The International GCSE / International A level path is unique in that it plays to the strengths of learners. School owner and principal Robin Hull states his reasons for adopting this system.
When I was younger I was convinced that I would never teach teenagers. After finishing my degree in English and German Philology at Zürich University in the late 1980s and rising to the rank of Major in the Swiss Army, I took over my father’s language school and enjoyed many happy years teaching adults. In 2004, it occurred to me that I might have been wrong about youngsters after all and so I launched Zürich’s first English College. It grew so rapidly and was so interesting that I decided to sell the language school in 2008. The eldest of my four children would reach the age to enter the school seven years from then, so it had to be one of Zürich’s best. The curriculum of Hull’s School now combines the main elements of a broadly-based liberal education with the advantages of the English A level system. The students are mostly Swiss and half of our leavers study at Swiss universities. About 40% favour universities in the UK or the EU. Meeting the expectations of Switzerland’s highly-ranked universities and the UK Russell Group has made both the school and myself into an educational bridge builder. You can tell this from the fact that I head Hull’s School, act as a trustee of a well-known Swiss boarding school (SAMD, Davos), sit on the Board of Curators of the International Aldous Huxley Association, examine for the Zürich Business School, chair the Swiss Dyslexia Association and put in a regular appearance at committee meetings of the Swiss-British Chamber of Commerce.
1. IAL adapts better to the strengths of students
A level students are able to focus on the key subjects required to succeed at university. For example, future students of Medicine are free to spend the last two years studying Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Physics. The IB system is less focused and usually compels students to drop one of those four subjects in favour of a humanity or a second language. Furthermore, IB students only do three Higher subjects (the remaining ones are at Standard Level). Good A level students will do up to five Advanced subjects, with a view to entering Oxford or Cambridge, and why should they not?
2. Students can opt out of weaker subjects
The IB requires weak mathematicians to take at least standard Mathematics (International GCSE Mathematics is easier!). Why should this be so if they wish to study Law, Languages or Art?
3. IAL can be taken by adults, the IB has an age limit
Adults are welcome to take A levels. Why does the IB have an age limit and why can it not be taken by part-time students or distance learners?
4. There is no intermediate examination in the IB system
International GCSEs are excellent qualifications in that they give learners more freedom of choice than the IB system. Students who stop at this point are not left empty-handed as they enter vocational training or internships. Five International GCSEs are even sufficient to enter most US universities. In the IB system everyone has to carry on until the very end, even non-academic learners. This must be quite a burden on international schools. However, I have seen the IB Career Related Programme that has been introduced recently, so I am glad that they have begun to address those students that require a more vocational route.
5. Universities seem keen on A levels
In my experience, Swiss universities hold A levels in high regard. A reason for this could be that there is very little or no continuous assessment in IAL. For example, the world famous Zurich Institute of Technology (ETH) requires 38 out of 42 points (over 90%) from IB applicants, compared to three A levels with a grade A (80% of the maximum).
6. The IB system is riskier than A levels
International GCSEs and A levels can be retaken many times, even in part. The IB can only be retaken once. Again, one wonders why such administrative restrictions should have been imposed.
Concluding remarks
Needless to say, the IB curriculum is a good system and I have taken the liberty of borrowing a number of its attractive features. For example, at my school we promote community service and extra-curriculars, ask our students to complete two extended assignments (more than in the IB system) and teach Theory of Knowledge. However, we cover as much as possible in the lower years in order for students to have more time for A levels and as little extra stress as possible when they face their final examinations.
To me the potential downside of IAL is that one is tempted to teach to the test at the expense of general education. I feel it is essential my students be prepared for university in a real sense, so getting the right balance is important and the traditional liberal education needs to be combined with A levels. The UK system allows me to do this better than any other international system I can think of, so I am proud to be using the International GCSE / Alevels system.
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