.

Diploma Program Overview

Entry into the Diploma Program
All students are welcome to pursue the IB Diploma Program at LAS. Existing students will be advised by their teachers and the IB Coordinator as to whether or not it will be feasible to attempt the full IB Diploma. Students new to LAS wanting to accept the challenge of the IB Diploma Program will be reviewed on a one-by-one basis with regards to past academic experience and attitude. First-year IB Diploma candidates will have a probationary period through the first marking period to evaluate attitude and academic performance. In some instances, students may be advised to withdraw from the full Diploma program.

Diploma Requirements
Students enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program study five core subject areas (first language, second language, social studies, science, and mathematics) at the IB level for one or two years. Students choose an additional Sixth Subject from any of the core subject areas or from the arts. For students whose native language is not English and are unable to study literature in English at the A1 level, the option to pursue Language A1 Self-Taught exists. See page 22 of the Course Guide for more details.

Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Action, Service (CAS)
Requirements for the IB Diploma also include the Theory of Knowledge course, completing an Extended Essay, and documenting the required number of CAS hours. Students must earn a minimum passing score in Theory of Knowledge assessments and on the externally assessed Extended Essay to be considered for the Diploma. Additionally, a minimum of 150 CAS hours must be appropriately documented and filed at the school to be considered for the IB Diploma. Successful candidates may earn the IB Diploma in addition to the LAS high school diploma. Students who demonstrate above-average work on Theory of Knowledge assessments and with their Extended Essays may earn up to 3 bonus points toward the IB Diploma.

IB scores
IB courses are given final, cumulative scores on a scale of 0-7. Scores are the sum of all internal and external assessments; the percentage of weight given to each component of a course depends on each subject. Typically, internal assessments will count between 20% to 30% of a final subject score.

Diploma candidates must earn a minimum score of 24 points for six courses in order to earn the IB Diploma. IB Diploma candidates must take at least three Higher Level courses and no more than three Standard Level courses. If a student pursues three HL courses, the average for those three must equal 12 with no one subject score below 3. Final scores for IB courses are provided by IBCA via website in early July after the relevant courses have been completed. Official university transcripts for IB coursework must be obtained via email from IBO directly.

HL and SL Courses
The distinction between Higher Level and Standard Level courses deals primarily with the depth of content for which the student is responsible. HL courses must cover a greater period of time and thus always last for two years. HL courses typically have more assessments associated with them when compared to SL courses, and HL assessments tend to be more rigorous.

Predicted Grades
Each year, schools provide IBCA with Predicted Grades. The purpose of Predicted Grades are to provide IBCA with a system of checks and balances to ensure that examiner and moderator scores are consistent. More important, teachers compare their Predicted Grades with student results each year to help determine how closely the teacher adheres to and understands IB standards. As a general rule, LAS does not provide Predicted Grades to students or parents because these marks have no bearing on students’ scores and also because Predicted Grades are intended to be a tool for teacher self-assessment, not for student assessment.

LAS and IB Grading
Leysin American School recognizes that scores provided by the IBO represent external standards that, although representative of the values we seek in students, do not always reflect a student’s work in the classroom. To that end, LAS provides its students with percentage grades rooted in IB standards but based on performance and effort in the classroom.

CONTACTS
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