LOMOND School is set to become the first institution in Scotland to offer two International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes and a Higher National Certificate (HNC) to its fifth- and sixth-year pupils.
The independent school will offer an IB diploma programme and an IB careers programme, as well as an HNC in business studies.
Lomond, which is based in Helensburgh, will offer the new qualifications alongside its existing Higher and Advanced Higher courses.
Having already gained approval as an IB candidate school, Lomond is now undertaking a rigorous process of authorisation in order to begin teaching its new curricula from August 2021.
Only schools authorised by the IB Organisation can offer any of its four academic programmes: the primary years programme, the middle years programme, the diploma programme, or the career-related programme.
The IB Organisation said candidate status gives no guarantee that authorisation will be granted.
Independent schools already offering IB programmes include Fettes College in Edinburgh, The International School of Aberdeen, and St Leonards School in St Andrews.
Johanna Urquhart, principal at Lomond School, said: “We want to reward our pupils for their creative, critical and original thinking and give our senior pupils ownership over their own learning.
“Additionally, it is important that we offer a course for young people who struggle with academic examinations but excel in other areas, giving them the kind of teaching they need to succeed.
“Rather than learning key words, memorising passages and following the exam ‘formula’, we want to provide meaningful and engaging experiences that give young people the ability to solve the kind of complex issues we will still be facing after this pandemic, such as plastic pollution and global warming.
“The IB model allows us to do that effectively.”
Read more news stories from schools on Scottish Field’s education pages.
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