An IB World School is a school that has been authorised by the International Baccalaureate (IB) Organisation and offers one or more of its academic programs. Schools go through a rigorous application and evaluation process to ensure they meet the high standards set by the IB to become an IB world school. Teachers at these schools are trained to deliver the IB curriculum effectively. Continuous professional development is a key requirement to ensure the teaching staff remains up to date with IB methodologies and best practices. The IB Organisation regularly evaluates IB World Schools to ensure they meet the required standards.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) offers four educational programs:

• Primary Years Programme (PYP): The PYP program is designed for students aged 3 to 12 and focuses on child development through inquiry-based learning.
• Middle Years Programme (MYP): MYP is for students aged 11 to 16. The program helps students establish a practical connection between their studies and the real world.
• Diploma Programme (DP): This program applies to students aged 16 to 19 and is known for its academic rigour and broad curriculum. It prepares students for universities across the world.
• Career-related Programme (CP): CP combines academic study with career-related learning, preparing students aged 16 to 19 for higher education and professional pathways.

It is not mandatory for schools to offer all four IB programs. Based on their resources and educational goals, schools can choose to offer one or more programs.

Some schools may only offer the Diploma Programme (DP), while others might provide multiple programs like the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the Middle Years Programme (MYP) together. Each program is independently authorised, so schools must apply for and be approved to offer each specific program. Schools are not required to offer every IB program, but many choose a combination that best suits their students' needs.

The core mission of the IB is to nurture the attributes outlined in the ‘Learner Profile’. Every IB student is encouraged to develop and embody these traits. Lesson plans, units of inquiry, and projects are intentionally designed to ensure that students engage with and cultivate one or more of the following learner profile characteristics:

• Inquirers
• Knowledgeable
• Thinkers
• Communicators
• Principled
• Open-Minded
• Caring
• Risk-Takers
• Balanced
• Reflective

The International Baccalaureate (IB) promotes holistic development, encouraging critical thinking and fostering a global perspective. Here’s how the IB achieves this:

1. Inquiry-Based Learning: The IB emphasises inquiry, encouraging students to ask questions, explore different perspectives, and seek deeper understanding. This approach nurtures curiosity and fosters independent thinking.
2. Real-World Connections: Through interdisciplinary learning, students are encouraged to connect what they study in the classroom with real-world issues, helping them see the relevance of their education and apply their knowledge in practical contexts.
3. Global Perspective: The IB promotes international mindedness by exposing students to diverse cultures, viewpoints, and global challenges. This helps students become open-minded, empathetic, and aware of their role as global citizens.
4. Focus on Lifelong Skills: In addition to academic content, the IB develops essential skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and communication.
5. Holistic Development: The IB values the development of the whole person, balancing intellectual, emotional, and ethical growth. The core components of the IB Diploma—Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)—foster this balanced approach.
6. Reflective Learning: Students are encouraged to reflect on their learning, which makes them more self-aware and helps them identify their strengths and areas for growth. This reflection fosters a growth mindset and helps students become more effective learners.

By focusing on these elements, the IB not only teaches content but also instils values, skills, and perspectives that transform students into well-rounded, thoughtful, and engaged individuals.

The IBDP programme is geared towards students aged 16 to 19 (11 and 12).

The IB Diploma Programme cultivates a spirit of inquiry and discovery, encouraging students to explore the 'why' behind what they learn rather than simply absorbing the information. Its balanced blend of Arts and Science subjects prevents early specialisation, while its global outlook promotes an understanding of different cultures. As a result, universities and employers recognise IBDP graduates as intelligent, organised and internationally minded individuals capable of the critical and creative thinking essential in the 21st century.

A key feature of the Diploma Programme is its focus on the holistic development of each student. The learner profile and core elements are central to the programme, highlighting their significance. Core components like Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) enrich students' educational experience, challenging them to apply their knowledge and understanding to real-world situations.

Candidates receive grades from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest) for each of their subjects at both Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL). An additional 3 points can be earned through the Extended Essay (EE) and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) assessments, bringing the highest possible score to 45.

To be awarded a Diploma, a student must score a minimum of 24 points. They need to score a minimum total of 12 in 3 HL subjects (not necessarily 4 in each). The remaining 12 can come from a combination of SL and the EE-TOK score.

