Preparatory IB course

Created specifically for students who wish to take the full IB Diploma, this one year course is designed and delivered by IB specialists, many of whom are IB examiners themselves. Class sizes are very low and all students are guaranteed individual help and support.

The unique St Clare’s Trimester structure ensures that all students gain a grounding in the skills essential for their future success on the renowned IB Diploma. The year long programme is a careful blend of breadth of delivery coverage to ensure students experience a range of subjects and depth of exploration to ensure they have the knowledge and understanding to cope with the demands of Higher Level work on the Diploma the following year. The programme is designed to replicate the full diploma with students taking subjects from all 6 areas of the curriculum. The trimester structure allows students to take the core subjects throughout the year and rotate between some of the options.

Who is the Pre IB programme designed for?

Most students are 15 or 16, have either 2 or 3 years of schooling left and are looking for a one-year course that will give them the foundation they need to take the full IB Diploma.

Do I need to stay for the full 3 years (Pre IB & then IB Diploma)?

No. the course will prepare you well for whatever programme you take. Most of our Pre IB students apply to do the IB with us but not all. Most come for the full year but it is possible to join part-way through the year.

What are the Core subjects?

All students take 4 hours of mathematics a week, 2 hours of World Literature and 8 hours of English (IB groups 1, 2 & 5). Which subjects are optional? St Clare’s offers 4 Humanities subjects, 4 Sciences and 4 Arts subjects (groups 3, 4 & 6). Over the course of the year, students will experience 3 of each, changing each Trimester (roughly every 12 weeks).

Can I choose which Options I take?

Everyone is guaranteed their top 2 choices in each curriculum area so you can be certain that you will study in depth the subject or subjects you need for the following year.

Are the subjects streamed by ability?

For English and Maths, we place students in groups of comparable ability so that they can receive the right level of challenge and support. Native English speakers for example prepare for English Group 1 not group 2.

A typical programme might look like this: