IB Congratulations

Silence Exams!

An examination is always to be feared, for the greatest fool can ask more than the wisest man can answer.

Today is the day of the entrance exams for the lower school and number three son will be sitting his first examinations at Haileybury. The scholarship candidates have been doing their tests on Thursday and Friday. 

I am a great believer in exams. The life skills of being able to marshal the information that you know and bring it to a point and to answer the question which has been set is one which we come across time and time again. Coursework cannot cannot prepare you for the child who says "Well, if God made the world who made God?"

Having said that it is surely true that our children are over examined in today's English educational systems. One of the great attractions of I B is the linear course. That is, that the exams come at the end, just like sitting finals. This is a great attraction to my mind as it allows scope for young people to be able to explore a subject while preparing for the test which comes at the end.

However that may be, good luck to all those who are sitting for the entrance exams this time round.

A Haileybury Week

At the beginning of the week there was a meeting at Haileybury for parents of those in Lower School 2 all about the International Baccalaureate which can be taken by VI form pupils instead of A levels. It is possible that in time IB may come to replace A Levels altogether in schools like Haileybury. I have posed about IB before, and I think it is a great course. Haileybury has offred the option for over a decade now and has great experience and deep enthusiasm for the courses.

Then, after the shenanigans on Wednesday the General Committee met on Thursday evening. It is the President's job to chair the meeting and it was my first time. It is quite a big group and there is much wisdom at the table in many different fields. We reviewed the finances, which are in good shape, and considered forthcoming events. Members will have had notice of various opportunities - I shall try and post a list in the next few days. Then there was a discussion about the communication we have with OHs, and reflection on how the Society does its work. The Director of development gave a report and the Master said a little about the work of the new schools in Khazakhstan.

Today an e-mail from the Haileybury Youth Trust - do visit their site here. Tomorrow I shall be up at school to collect the boys for an exeat. Qute a Haileybury week.

PS Still not quite ready with what we hope will be good news. Soon. Be patient!

IB

At the beginning of things at Haileybury, before there were even Houses, there were the 'Reds' and the 'Blues'. Their colours still survive in the rugby shirts of Trevelyan and Lawrence. One was the Modern Side, learning Science and Mathematics; the other was the Classical Side, focussing on the disciplines of the ancient languages and history.

The history of academics has been of the diversification of the curriculum. Even as late as the time I was at school it was unusual for anyone to mix arts and sciences at A Level. I was one who bridged that gap a little bit as I took Maths alongside English, RS and History.

At the turn of the 21st century Haileybury was in the vanguard of English schools to offer International Baccalaureate courses to the VI form. The IB, which has been available since 1999 extends pupils over a range of subjects chosen from six groups. In addition there is a course on the Theory of Knowledge, an extended essay and a programme of 'Creativity, Action and Service' to encourage the application of knowledge.

By designating three subjects as 'Higher Level' there is scope for the intensive study which is the attraction of A Level but without the exclusivity that this can bring at a relatively young age.

There is a very clear explanation of the mechanics of learning six subjects and how IB works on the Haileybury website here.

This year has seen excellent results from the IB cohort. The IB offers a points based scoring system, out of 45. The full details are here, but congratulations to all those who did so well.

Spare a thought for the A Level students who face the long wait for their results next month.