Assessments in IB schools are a blend of internal and external evaluations. Internal assessments are conducted by the school's teachers, who grade projects, essays, and oral presentations. A sample of these is then moderated by external IB examiners to ensure consistency and fairness. External assessments, such as final written exams, are created and marked by official IB examiners, who are responsible for evaluating students' performance on a global scale. Both internal and external assessments contribute to the students' final scores.

The students have ample opportunities to explore their areas of interest, as the topics of investigation in the internal assessments depend on choices made by the students. Each student formulates the subject and topic of the extended essay based on their passions and abilities.

To pursue a medical course at any institution in India, a student must have studied three sciences (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology) in class 12 or equivalent. Since the NEET/JEE tests are based on the CBSE syllabus, students intending to take these exams must allocate extra time for preparation. In the DP curriculum, students can opt for any 3 sciences in Group 4 as a Non-regular Diploma. For example, students wanting to do engineering in computer science can opt for Physics, Chemistry and Computer science. In that case, they cannot choose any subjects from Group 3 (Individuals and societies). However prior approval is required from IBO for the Non-regular Diploma.

Shiv Nadar School’s IBDP offers diverse subject choices for the programme, emphasising the interconnectedness of diverse subjects and ensuring that students can pick combinations best suited to their interests. The Coordinator and the CGC team conducts sessions to help the students with their subject choice. Each student is required to study six subjects, ideally one from each of the six groups: Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, Sciences, Mathematics, and The arts, along with 3 core subjects - EE, TOK and CAS. If anyone would like to drop the 6th group (The arts) there can be either two subjects from Group 3 and one from Group 4 or Vice versa. The minimum number of subjects should be 6 with 3 HL’s and 3 SL’s. Even 4 HL’s and 2 SL’s are permitted.

The school is flexible and accommodates individual students, needs, and students have the option to change subjects in the first month of the academic year. The students can discuss the same with the coordinator, and based on the child’s preferences and interests, the changes can be made. The Coordinators and the CGC team take sessions to help students with their subject choice, ensuring students are comfortable with their chosen courses.

Math is compulsory in DP but there is a choice for the students, that depends on their different needs, aspirations, interests and abilities. For this reason, there are two different DP subjects in mathematics:

• Mathematics: analysis and approaches, and
• Mathematics: applications and interpretation.

Each course is designed to meet the needs of a particular group of students. Both courses are offered at SL and HL. Math is compulsory in the DP, but students have a choice that depends on their needs, aspirations, interests, and abilities. Both courses are offered at a higher level and a Standard Level, making the Math programme relevant to every learner and preparing them for the next stage of their academic pursuits.

Students are encouraged and effectively supported to complete the Diploma programme. Students who do not meet the minimum requirement for the full diploma can appear as Course Candidates. Students can choose to study from 1 to 6 - IB subjects (SL or HL) and are not required to take up the core elements (EE, TOK, & CAS). For course candidates, there are no restrictions on the levels.

For Grade 12 equivalence in India, students may choose to study 6 subjects (3 at Higher Level and 3 at Standard Level).

IB offers many opportunities for students to discover and hone their creative instincts. As part of their internal assessments, students have to carry out many individual investigations as a part of their internal assessments. Hence, they get a chance to research and explore the areas of their interest.

At the beginning of the year, the Foundation program, helps the students get familiar with the required skills in the various subject areas. They get a sense of classroom experiences through interactive activities designed by teachers. The foundation program is used to familiarise them with the attributes of IB learners. Some students adapt easily, but usually, by the end of the first term, most of the students are seen to be much more comfortable!

IB courses, much like other college-prep classes, encourage a higher level of independent learning. The difficulty often lies less in the volume of homework and more in the quality and depth of assignments and students' engagement with them. A key advantage is that students develop greater accountability for their own learning while enhancing essential skills in time management and organisation. Importantly, they can still participate fully in sports, student government, clubs, theatre, music, community events, and other extracurricular activities. These pursuits are integrated into the IB Diploma Programme through CAS (Creativity, Action, and Service) and the Community and Service requirement.

TOK or the Theory of Knowledge, is a course that encourages students to question and understand the basis of their knowledge. It explores how people from different fields see the world, aiming to develop students' unique ways of thinking. By delving into knowledge from various angles, TOK helps students make sense of both their education and the world around them.

