The IB Programme and Curriculum Explained
The International Baccalaureate is an internationally recognized education framework that prepares students between the ages of 3-19 for university and professional life by challenging them to think critically, connect various subjects of study, build an international mindset, and conduct independent research. The curriculum contains five programmes tailored to different age groups, and sets a strong focus on engaging students with new technologies, ethical and inquiry-based principles, and creative learning methods.
Read on to find out about the different pathway options for your child, what the benefits of the programme are, which schools in Barcelona offer IB Programmes, from primary school levels to university preparation, as well as how to apply and get in contact with the school of your choice.
This article is written in collaboration with St. Peter’s School Barcelona.
International Baccalaureate in Barcelona
What is the International Baccalaureate?
The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a globally accredited education pathway for school-aged children offered in over 150 countries. It is directed by the ‘International Baccalaureate Organisation’ (IBO), a global non-profit foundation located in Switzerland.
The IB programme is known for its diligent and future-oriented approach, and is a highly acclaimed certification recognized by universities and employers worldwide. The curriculum centers around holistic learning methods: the focus lies on how students learn, not only on what they learn, by teaching them to engage critically and analytically with informational sources.
Students of IB Programmes in Barcelona are frequently accepted into leading universities across Spain and internationally.
Vision and Mission of the IB Programme
The programme highlights its purpose in having a positive and peacemaking impact on the world through education, and encouraging children to be curious, open-minded, and optimistic about the world, which they can help shape through their own actions.
Learning Approach
The IB programme prioritizes a diverse education that carries real-world relevance and allows students to explore multiple fields of interest by providing thorough schooling in a wide range of subjects. The core principle of the IB programme is its inquiry- and concept-based learning approach, and students are encouraged to learn through research and conceptual understanding that connects various disciplines and fields of study.
Classes during the final stage of the programme include the subject ‘Theory of Knowledge’ (TOK), which hones students’ inquiry and critical thinking skills. The Extended Essay (EE) is an independent research paper that allows students to delve deeper into their academic passions, while the ‘Creativity, Activity, and Services’ (CAS) subject challenges students to participate in social and community service projects, as well as in physical activities and creative tasks, ensuring that learning occurs through a broad engagement, with many different areas of interest being explored.
Technology and science, as well as the arts and humanities, also play a central role in the IB Programme, and an understanding of multiple languages is prioritized.
To provide an overview, the core focus of the IB programme emphasizes the following:
- Inquiry-based and concept-based learning
- Connecting disciplines and subjects
- Conceptual understanding rather than memorisation
- Independent learning and self-motivation
- Critical thinking
- Personal growth, leadership, and social conscience
- Developing an international mindset
How is it different from other educational pathways?
What makes the IB Programme stand out in comparison to other school education pathways is that it supports students in becoming independent thinkers and developing important skills outside of memorising information. The core foundations of the curriculum guide children of all ages in developing critical thinking and challenging assumptions about the world, improving multilingual language skills, and recognising connections between different subjects, as well as on a local and global scale.
Language of Instruction
When deciding on which IB Programme school to choose in Barcelona, one important factor to look out for is what the primary language of teaching is at each specific school. This can range from English to Catalan, Spanish, French, or German, depending on the school.
Applying for University
Results and Advantages
Studies conducted by the IBO suggest that students who complete the IB programme are better qualified for university, not only due to an average of excellent academic scores, but also because they are thoroughly prepared for the demands of university life. The IB courses familiarize students with skills such as essay writing, independent and self-motivated learning, as well as analysing and interpreting texts. This helps them adjust to a demanding university environment more quickly than peers who have not undertaken the programme.
Point Conversion for Spanish and International Universities
The IB curriculum operates on a different grading system from public schools in Spain. When applying to public universities in Spain, as well as some private ones, these points need to be converted to an EVAU-equivalent score (‘Evaluación de Bachillerato para Acceso a la Universidad’ is the final examination in Spanish public schools). The score can be converted through the ‘UNEDasiss’ resource, which is a process usually supported and guided by IB Schools.
When applying to international universities or most private universities in Spain, the point conversion is not necessary, and the IB Diploma is accepted directly by institutions.
The IB Continuum Pathways
Depending on the school, the IB Continuum offers four stages in its educational programme, which aim to prepare students for professional life and university. The stages are divided into age groups and build on one another naturally, expanding upon concepts students learn in younger years, and gaining more specificity and depth over time.
Below you can find an overview of these four stages of the IB programme, as well as the core learning focus and approach of each individual section.
IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) (Ages 3-11)
Children build a strong learning foundation through the Primary Years Programme. The Approaches to Learning (ATL’s) train students to develop teamworking, communication, critical thinking, and creative skills, while also learning to ask questions about the world around them through ‘Units of Inquiry’.
Children delve into global themes, such as who we are, how we express ourselves, how the world works, and how we organise ourselves within it, and connect these themes with areas of study such as mathematics, literacy, languages, science, and the arts. The focus in this stage is to foster a transdisciplinary learning approach that allows students to investigate the connections between various subjects.
IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) (Ages 11-16)
In the Middle Years Programme, learning becomes more specialised, and students have the chance to explore new technologies and focus on more specified subjects such as design and engineering, while also honing their critical thinking skills and learning to view technological developments such as AI through a critical lens. At the same time, arts and humanities subjects are also prioritized to create a balanced learning environment that teaches children empathy, creativity, and the importance of social engagement. Once a year, students perform an interdisciplinary unit that challenges them to connect what they have learned across various subjects.