CAS stands for Creativity, Activity, and Service. It is a hands-on learning part of the IB Diploma Programme. Students fulfil this requirement by participating in a range of extracurricular, community service, and athletic activities. It's a way for them to engage in diverse experiences beyond the classroom.

Regularly check in with your child about what they are learning, ask thought-provoking questions, and encourage them to stay organised. As a parent, it’s essential to be a role model for passion, ambition, and enthusiasm towards learning. Your engagement and positive attitude will help inspire and motivate them. Regularity is very important in the IBDP curriculum, as it helps the students understand the requirements and expectations of all the required coursework. All parents ensure the same.

Shiv Nadar School places a strong emphasis on the high quality of its teachers. Our educators are carefully chosen, with many having prior IB experience. We've also been diligently preparing for the IB curriculum for an extended period, offering professional development and training to ensure our teachers are well-acquainted with IB's distinctive requirements and pedagogical methods. Each of our IB teachers has participated in at least one subject-specific IB training and one IB Pedagogical training; some have done more. The school is committed to delivering an exceptional educational experience through these measures.

The Career Guidance Centre (CGC) has a specialised team of experts that assists students in choosing career paths that resonate best with their intellect and interests. Our CGC counsellors incorporate a global perspective while guiding students and ensuring they choose from the best institutes worldwide. They organise workshops, psychometric evaluation, resume building, one-on-one counselling, documentation of achievements, subject choice seminars and sessions with qualified experts. Through their diverse initiatives and able guidance, our students have found themselves a home in acclaimed universities across 15 countries. Overseas University: Cambridge, Yale, Dartmouth New York University, UCL, University of Edinburgh, NUS, NTU, Parsons School of Design and Berklee College of Music amongst various others. Indian University placements: Krea, Christ University, IIT, OP Jindal, Ashoka University, Delhi University: St. Stephens, JMC, LSR, SRCC, Shiv Nadar University

IBDP results are typically released around the 5th of July each year for the May examinations. However, by this time, most Indian colleges have already published their first admission lists, with the process continuing until about the third week of July. IBDP students are provided with a ‘Predicted Grade’ prior to taking their exams, and these predicted grades are quite accurate. Based on these predicted grades, students can receive provisional admissions, which are later confirmed once the final results are submitted. While universities like the University of Mumbai, Ashoka University, Flame University, etc. accept this practice at the institutional level, in universities such as the University of Delhi, students and parents may need to individually follow up with the respective colleges to ensure acceptance of predicted grades.

While the IB Diploma is widely recognised by universities around the world, many institutions in the U.S. and some in other countries still require standardised tests like the SAT for undergraduate admissions. The TOEFL (or similar English proficiency tests) may also be necessary if the student’s first language isn’t English, though this depends on the specific university's requirements. Some universities do waive these requirements for IB students, especially if they've taken English as a primary subject, but it's best to check each university’s specific admission criteria.

Due to the rigour of the IB Diploma Programme, many U.S. universities offer advanced placement credits to IBDP graduates. Students achieving high marks (grade 5 or above) in higher-level IBDP subjects are often eligible for these credits, which can result in savings of six months to one year. However, the availability of credits depends on individual university policies

The IB Diploma programme is recognised worldwide and regarded highly by universities. Due to the rigour of the program, IB graduates are well-prepared for academic challenges. Universities appreciate the programme’s emphasis on academic depth and breadth, international perspective, and community involvement.

The Association of Indian Universities (AIU) recognises the IB Diploma as equivalent to the 10+2 Senior Secondary School qualification, meeting the eligibility criteria for undergraduate admissions in India. The IB provides Indian equivalent percentages for IBDP grades for students applying to Indian universities.

The IB program provides a solid foundation for further education in India and beyond. It aligns with international standards, offering students a well-rounded education suitable for diverse academic paths. The assessment of the students in India is based on percentages, whereas the IB follows a points system. Most private colleges in India now accept the IB point system. IB also provides a percentage equivalent transcript which allows students to apply to universities that accept scores only as a percentage.Some Indian Universities where our IBDP students have been placed have been mentioned in FAQ Q. 23.