IB Diploma Programme (DP) (Ages 16-19)
The Diploma Programme, one of two options for students from ages 16 to 19, prepares them for university life and contains six subjects and three core components, including the subject ‘Theory of Knowledge’ (TOK), which interrogates how we know what we know. The courses strengthen skills such as academic writing, textual analysis, critical thinking, time management, independent research, and ethical reasoning. Students who participate in the Diploma Programme not only gain access to top universities through their academic excellence, but are also more thoroughly prepared for the demands of a higher education atmosphere.
IB Career-Related Programme (CP) (Ages 16-19)
In comparison to the Diploma Programme, the Career-related Programme prepares students for higher education, employment, or apprenticeships, incorporating their personal career goals into the curriculum and combining the theoretical approaches of the DP with practical, real-world components. This programme is not offered by every IB School, and serves as an alternative option to the DP for students who prefer a hands-on approach to learning.
Additional Pathway Options
Pre-IB (Ages 1-2)
The Pre-IB nursery programme is a special course offered only at the St. Peter’s School in Barcelona, and aligns with the PYP programme, created for students ages 3-11. The Pre-IB course is designed for children in their first years of life, and accompanies them in developing an inquiry-based and curiosity-led approach to learning. Children are familiarised with English and are given a chance to explore the world around them in a play-driven atmosphere.
Admissions Process
The admissions process differs for every IB School, so it is important to check their websites to receive exact information. But most admissions processes start with a conversation, so that parents and children can better decide whether the school and the IB curriculum would be the right fit for them.
FAQ International Baccalaureate in Barcelona
What is the International Baccalaureate?
The International Baccalaureate (IB) is an education pathway for school children from the ages of 1 to 19. The programme is recognized by universities globally and is offered in over 150 countries. The rigorous curriculum prepares students for the future by strengthening their independent learning skills, and teaching them to interrogate and recognize connections in the world around them.
How is the IB Programme different from other education pathways?
The most important difference of the IB Programme in comparison to other school education pathways, is that the curriculum prioritizes teaching students effective methods of how best to learn and how to interrogate the informational sources they come into contact with, instead of primarily centering teaching around the memorisation of knowledge. The IB Programme hones critical thinking, self-motivated learning, ethical judgement, and independent research skills.
Why are there numerous stages in the IB Programme?
The IB Continuum is divided into four stages from the ages of 1-2 (Pre-IB), 3-11 (PYP), 11-16 (MYP), and 16-19 (DP or CP). The separate stages of the programme are adapted to different ages of the students, and are structured to teach them valuable skills that are strengthened and expanded upon the older they get. The Continuum serves as a basis and space of development for students to prepare for future professional life.
Is it mandatory for my child to participate in all stages of the IB Programme to receive a diploma, or can they join at a later stage?
No, your child has the option of joining the IB Programme at any stage. While it is recommended for students to complete the entire programme to build and strengthen the skills that they will be required to possess in later stages of the curriculum, as well as in later life, many students only join the programme at the IB Diploma stage. This has no impact on the validity of their diploma certificate or their education.
While it is an option for students to join the programme at the beginning of a later stage, such as PYP, MYP, or DP, it is usually not possible for students to join these programmes late, such as during the second or third year of a specific stage, as they would not be able to catch up on the workload of the programme and would lose valuable learning experiences that they require in order to complete the stage.
What is the difference between the IB Diploma Programme and the Career-Related Programme?
The IB Diploma Programme and the IB Career-Related Programme both prepare students from the ages of 16 to 19 for professional life. The two options offer students different core focuses that allow them to choose which would correspond better to their own views for the future.
While the IB Diploma Programme prioritizes theoretical learning and preparation for the demands of university and an academic environment and working style, the Career-Related Programme prepares students not only for higher education, but also for employment and apprenticeships. The Career-Related programme offers a more practical and real-world approach, whereas the Diploma Programme focuses more heavily on theory.
Is the IB Diploma recognized by universities in Spain and internationally?
Yes. The IB Diploma is directly accepted by international unversities, as well as most private universities in Spain.
When applying to public universities in Spain, the grade points from the IB Diploma have to be converted to an EVAU-equivalent score. IB schools usually assist and guide students during the conversion and application process, should this be the case.
About St. Peter's School
Since its founding in 1964, St. Peter’s International School has been dedicated to teaching students through an innovative education programme that allows them to develop their critical thinking skills, learn about new scientific and technological developments, and understand their connection with the world around them. St. Peter’s was the first international school in Barcelona to offer a curriculum primarily in English, and has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as the number 1 school in Spain in its latest ranking.
Located in the Carrer d’Eduard Toldrà in Les Corts, St. Peter’s offers the full IB Continuum, allowing students to participate in all four educational stages, from the Pre-IB to the IB Diploma programme. Equipped with a wide range of modern facilities, such as science and tech labs, sports facilities, and libraries, St. Peter’s is optimized to provide your child with an excellent and rigorous education that will prepare them for higher education and professional life.
St. Peter's Unique Learning Approach
St. Peter’s fosters an innovation-driven and human approach to learning, expanding upon the IB Continuum to further support students in becoming independent and determined learners, as well as compassionate and socially responsible individuals.
While embedding critical thinking and conceptual understanding as the core of the educational programme at St. Peter’s, the school also emphasises skills such as ethical judgement and a balanced focus on a large variety of learning disciplines. The STEAM approach combines science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics in a balanced curriculum, giving children the opportunity to discover their own interests in a diverse environment. Students also learn to engage with new and future-oriented developments, such as AI, through a critical lens and to see technology as a way to deepen learning experiences instead of becoming a replacement for them.
Add a comment